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What Are The Best Mexican Beers?

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Beer brewing has a very long history in Mexico and beer is one of the major exports of the country. Before major conquests, the Mesoamericans were already familiar with fermented drinks. Many of them made with corn or agave.

Most of the beers sold in Mexico today are lagers and Vienna-style light and dark beers. The market share of the brewing industry is largely owned by two brands, Grupo Modelo and FEMSA.

There are many Mexican beers that are great in taste and recommended for parties. We have shortlisted 10 best Mexican beers based on flavor and quality. This article provides a list of these amazing beers. And it highlights what makes them so special.

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What Is a Mexican Beer?

Mexico’s long history of beer brewing takes us back to the 19th century. Germans living in Mexico started brewing beer commercially.

Later, these lagers became the most sold beers in Mexico. The majority of these exported to the US, but they are also available in 150 countries around the world.

Microbreweries in Mexico

Microbreweries are still a new trend in the beer brewing industry of Mexico. More companies hare stepping into the world of craft beer. Now there are various microbreweries in Mexico.

Many microbrew beers are now sold in different bars and stores around the country. Most of the microbreweries are in the northern part of Mexico.

Minerva and Cucapa are two famous companies that produce microbrew beers in Mexico.

Michelada – The Mexican Style of Beer Drinking

Beers in Mexico are usually served with lime juice. Yet, there is another unusual drinking style of beer in the country called Michelada. It is a cocktail drink with light beer, salt chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce or tomato juice.

The rim of the glass is coated with salt, while the other ingredients are in the glass.

If you are looking to try some authentic Mexican beers, here is a list of the 10 best Mexican beers:

Negra Modelo

Negra Modelo was first brewed by Austrian expatriates in Mexico. It is stronger than other Mexican beers due to its 5.4% alcoholic content. This best selling dark beer in Mexico is not heavy and has the right combination of Galena hops, caramel, and black malts.

It takes longer than average to be brew. Negra Modelo has a bitter-sweet taste. The slight bitterness of hops balances with the sweetness of fruits and nuts.

It is still categorized as a sweet beer.

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Victoria Mexican Lager

Victoria is one of the oldest beer brands by Grupo Modelo. Its flavor and aroma depict its association with Austrian pilsner styles. Its alcoholic content is 4.0% and has a slightly bitter taste.

Its made from yeast, hops, corn and black malt, which give it a beautiful golden amber color.

It has a medium body and is preferred by many people due to its light body.

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Pacifico

The Mexican beer Pacifico gets its name from Cerveceria del Pacifico. This is where it was first brewed by Germans.

It has become one of the most exported beers on the West Coast. It has a pale color and mild sweetness. Its alcoholic content is only 4.5%, which makes it quite appropriate for day drinking.

It is a bright and refreshing beer and can be served with lime and is best paired with fish.

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Dos Equis Lager

Dos Equis was the invention of a German expat, Wilhem Hasse. It is like a German Oktoberfest.

When it comes to Dos Equis, you have two options— amber and clara (green bottle). This beer has a 4.7% alcoholic content. It has a refreshing and sharp taste. The full-bodied beer offers a caramel blend.

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Tecate

Cervecería Tecate brewed Tecate Mexican beer for the first time, and is named after the city of Tecate. With a 4.6% alcoholic content, it was the first beer canned in Mexico.

This lager’s brilliant flavor is a delicious combination of hops and malts. Its known in Mexico due to its association with sports teams and events. This 60-year-old lager of Mexico comes in two bottles— Tecate Light and Tecate Original.

Tecate light has a lower alcoholic content, which is 3.9%.

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Bohemia Oscura

Bohemia Oscura is a bock-style beer, which has 5.3% alcoholic content. It was first brewed by some German immigrants.

It has a wonderful blend of caramel and black malts. It has a unique taste and light bitterness to it because of the addition of hops. The aroma of Bohemia Oscura is pleasant with hints of sweetness from the grain. The beer is pale in color and has medium-light carbonation.

It is now known as one of the finest beers of the world.

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Modelo Especial

Modelo Especial was first brewed in 1925 and is the second most famous beer in Mexico. It is Grupo Modelo’s third most selling beer in the US.

This Pilsner style beer is rich with flavor and has a crisp and balanced taste. The refreshing Modelo Especial has a touch of light hop and has an orange blossom honey aroma.

It is very pale in color and has a citrusy and herbal hint to it. It has a 4.5 % alcoholic content.

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Dos Equis Ambar

Dos Equis Amber is a Vienna-style lager that is a blend of dark rum, hazelnut and a touch of vanilla. It is a reddish-gold color and is a full-bodied lager.

This Mexican lager is a blend of caramel, brown sugar and malt and has hints of spices and fruits.

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Carta Blanca

Carta Blanca is a well-known Mexican beer in the world. It has achieved many rewards and recognitions in various beer exhibitions.

The golden color lager has a 4.5% alcoholic content. It has a very balanced flavor and contains high quality ingredients. It is Cervecería Cuauhtémoc’s first premium beer.

It is very light and has a smooth, refreshing crisp.

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Insurgente / Stone – Xocoveza

Insurgente is one of the best beer brewing brands in Tijuana, Mexico. It has a black color with a small tan head. It has rich aromas of caramel and chocolate.

Brewed in 2014, this beer has a sweet taste. Its made with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, coffee, cocoa, and pasilla peppers.

With the increasing popularity of Mexican beers, there is now a great demand for high-quality craft beer products from Mexico. Mexican beer is unique. It’s popular due to their lager properties and also because most of them have light bodies and mild tastes. Mexican beer has also enabled the country to extend its rich culture and heritage to other countries of the world.

Next time you go out to eat Mexican food, make sure to order a bottle of Mexican beer from the above-mentioned list. This will complete your Mexican experience.

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FAQ

What makes Mexican beer different?

Mexican beers are unique and taste different from normal beers because most Mexican beers use corn, barley, and plants to make beer. They might look like ordinary beer, but when you taste them, you can taste the difference.

Many Mexican beers are well made. They often have little to zero fruity esters.

Why do most Mexican beers taste European?

In the mid 19th century, beer brewing grew in Mexico due to the arrival of German Immigrants. Moreover, Mexico was under the rule of Austro-German Emperor Maximilian for four years. He loved his beer a lot and opened his own brewery.

Many of these expats wanted a beer that they remembered. By 1918, there were 36 brewing companies and German expats were producing Vienna style lagers all over the country.

How many types of Mexican beers are there?

A wide range of beer types are brewed in Mexico. Due to its rich culture and long history, Mexican beers are famous all over the world, making it one of the largest exports of Mexico.

The majority of Mexican beers are lagers, pilsners, Vienna-style light and dark beers and Munich dark beers.

Microbreweries produce a small variety of ales as well. Over 90% of the beer produced in Mexico comes from two major companies— Grupo Modelo and FEMSA.

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