For those outside San Diego, Stone Brewing might be best known for strong, bitter, hop-forward IPAs. But the local craft brewery produces beers of all styles, including some experimentation with emerging styles.
First released at the start of COVID, the Buenaveza Lager is as San Diego as it gets. The brew draws inspiration from Baja flavors (an area famous for sun and beaches), so naturally it’s a beer designed best enjoyed outdoors. While I enjoy creativity in brewing, there are times when adding too much to a beer can overpower the flavor. With the salt and lime trend, brewers walk a tight line between not enough salt-lime flavor and drowning out the beer’s flavor entirely with strong, salty, acidic notes.
Here’s what I thought of widely-available the Buenava Lager.
Buenaveza: A Closer Look
If you took Spanish 101, have visited Mexico and ordered a beer, or just understand basic Spanish, then you’ve probably deduced that “Buenaveza” is a combination of the words “buena,” meaning good, and “cerveza,” meaning beer.
Perhaps what makes this beer stand out the most is the awesome artwork on the can. Continuing to draw inspiration from its Mexican lager roots, Buenaveza features a candy skull-like artwork, combined with bright reds, yellows, and blues that are reminiscent of Día de los Muertos. The can just looks great.
As for the beer itself, it’s described as a Baja-inspired Mexican lager. But what makes this beer interesting is that it includes sea salt and lime in the beer, whether you like it or not. Which, for me, is usually something I don’t like.
Buenaveza Lager Flavor and Profile
Buenaveza is 4.7% ABV and drinks crisp and light, which is everything you’d want from a lager and a beer that proclaims itself as perfect for the outdoors. Obviously there’s lime and salt flavor, but you do get just enough malt flavor to remember that, yes, you are drinking a beer. It’s the kind of balance that beers of this style strive for and often miss; to be more blunt, this is one of the only salt and lime beers I’ve tried that I would actually buy again.
The color of Buenaveza is bright and straw colored, though I imagine you’d want to drink this directly from the can because the artwork is just that great (I would). It’s not the type of beer that you would order on tap, but it is the type of beer that you’d pack a few cans in your backpack or cooler when you’re heading to the pool, a hike, or outside to grill.
Salt and lime added into a brew before you order it is my least favorite trend in craft brewing, but Buenaveza does it right. The balance here is so well done that I like to think of this beer as a sort of michelada shortcut, since all you really need is some tomato juice.
I guess it’s also worth pointing out that this beer is vegan!
Final Thoughts: Stone Brewing Buenaveza
Buenaveza promotes a beer trend I hate, but does it with style, flavor, and quality. From the artwork to the surprisingly good balance of flavors, Stone has produced what I think may as well be the only salt and lime beer on the market.
The only downside to the Buenaveza is that you really have to be in the mood for the salt and lime flavor, because there’s no getting around it. So, you have to want a beer and want salt and lime, but at the same time. It’s kind of like those lime-flavored corn chips you buy for a Super Bowl party; sure, they’re fun, but at some point you just want something without that lime flavor.
Buenaveza is available nationwide, so if you are in the mood for a salt and lime lager, this is the one I’d recommend.
Rating: 3/5
- Buenaveza Review: Sea Salt and Lime Lager - June 13, 2026
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- What Is a Mexican Lager? - June 8, 2026
