A project in Rio de Janeiro wants to take advantage of the wave of craft beers to create a space that would bring together products and consumers of craft beer.
Craft beer brewing in Brazil grew during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Brazilian Beer Industry Association. In 2020, more than 14.1 billion liters were produced, an increase of 2.9% over the previous year. The project on the river, called Cidade da Cerveja, aims to create a space for production, improvement and consumption.
The idea is to help those who make craft beer at home or in smaller spaces. In addition, it would also be a place of improvement courses for producers.
“It is still a project that is still being finalized. We took suggestions from what exists from breweries in other municipalities in the state and in other places to try to put something that can help in the manufacture of beers, especially artisanal ones, at the same time that you have a place to socialize with a large lounge”, said councilor Rafael Aloisio Freitas, who created the project.
“There are many people who manufacture, but they cannot set up a small industry. Our idea is that we can support these people.”
Place under discussion
The project has already been sent to the City Hall of Rio and had the support of the Secretariat for Economic Development. There is still no definition on where the Cidade da Cerveja would be installed.
According to Freitas, there are three options being studied, but the details were not revealed. There is still no definition on who will finance the structure and how brewers will be able to rent the space and sell the products.
The business model is not yet defined. It can be shared management between city hall and producers or management done directly by companies, says the councilor.
“It was defined that there will be no partner of large breweries, these larger industries, so that we can, together with these smaller ones, strengthen the artisanal brewery. , but the focus is on small entrepreneurs”, he said.
The expectation is that Cidade da Cerveja will be fully operational in up to two years, still during the administration of the current city hall.
“The objective is to promote beer tourism, give possibilities to these small producers, have a place to taste these beers. It is not to do something to make a profit, but to stimulate tourism and economic development”, says Freitas.
