ULTRALIGHT · LIGHT
TO MEDIUM · FULL-BODIED
South-of-the-border
brews provide fizzy refreshment for scorching days. These are patio and beach
beers. Guiness they are not, but when the temperature soars, who wants to deal
with a complex, intense brew that's the color of espresso anyway? Enter Mexican
beer — cerveza. Mexico is largely a lager nation — the majority of
its beers are made with a type of yeast that rests at the bottom of the liquid
after fermentation. Lager yeasts ferment at lower temperatures than do the
top-fermenting yeasts used to make ales. The resulting beers tend to be
smoother, cleaner and more subtle than ales.
ULTRALIGHT: Corona, Chihuahua, Pacifico, Sol
Corona, Chihuahua and Pacifico are the most common brands available in the
United States; Sol, another good brand, began being imported this year.
Chihuahua is fresh and bright; Pacifico, a great choice, is light-bodied and has
a clean flavor; and Sol is characterized by an appealing balance of malt, hops
and yeast. With casual foods such as nachos or fajitas, these three the
edge over Corona, which remains immensely popular. For more substantial fare,
try some more flavorful Mexican brews.
LIGHT TO MEDIUM: Dos Equis Special, Carta Blanca, Tecate,
Bohemia
Apart from the Corona-style lagers, the most common Mexican beers are light- to
medium-bodied lagers with more pronounced malt and hop elements and
substantially more character. In this group I particularly like Dos Equis
Special Lager. It is a mild and appealing brew with good balance and flavor. The
Dos Equis brand was established just prior to 1900, with the "XX" on
the label referring to the then-approaching twentieth century and not to the
strength of the beer.
Another choice is Carta Blanca. This one is pleasant and light, with nice body
and a mellow flavor. Tecate, first brewed in the northern Mexican town of the
same name, offers similar character, though it is a bit more aggressive than
Carta Blanca. Also nice is Bohemia pilsner. A fizzy lager with smooth malt and
bitter hoppiness, Bohemia is brewed in Monterrey. These gold lagers complement a
variety of foods, from spicy dishes to rich seafood like crab or lobster.
FULL-BODIED: Negra Modelo, Dos Equis Amber
You will also find a few darker Mexican brews that are richer and more
full-bodied. The heavyweight among them is Negra Modelo — medium brown in
color with a delicious sweet creaminess that turns to a complex,
bitter-chocolate flavor on the palate. It goes well with pork or lamb dishes and
is excellent with mole and pipián (pumpkin seed) sauces. Another darker
lager is Dos Equis Amber — a rich, smooth brew that rivals many European and
American microbrews.
Blistering day or sultry night, with good food or without, one thing is certain:
it's a good idea to cool off with a foamy beer from Mexico.