Five fast facts from the world’s largest brewhouse

Not only is Grupo Modelo’s brewery in Zacatecas, Mexico, the largest brewery in the country, it’s home to the world’s largest brewhouse. Enjoy these five fast-facts about this destination that should be on every beer-lovers bucket list.

What’s a brewhouse? The room in a brewery that houses vessels called tuns or kettles, usually made of stainless steel, where the ’hot’ steps in the brewing process (mashing, filtration, boiling) take place.

1.  Our Zacatecas brewery produces six million cans and 20 million bottles of beer every day, including flagship brand, Corona, as well as Victoria, Negra Modelo, Pacifico, Bud Light and Michelob Ultra. 

2.  All told, our team of 3,000 people will brew 24 million hectoliters of beer annually - that’s more than 5 billion pints - enough to fill nearly 1,000 Olympic sized swimming pools.

3.  The silos where malt is stored each stand 15-stories (45 meters) tall – equal to one of Mexico’s most recognizable landmarks, the Angel of Independence in Mexico City, or almost 200 bottles of Corona stacked on top of each other. 

4.  To empty just one of the brewery’s 140 cylindrical conic tanks (where the fermentation and maturation steps of the brewing process take place) 126 people would have to drink one liter of beer a day, every day, for 40 years! 

5.  Sustainable brewing practices are also not in short supply in Zacatecas. The brewery was the first in Mexico to reach prestigious level 2 certification from the National Environmental Audit Program, was recognized for environmental excellence by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. And in 2019, Grupo Modelo reduced water consumption by 11% across all of its breweries in Mexico!

While much has changed at the Zacatecas brewery since opening in 1997, one thing that never alters is the team’s commitment to its proud brewing heritage. No matter how much the operation grows, Grupo Modelo remains true to the traditions that ensure its iconic and natural beers will continue to be enjoyed as they have since 1925.