Mexican Beer Goes International

BY DAVID NUTTALL

When one thinks of alcohol from Mexico, inevitably it’s tequila. However, in recent years, Mexican beer has been making a name for itself. While there is no distinct category for “Mexican-Style Beer” in any major judging competitions (mainly because they brew more than one style of beer there), the most well known, the Mexican Lager, usually gets dumped into the gigantic sweeping category called International Lagers. This is the home of almost every heavily marketed, Big Brewery brand you can think of.

To that point, about 90% of Mexico’s beer is produced by two breweries, Grupo Modelo (brewers of Corona, Pacifico, Modelo) and Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma (Sol, Dos Equis, Tecate), who fall under the corporate umbrellas of AB InBev and Heineken respectively. It wasn’t always this way, as Mexico used to be home to over three dozen small regional breweries through most of the 20th century.

Mexico doesn’t have the long history of brewing that one finds in Europe. While the indigenous people of the country fermented all manner of plants including maize, pineapples, and agaves to produce tejuino, tesgüino, tepache, pozol, pulque, and more, these beverages bear no resemblance to what we now call beer. When the Spanish arrived in the early part of the 16th century, they introduced barley as the main ingredient and brewing began. Because of the expense and strict Spanish control, brewing beer didn’t really take off until the second half of the 19th century. Mexico had gained its independence from Spain, but fell into what is known as the Imperio Mexicano, a constitutional monarchy established by the French who took control of the country with the Austrian House of Habsburg-Lorraine in 1863.

What followed was a large influx of German and Austrian immigrants, who proceeded to build modern breweries over the next several decades. Their influence in Mexican brewing is still evident today.

Mexican beer was rarely exported until Prohibition arrived in the US in 1920. Beer production grew during this period, especially along the border, and continued as tourism, first by car and later by air, exploded after World War II. During the second half of the 20th century, bigger breweries consolidated or bought up smaller breweries until the two giants dominated. These breweries have continued to grow, to the point that Mexico is now the world’s largest beer exporter and Corona Extra is one of the world’s top selling brands, available in over 150 countries. Craft brewing arrived in Mexico in the last decade or so, but at nowhere near the pace seen in Canada or the US.

Beer Styles

Mexican Lager

As mentioned above, it’s more of an interpretation than a true style. The most popular is the clara (clear) version; the light yellow, refreshing, easy drinking beer, commonly made with Pilsner malt, very little hops, and varying amounts of corn/maize, sometimes served with lime and/or salt. They usually range from about 4.5-5% ABV.

Listed below are brands brewed in Mexico, and are available in multiple formats. The following are 6 pack bottles, usually costing about $17-$20 each.

Dos Equis Special Lager, CSPC 156174

Pacifico Clara, CSPC 262626

Modelo Especial, CSPC 778777

Beginning a couple of years ago, Sol, CSPC 847530 and Corona Extra, CSPC 837641, have been brewed in Canada, at either Molson or Labatt breweries. If you want Corona Extra that was brewed in Mexico, it is only available in the smaller Coronita (207 mL bottle, CSPC 716402, $13 for a 6 pack) - the one you find served in buckets in Mexican restaurants.

Craft Mexican Lager

These beers are now recreated by craft breweries all over North America, as brewers and the public continue to discover the wonders of lagers in general. Some are made with corn and/or rice adjuncts, others are 100 percent barley malt. This is not a style that screams for creativity, but brewers can manipulate ingredients to keep the same drinkability as those brewed in Mexico. These craft versions are usually more flavourful than their Mexican counterparts, often with more malt backbone and a greater hop presence, however they tend to look similar and are just as refreshing.

All listed are from Alberta except where noted. Prices are about $16-$19 for either 4 x 473 mL pack or 6 x 355 mL pack cans.

Zero Issue Fringe (formerly ROC), CSPC 876132

Origin Mexican Lager, CSPC 871325

Trolley 5 Hasta Mañana, CSPC 886897

Dog Island Dos Almas, CSPC 827393

Town Square Chiquita Mexican Cerveza, CSPC 852636

Leduc Brewing Snowbird Mexican

Cerveza, CSPC 882237

Hell's Basement Midday Mariachi, CSPC 866276

Brewsters Mexcellent Cerveza, CSPC 818787

Blindman Dream Machine, CSPC 888123, $29, 12 x 355 mL cans

Yellow Dog El Perro Cerveza Clara (BC), CSPC 896429

Alesmith Clásico (USA), CSPC 868507

Vienna Lager

A style brought over by the Austrians, this obscura (dark) variant uses Vienna malt, less or no corn, and has more noble hops. Ranging from light amber to dark brown in colour, it is more popular now in Mexico than in its native country and it provides a nice alternative to the lighter clara version.

Negra Modelo (Mexico), CSPC 741866, $19, 6 pk. bottles

Hell's Basement Midnight Mariachi, CSPC 862966

Citizen Brewing Señor Citizen, CSPC 859021

Flavoured Beers

Because so many people drink Mexican lagers with lime and sometimes a salted rim, brewers can do the work and add them as ingredients.

Category 12 Salted Lime Lager (BC), CSPC 876005

Good Robot Diablo Mexican Lager (Nova Scotia), CSPC 860968 – with lime and jalapeños, but the heat is very subtle. $4-5, 473 mL can

There are also ales made in Mexico. The growing numbers of craft breweries are now making all styles of beer.

Fortuna Cantabeerto Agave Session

Ale, CSPC 863150 – flavoured with agave and citrus fruits. $6-7, 355 mL bottle

Mexican Drinks Inspired Interpretations

Because beer has a variety of influences and can now be any flavour, Mexican drinks are being copied in a beer format by both craft and macro brewers, with some brands being seasonal or only kept in their taprooms.

Horchata

Horchata is a plant-based drink (in Mexico, it is commonly made from rice) flavoured with vanilla, cinnamon, and other spices.

Twin Sails Con Leche (BC), CSPC 801350 – a milk stout version with added coffee, cinnamon, and vanilla. $27, 4 pk. cans

New Level Heavy Metal Horchata, CSPC 833900 – a blonde ale with lactose, cinnamon, almonds, and vanilla beans. $18, 4 pk. cans

Margarita

A drink that needs no introduction, its salty lime flavour interacts well with sour beers, especially gose, a German style that employs salted water as a main ingredient. Often a hazy beer, it can come in many flavours, as does the cocktail.

Russell No Way Margarita Gose (BC), CSPC 892759, $12, 4 pk. cans

Wildeye Strawberry Margarita Gose (BC), CSPC 892174, $16, 4 pk. cans

Michelada/Chelada

These beer cocktails have a salt and lime base, with the Michelada having added clamato or tomato juice and seasonings, making it red in colour.

Bud Light Chelada (US), CSPC 757714 more of a Michelada, made with clamato. $18, 6 x 355 mL cans.

Moosehead Chelada (New Brunswick), CSPC 882354 – light lager base with added salt and lime. $32, 12 x 355 mL cans.

Many of these beers might only be available seasonally in the warmer months. There are many other versions available in Alberta; look for any craft beer with “cerveza” in its name, and chances are you’ve found a Mexican lager. ¡Salud!

David has worked in liquor since the late 1980s. He is a freelance writer, beer judge, speaker, and since 2014, has run Brew Ed monthly beer education classes in Calgary. Follow @abfbrewed.