Baja Wine and Local Craft Beer: What to Drink at Casero

Tacos get most of the attention at Casero Taqueria, but the drink list tells the same story as the food. It pulls from both sides of the border: wine from Baja California, craft beer brewed around Southern California, and a few Mexican classics that belong next to a plate of tacos. Here's a guide to what's on the list and how to pair it.

Wine from Valle de Guadalupe

Valle de Guadalupe is Baja California's wine country, a valley of vineyards in the hills inland from Ensenada and the best-known wine region in Mexico. Its wines make a natural match for Baja-inspired food, and we pour two of them:

• Casa Ariza Chardonnay, a white from Valle de Guadalupe
• Las Nubes Red Blend, a red from Valle de Guadalupe

They sit alongside wines from California, Spain and New Zealand, but these two connect most directly to what's on your plate. Ask your server about pricing and availability.

How to pair them: chardonnay is a friendly partner for seafood and creamy sauces, so try the Casa Ariza with a Baja Fish Taco or the Baja Shrimp Burrito and its chipotle crema. A red blend has the body to stand up to char and richness, so the Las Nubes goes well with a Carne Asada Taco, the Birria Taco and its consomé, or the Plato de la Casa.

Local craft beer

San Diego County is one of the country's great beer regions, and our list keeps it close to home. You'll find:

• Casero Mexican Lager (5% ABV, San Clemente, CA): our cerveza de la casa, and an easy match for almost anything on the menu
• Burgeon Treevana IPA (7.2% ABV, Carlsbad, CA): brewed right here in Carlsbad
• Pure Project Pure West IPA (6.3% ABV, Vista, CA): from our North County neighbors in Vista
• AleSmith .394 Pale Ale (6% ABV, San Diego, CA)
• Hess Fairpoint Hazy IPA (6.8% ABV, San Diego, CA)
• Duckfoot Kook Slam GF IPA (7.5% ABV, San Diego, CA)

Taps rotate, so ask your server what's pouring when you visit.

The Mexican classics

Some pairings are classic for a reason. Pacifico Pilsner-Lager (4.4% ABV) comes from Mazatlán on Mexico's Pacific coast, and its light, crisp profile makes it ideal with fried fish. Negra Modelo Lager (5.4% ABV) is darker and maltier, with enough depth to handle birria, carnitas and anything off the grill.

A simple pairing guide

If you want a starting point, here's how we'd match drinks to dishes:

• Baja Fish Taco: Pacifico or Casa Ariza Chardonnay
• Al Pastor Taco: a hazy IPA like Hess Fairpoint, since hazy IPAs tend to lean fruity and echo the pineapple
• Carne Asada Taco: Las Nubes Red Blend or Negra Modelo
• Birria Taco: Negra Modelo
• Carnitas Taco: Burgeon Treevana IPA, since bitter hops cut through rich, citrusy pork
• Esquite: Casero Mexican Lager

Happy hour, margaritas and more

The best time to explore the beer list is happy hour, 3–6 PM daily except Tuesdays, when all draft beers are $7 and margaritas are $10. If you're looking for margaritas in Carlsbad, start with the Casero Margarita, our Cadillac margarita made with blanco tequila, homemade orange rind simple syrup, fresh lime juice and Grand Marnier. For something with a kick, the Salsipuedes ($14) uses blanco tequila infused with roasted pineapple and serranos. Ask your server about tequila flights, too.

Not drinking alcohol? Every cocktail on the list is available as a $10 mocktail, and Mexican Coke ($5.99) and Mexican Squirt ($6.00) are on the menu too.

Tastings, classes and events

Casero has hosted cocktail-making classes, food and tequila pairing classes and tastings, and events like these are a great way to learn the list with a guide. See what's coming up on our events page, or plan a group gathering in the outdoor lounge or with a full restaurant buyout through private events.

Quick answers

Does Casero Taqueria serve Mexican wine?

Yes. We pour two wines from Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California's wine country: Casa Ariza Chardonnay and Las Nubes Red Blend.

What local craft beers does Casero serve?

The list includes Burgeon Treevana IPA from Carlsbad, Pure Project Pure West IPA from Vista, and AleSmith .394 Pale Ale, Hess Fairpoint Hazy IPA and Duckfoot Kook Slam GF IPA from San Diego, plus our house Casero Mexican Lager from San Clemente.

When is happy hour at Casero?

Happy hour runs 3–6 PM daily except Tuesdays, with $10 margaritas and $7 draft beers.