It may come as a surprise to discover that Mexico has been producing beer for quite some time, with the plants used including corn, agave and cocoa beans. It was after the Spanish conquest, in the 1500’s, that beer was brewed using barley, albeit in small amounts; in the 1800’s production of European-style beer really took off and now Mexico has some truly delicious ones to delight the senses.
10. Sol
Marketed as “The Taste of Freedom”, Sol was first produced in 1899 after the Mexicans gained independence after 300 years of Spanish rule. Made using barley and to a traditional recipe for Mexican beer, this is a dry, refreshing drink with a hint of lemon and a golden colour.
9. Victoria
Victoria is officially Mexico’s oldest beer brand; made from a blend of yeast, hops, malted barley and corn, this beer has a wonderfully golden amber colour and is classed as a Vienna-style lager – which means that it has a medium body and usually possesses a toasted malty flavour.
8. Corona
Corona is a globally recognised beer made from rice or corn, barley malt and hops, with a pale amber colouring and a crisp taste. It is produced by Cervecería Modelo for distribution on the world market, but, thanks to an anti-trust settlement when a company merger took place, it is produced by Constellation Brands for distribution to the United States.
7. Noche Buena
The name of this beer means “Christmas Eve” in Spanish and is a seasonal drink that is only available at Christmas time. The alcohol content of 5.9% is pretty strong for a beer, but this makes it perfect for keeping warm by a winter fireside. The dark colour and roasted malt and molasses flavours make it an ideal cold weather beer.
6. Pacifico
Pacifico is a pilsner-style beer, which simply means that is brewed using a method first adopted in the Czech city of Pilsen. It generally has a pale colouring and is slightly on the sweet side. Unlike most Mexican beers, Pacifico was originally brewed by Germans who had opened a brewery in Cerveceria del Pacifico, which is where the beer gets its name from.
5. Leon
This beer is quite literally bitter-sweet. It carefully blends a bitter, malty taste with a background of sweet toffee, caramel flavours. Reviews suggest that overall this is a neutral beer, which means that it goes quite well with a number of dishes and its foamy body gives it a clean finish.
4. Dos Equis
The name Dos Equis literally means “two Xs” and was used to represent the turn of the twentieth century and a revolution in beer making in Mexico. The creator of Dos Equis, Wilhelm Hasse, was a German who moved to the country in search of creating the best Mexican beer he could; and he seems to have pretty much achieved it. This Vienna-style beer is amber in colour, offering the drinker a full bodied and tasty caramel-flavoured beverage.
3. Negra Modelo
Negra Modelo is a fairly strong beer, with an alcohol content of about 5.4%. This dark, thick drink is another that offers the drinker a bitter-sweet finish, combining the sharp taste of hops with the sweetness of fruits and nuts; making this an unusual, yet pleasing beer.
2. Indio
This beer is described as being a Märzen-style beer, meaning that it is full-bodied and has a deep malty flavour, but also offers a dry finish. Drinkers of Indio have described it as having tones of nuts, bread and fruit, with a hint of citrus. Despite the unusual combination of flavours, it is considered to be a reasonable beer, complete with a clean finish.
1. Bohemia
As previously mentioned, Mexico has a long standing history in beer making and Bohemia is the beer that was created to celebrate such a rich cultural heritage. Made primarily using barley and hops, this beer also offers the drinker a fruity flavour, complete with a sweet vanilla aroma and a taste of cocoa beans to finish. If there is one beer that could be considered the taste of Mexico, it would be Bohemia.
