San Jose Breweries Join Hasta La Raíz to Support Immigrant Rights

(SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA) San Jose breweries have joined a fast-growing national beer collaboration aimed at raising money and awareness for immigrant justice after reports of unlawful arrests by people posing as federal agents. Launched in 2025 by beer industry veteran Jessica Salas, the initiative, called Hasta La Raíz, has quickly attracted more than 60 breweries across the country, including at least nine members of the Bay Area Brewers Guild.

The movement gained a visible foothold in the South Bay on August 30, 2025, when Foxtale Fermentation Project became the first local brewery to release a beer under the banner: a bright and grain-forward Red Corn Kölsch.

Origins and motivation

Salas, the daughter of immigrants, created Hasta La Raíz as enforcement fears rose on the West Coast—especially in Southern California—where community groups reported detentions by individuals who sometimes posed as Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. She said the confusion at street level—over who is real law enforcement and who isn’t—pushed her to act.

“People are scared, and that fear spreads fast,” she said in conversations with breweries, according to organizers. “If the craft beer community stands for anything, it’s showing up for neighbors.”

Foxtale’s release and message

Foxtale framed its Red Corn Kölsch as an expression of identity and support.

In a statement shared on Instagram, the brewery wrote:

“Hasta la Raíz means ‘To The Root’ in Spanish. It’s a phrase that reflects identity, origin, and grounding. It symbolizes honoring where we come from, staying rooted in our values, and standing strong for the communities we fight to protect. This collaboration is a chance to brew with intention, represent our values, and show solidarity with those affected by unjust immigration systems.”

That message—echoed by taprooms from Oakland to Portland—captures why the campaign has resonated even as many breweries face tighter budgets and slower growth.

How the collaboration works

Hasta La Raíz is intentionally flexible to lower barriers to participation:

• Each participating brewery can choose its own beer style.
• Breweries pick a nonprofit recipient for proceeds.
• Releases are coordinated but not centrally mandated.

This model has produced a mix of lagers, ales, and hybrid brews built around local ingredients. Organizers say the flexibility helps smaller producers join without abandoning house profiles or seasonal plans.

Proceeds from each release support immigrant rights nonprofits. For example:

• HenHouse Brewing channels 10% of sales from its Hasta La Raíz Hazy Pale Ale to the national group Freedom for Immigrants—a model many breweries follow while keeping doors open and staff paid.

Outreach strategy and retail partnerships

Salas has asked breweries to pair fundraising with outreach that meets people where they are. Rather than staging crowded festivals, the focus is on smaller neighborhood events:

• Taproom nights
• Pop-up tastings
• Bottle shop features

Retailers such as Uptown Beer Co and Belmont Station have reached out to feature collaboration beers, extending the campaign beyond taproom walls and into everyday shopping routines.

Regional context and precedent

San Jose’s participation fits a broader Bay Area pattern of craft breweries linking beer releases to social causes. The region helped power earlier national collaborations like:

• Other Half Brewing’s All Together
• Weathered Souls’ Black is Beautiful
• Bow & Arrow’s Native Land

Those efforts set a template for coordinated brewing and shared label art. But Hasta La Raíz arrives in a tougher market cycle: breweries have closed or downsized, and surviving businesses are cautious about new projects. Even so, the promise of a clear purpose—supporting immigrant justice during heightened anxiety—has driven sign-ups.

On-the-ground response at Foxtale

Foxtale staff said the Red Corn Kölsch connects with guests who may not follow immigration policy closely but understand community stakes. Corn is a staple grain across the Americas, and the beer’s light body and crisp finish make it an easy entry point for both regulars and new visitors.

Drinkers often ask about the label and then discuss the cause, creating space for conversation alongside the pint. That is the organizing theory behind the project: beer as a familiar starting point for difficult topics.

Analysis and wider reception

Industry analysts note that collective fundraising campaigns in craft beer are not new, but the focus here—urgent concerns around arrests and impersonation—has sharpened the message.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the campaign’s timing and tone align with what many communities say they need most:

• Practical support
• Public visibility
• Steady reminders that local businesses will not look away

That alignment helps breweries justify participation even as they monitor finances closely.

Expansion goals and messaging

Organizers continue to add new partners and are working to expand beyond the West Coast. The goal is less about any single beer and more about a sustained series of releases that keep the issue in public view.

“We’re trying to build a drumbeat,” one San Jose brewer said after the Foxtale launch. “When a customer sees Hasta La Raíz on a menu in San Jose, then in Santa Rosa, then in Sacramento, it tells them the worry is real and shared.”

Safety guidance and resources

The collaboration does not give legal advice, but organizers encourage people to seek official information and report suspected fraud through confirmed channels.

For government guidance on common schemes and how to avoid them, readers can consult the USCIS “Avoid Scams” page: USCIS “Avoid Scams” page, which explains how the agency communicates and what to do if approached by someone claiming to be an immigration officer without proper identification.

Local rollout and variations

Within Bay Area taprooms, the rollout has been steady. The self-directed model—choose beer style, choose nonprofit, coordinate a release window—keeps the barrier to entry low.

Examples of regional expressions:

• A malt-forward lager in Oakland
• A citrusy pale ale in Sonoma County
• A tart wheat beer down the Peninsula

Despite stylistic variety, labels and social posts unify the releases under the single name Hasta La Raíz, helping customers spot the campaign across regions.

Financial realities and sustainability

Breweries still face pressure from higher grain, hop, and freight costs, and many are recovering from years of reduced taproom hours. Salas acknowledges those constraints and emphasizes autonomy and manageable event sizes.

She has said:

• “Small actions add up,” pointing to modest but repeated donations that, over a season, can fund legal clinics, hotline staffing, or emergency housing for families in crisis.

Community impact and trust

Local advocates say the momentum matters beyond dollars raised. Each tap handle invites a conversation about rights, resources, and respect. Patrons who may never attend a rally or town hall can still back a cause at the bar.

San Jose brewers report customers sharing stories about relatives and coworkers unsure whom to trust. Staff keep a short list of community resources behind the bar, pointing people to nonprofits that can verify contacts and provide help.

The collaboration’s core thread is trust—trust in the beer, trust in the business, and trust that proceeds reach groups on the front lines. For now, the collaboration’s growth suggests that model is working.

With Foxtale’s Red Corn Kölsch pouring and more Bay Area releases planned, Hasta La Raíz has turned a national campaign into a local presence—one pint at a time—with breweries betting that steady, visible support will outlast the headlines and keep neighbors safer.