Dominican beer known for its white veil of ice is making inroads in South Florida

Santo Domingo.– Ask for a cold one in this sun-drenched Caribbean nation, and chances are you’ll get a Presidente beer. It likely will be “dressed like a bride,” with white frost on a bottle stored nearly frozen.

The longtime Dominican sweetheart also has emerged as a favorite in South Florida. It now ranks among the area’s top four best-selling imports –its strongest showing outside its homeland.

The story of Presidente’s success features an unusual cast: an immigrant family from Spain that got its start in hand-rolled cigars; Americans who launched a tropical brewery; the conglomerate Philip Morris; and a beverage distributor from Pompano Beach.

Their combined efforts now have Presidente nipping at the heels of Heineken, Corona and Beck’s in South Florida’s import-dominant beer market, setting the stage for the largest Dominican brewery to expand across the U.S. east coast, into Europe and beyond.

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