While Lesley’s studying at an ashram in India, her husband Crayton is guest-posting. Please be kind to him.
Thanks for all your great suggestions on topics for the next couple of weeks. Keep ’em coming.
Today I’d like to talk to you about beers. Cervezas, as they’re formally known here. Informally known as chelas, chupas and other words I haven’t even learned yet.
Mexico has some great things going for it in the beer department, with some serious, serious flaws. The good news is that the widely available commercial beers are, by and large, pretty good. Some of them you know: Corona is every American’s favorite beachy beer. Dos Equis is that “stay thirsty my friends” beer. A lot of U.S. cities have Bohemia, Modelo Especial, its cousin Negra Modelo, and other stuff like Tecate and Sol. They all have their merits.
But here in REAL Mexico we have two beers that I really really like and that haven’t yet been marketed in the U.S. Victoria is what beerologists call a Mexican version of a “Vienna lager.” Beerologists are pretty dorky. I just call it a “good beer.” It’s slightly sweet, just enough bitter, tastes good at various levels of cold. Very functional, I’d say. The color is darker and much manlier than your typical Corona.
The other Mexico-exclusive beer is Indio, also apparently a lager. For my money, it’s pretty much Victoria. I find very little difference between the two beers, and so normally I’ll buy one or the other depending on what’s available in the store.
Which brings me to one of the awful truths about Mexican beer: There are only two beer companies. Two. One is called Modelo and the other is called Femsa. (Femsa has agreed to sell its beer unit to Heineken, so I guess it’ll be Modelo and Heineken down the road.) They make ALL THE BEERS. And they own their own convenience store chains, which dot every other block in Mexico City. So in Oxxo you’re going to get the Femsa beers, which are on this list. In the Extra stores, you’re going to get Modelo beers, which are these. (A few of the brands you’ll see on those lists are regional varieties, but they’re not standouts.)
Imports? Ha! You can get Budweiser and Bud Light in some of the stores. Coors Light is trying to make some inroads here, I think. And in some bars you can get a Heineken or Guinness in a can. To go beyond that, you need to really search and find a rare specialty store like the highly recommended La Belga, because otherwise you’re out of luck.
Microbrews are also elusive creatures. They do exist, but you have to really search. We have encountered Cosaco around town, and it’s very earthy, but cool just to have something different. I believe Lesley has mentioned the strange tale of Duff beer before. These Guadalajarans are apparently trying to start a line of beers named after soccer stars, starting with Maradona. Could be cool. (These small breweries have to contend against very giant companies with a lot of power, so it can be tough to get a foothold in the market.)
So anyway, what you don’t get in Mexico are these bars and restaurants and supermarkets with dozens and dozens of beers. I miss the adventure of trying new brews with weird names – your Dogfish Heads, your Anchor Steams, etc. And I really, really miss Miller High Life, which some of you may know is the Champagne of Beers.
One last note, lest anyone calls me out on it: There is one more very special Mexican beer called Noche Buena, which means “Christmas Eve” or “Poinsettia” or just “Good Night” and is available every year only around Christmas time. It’s the most bock-like of the Mexican beers, sweet and dark and quite yummy. So there’s that.
Amanda
5 stars on the bear post. sometimes we can find some Sam Adams around here which will have a cherry, or hefferveisen. My husband is also able to find a Guinness from time to time but I have to say Indio Oscura is the norm. Great job in the absence of Leslie.
Crayton
Thanks! I’ve seen the flavored Sam Adams at the supermarket too, and it just makes me mad that there’s no regular Sam Adams.
Paz
The descriptions on the Grupo Modelo site are really useful! For instance, I did not know that Estrella communicates the “feel the energy” message. That’s a message I really want to communicate with my beer.
FEEL THE ENERGY
Leah
Victoria is a great beer, also my favorite. To me, it’s interesting that there are hardly any microbrews, but at least here in Veracruz you can find tons of homemade liquor – and it’s legal! Wouldn’t that concept be nice to import to the US?
Crayton
I will go to Veracruz and try this homemade liquor you speak of. This sounds like an important and possibly dangerous endeavor.
Leah
The Xico/Coatepec area has the most, although you can find it in the port city area as well. Best homemade flavor liquor I bought was while hiking in a state park near Xico, purchased from a guy selling unmarked glass bottles out of the back of his truck. Viva Veracruz!
Leslie Limon
I am not a big beer drinker, but I LOVE Noche Buena beer! As soon as December rolls around, I am on the hunt for my favorite beer!
Martin
Excellent post. I know a new specialty grocery store that has the largest selection of beers I’ve seen yet in DF. I’ll share the secret wiuth you, but only if you promise to include me in your field trips to the mescalerias and pulquerias.
Keep ’em coming.
Crayton
I’m intrigued. You are more than invited on future mescaleria excursions. Now spill the beans!
Martin
You’ll get bean when I get mescal.
When and where?
Crayton
Let’s let the Internet decide. I’ll post about this tomorro.
Martin
Fair enough.
Madre
I’m not big on beer, as you know but I love the glass!
Leobardo Alberto Rivera Lizarraga
You must try Pacifico Beer, this beer is only produced in my natal city Mazatlan Sinaloa, and also you definitively must try the beers from Cucapa micro brewer http://www.cucapa.com/ this beer are worldwide award winners.
Crayton
Thanks, Leo – hadn’t heard of Cucapa before. Their Web site only shows where to buy it in the U.S. Have you seen it for sale anywhere in Mexico City or elsewhere in the country at a bar or store?
mary claire
I was just thinking today I would love to go check out El Museo de La Cerveza and see if they have Pilsner Urquell. Maybe that Naval store does? Or any BO-flavored beer, really. I miss it.
Crayton
I wasn’t aware of this Museo de la Cerveza you speak of. Intriguing. I also found this place while poking around. Might be time to go beer-hunting this weekend, what do you say?
Also, this Mexican online wholesaler has Urquell for 749 pesos for a 24-pack. Which seems pretty steep but proves it does exist in the country, somewhere. Hope remains alive.
Don Cuevas
I found this by Googling, but it’s not clear where it’s located.
http://www.calaverabeer.com/calavera.htm
Saludos,
Don Cuevas