Carlos Alvarez, founder of the Gambrinus Company and credited with bringing Modelo and Corona to the U.S. and also taking on craft brands such as Bridgeport Brewing, Pete’s Brewing and Trumer Pils has passed away. He was 73.
Born in Mexico City, Alvarez grew up in the beer business as his father owned a Corona distributorship in Acapulco. He took a job early in his career as an export manager for Grupo Modelo and soon introduced Corona in the US by hand-selling the beer to Austin area bars and restaurants. The brand became the number one beer import in the U.S. over the next 20 years.
Alvarez founded the Gambrinus Co. in San Antonio in 1986, which soon acquired the Spoetzl Brewery and Shiner beer in 1989. In 1998 Alvarez dabbled further into the craft beer business, acquiring Bridgeport Brewing in Portland, Oregon, and Pete’s Brewing in 1998. The company closed Bridgeport Brewing in 2019 and discontinued making Pete’s Beer in 2011. Gambrinus continues to run the Spoetzl brewery and also operates the Trumer Pils brewery in in Berkeley, California.