24 Jul Gustavo Reyes and Goodwood Brewing are Teaming Up
Oldham Countian, Gustavo Reyes, owner of Gustavo’s Mexican Grill, together with Goodwood Brewing Co., are teaming up on a Mexican beer brand that will be on local store shelves in the next few months. This article is a reprint of an article in Louisville Business First.
By Michael L. Jones – Reporter, Louisville Business First Jul 24, 2022
Vida De Reyes is a Mexican lager with a hint of jalapeno that is produced by Goodwood. It is currently available in draft and cans at all five of Reyes’ Gustavo’s Mexican Grill restaurants in Louisville and Goodwood locations in Louisville, Lexington and Frankfort.
Gustavo Reyes is the owner of Gustavo’s Mexican Grill and Vida De Reyes Mexican Lager.
“It should be in Kroger and Total Wine stores in the next month or two at the latest,” Reyes explained. “We are starting in Kentucky, but in the future we’re looking to expand to surrounding states like Illinois and Tennessee.”
A six-pack of Vida De Reyes will cost about $11. Ted Mitzlaff, owner and CEO of Goodwood, said the Hispanic craft beer market is underserved in the U.S.
The Vida De Reyes lager produced by Goodwood Brewing Co. should be hitting store shelves soon.
“They’re certainly willing to pay for premium beer,” Mitzlaff said. “Modelo, Corona and Tecate — when you see those imports they are not cheap. So, we thought that clearly there’s a demand, a market there, for a craft beer that targets the Hispanic community.”
U.S. imported beer sales were $9.2 billion in 2021, according to Chicago-based Information Resources. That’s a 4.8% increase over 2020.
Mitzlaff added that although the Hispanic audience is the target for the beer, it has been popular with a wide range of Goodwood customers.
The idea for Vida De Reyes grew out conversations Reyes had with Goodwood employees who frequented Gustavo’s Mexican Grill. Mitzlaff said Goodwood created several options for him and his team to sample until they ultimately arrived at the current flavor for Vida De Reyes.
Goodwood CEO Ted Mitzlaff poses for a portrait behind the bar at the brewery’s location in downtown Jeffersonville.
“We’ve talked to Gustavo about expanding the line, doing to a negro or a non-jalapeno flavored variants as well,” Mitzlaff said.
In addition to the new beer venture, Reyes is growing his restaurant business as well. In March, he opened the latest Gustavo’s restaurant at 401 S. Hurstbourne Parkway in a 8,000-square-foot space previously occupied by the old Romano’s Macaroni Grill.
*You can visit an Oldham County Gustavo’s restaurant in Oldham County HERE
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