And your ears shall hear…

When you look at the packaging of most Mexican beers imported to the United States, you usually see the same repetitive imagery: a lime wedge, a beach sunset, a luchador mask, or a reference to Frida Kahlo. But Cervecería Paracaidista—the award-winning Mexican craft brewery making waves in Chicago—is completely shattering that predictable mold.

Originally, you might think that a single talented visionary is responsible for the aesthetic of their cans. However, the reality is that Paracaidista works with a diverse group of independent Mexican graphic designers, illustrators, and local street artists. By allowing different creators artistic freedom, they have created a modern look that captures the vibrant energy of Mexico City. This unique approach to art—and their link to Chicago—is transforming the craft beer industry.

True to their name (Paracaidista is Spanish slang for a “nomadic traveler”), the brewery views beer as a fluid, ever-evolving conversation. They don’t use a single in-house designer. Instead, they treat each can as a blank canvas to showcase the raw talent of independent Mexican creatives.

Some of the standout contributors shaping their visual style include:

• El Dee (David Espinosa): A prominent Mexican comic book artist and illustrator known for his bold, graphic lines. He breathed life into the original characters featured on flagship cans like The Fat Mariachi, which originally caught my eye, and Belgian for the Beach, which I really want to try.
• Rulo Gonzalez: A sharp art director and designer who manages the complex layouts, seamlessly blending the raw illustrator art with the sleek typographic structure required for a commercial can.
• Local Graffiti Legends: Paracaidista frequently commissions underground muralists and street artists straight from the barrios of Mexico City to keep their aesthetic rooted in real, modern youth culture rather than commercialized history.

Because they rotate artists, the cans do not look uniform, but they all share an undeniable, gritty, high-contrast energy. It is art you want to collect, not just crush and recycle. Paracaidista’s collaborative approach to art perfectly mirrors how they brew beer. They are a nomadic brewery, meaning they don’t own a massive, rigid production facility. They travel, share knowledge, and brew in tandem with other passion-driven spaces. This philosophy made them a perfect match for Pilot Project Brewing in Logan Square (and now Wrigleyville), Chicago.

Operating like a record label for craft beer, Pilot Project acts as an incubator to help visionary breweries scale up and distribute. By launching their U.S. operations through this Chicago incubator, Paracaidista has brought authentic, independent Mexican brewing culture straight to the Midwest.

To celebrate their arrival in the Windy City, Paracaidista hasn’t just brought over their classics; they are actively creating beers that blend Mexican ingredients with Midwestern identity:

• Apapacho: A West Coast Pilsner brewed as a literal “hug” (the meaning of the Nahuatl-derived word apapacho) to the Chicago beer community that welcomed them. This was the can that made me take notice, with the incredibly chaotic cartoon artwork.
• Six Strings and a Beat: A massive 8% Hazy Double IPA originally created for their taproom anniversary, bringing a tropical, dank, and heavy profile to Chicago winters.
• Zicatela Sunset: A dry, crisp Neo-West Coast IPA modeled after local surf spots in Oaxaca, keeping the coastal vibe alive right on the banks of Lake Michigan.

If you want to see the great mix of Mexican street art and creative brewing, visit Cervecería Paracaidista at Pilot Project Brewing in Logan Square or the newly remodeled taproom and restaurant in Wrigleyville on Clark. ¡Arriba!