El Sueñito Brewing: Pouring Pride One Pint at a Time

Tucked away in Bellingham’s Sunnyland neighborhood amongst 1920s-style cottages and various automobile businesses is the not-so-hidden gem, El Sueñito Brewing. As the first gay- and Mexican-owned brewery in Washington, owners Dennis and Osbaldo built their brewery based on values that align closely with those we hold at the Co-op: building community, remaining humble, and celebrating culture.

El Sueñito: Little Dream

Founders Dennis and Osbaldo

Translating to ‘Little Dream’ in Spanish, El Sueñito is just that, a little dream that’s grown into a big reality for its founders. So much so, that the brewery hosts numerous events for the community, from makers markets and drag brunches to community fundraisers and loteria game nights.

And if exercising for beer is your sort of thing, they even have a run club that meets every Wednesday night - to date, they’ve complete over 1,140 runs with over 156 miles completed! Needless to say, the “little dream” is about so much more than tasty beer and tamales, it’s about building a community hub that people from all sorts of walks (or runs) of life can enjoy.

While they’re new to the hustle-and-bustle that is the Bellingham beer scene, they’re no strangers to small business life. Having founded Frelard Tamales in Seattle in 2015, Dennis and Osbaldo found a home in Bellingham where they expanded their offerings from tamales to a wide variety of Mexican-style beer. And while you can still enjoy a tamale next time your down south, if you want to get a taste of their brews, pop into the Co-op!

From Scientist and Teacher to Brewers and Small Biz Owners

As with many people who end up in the brewery biz, both Dennis and Osbaldo started start their careers elsewhere. A former scientist and high teacher, respectively, Dennis and Osbaldo found themselves yearning for a second act, and lucky for us, yielded some pretty delicious results.

After graduating from UW, Seattle native Dennis started his career as a cancer research scientist. With his science background, he transitioned into brewing after completing his Master Brewer program through UC Davis. Before taking on a small business, Dennis got his first experience in a brewery as a brewer for Hellbent Brewing in Seattle.

Osbaldo on the other hand, was born in Mexico, moving to the U.S. at the age of 11. After receiving his teaching degree from Seattle University, Osbaldo became a high school teacher in Rio Grande Valley in Texas, where he worked closely with unhoused students and families.

But Osbaldo was no stranger to the food biz. When he was a kid, his family settled in Bellevue, where his parents worked in the restaurant industry for over 20 decades. It was then that his mom started making tamales, and ultimately laid the foundation for what would be Frelard Tamales, and consequently, El Sueñito Brewing.

A Beer for Every Drinker

At the Co-op, you can find a variety of beers from El Sueñito. Here are a few we recommend for the sunny days ahead!

Conejo Azteca

A Mexican Dark Lager that’s available year-round, Conejo Azteca (4.1% ABV) features a flavor profile of roasted malt, toasty caramel, and subtle hints of sweet coffee flavors. Best enjoyed cozied up next to a fire with a mushroom-based pasta. The balanced sweetness gives way to a gentle mystical bitterness and leaves a satisfying, crisp finish. Their special ingredient for this brew? Flaked corn!

Night Shift IPA

Whether you worked the day shift or the night shift, this IPA boasts a strong 7% ABV and the an ideal beer to wind down whatever time of day you’re off work. With a smooth mouthfeel, this hoppy beer is a mesmerizing blend of citrus, tropical fruits, and a touch of pine.

Un Poco Gay

El Sueñito’s annual Pride beer is a hazy IPA (6.5% ABV) that’s brewed with the many contributions of the LGBTQA+ community in mind. With bright, vibrant notes of passionfruit, guava, and grapefruit, this beer utilizes Azacca, Citra, and El Dorado hops.

As beautifully written on their website: “With each sip, you'll embark on a fruity journey through a rainbow of flavors that reminds us we all deserve to be loved, to be treated with dignity, and most importantly, to live without fear of persecution or discrimination for who we are.”

Even better, El Sueñito is donating a portion of their beer sales to local orgs that provide resources for queer folks in the community.