Learn & Discover
Learn & Discover
Mexican Lager: A History of Colonialism, Adaption, Appropriation and Ascendence
What springs to mind when you think of a Mexican lager? Sinking your toes into gorgeous smooth white sand as you recline on a beach in Cancun or Puerto Vallarta with a Dos Equis or Pacifico? Stuffing a lime down the neck of a Corona or Sol in a student bar? Or sipping a Modelo or Victoria over plates of sizzling fajitas? In the UK, Mexican lagers might lack the enormous popularity and ubiquity they enjoy Stateside but it’s likely that most beer drinkers will have encountered them sufficiently to have their own idea of what to expect when ordering one.
Illustrations by Christine Jopling
Ruvani de Silva
A travel-loving beer writer,with a host of bylines, Ruvani blogs about beer in Central Texas and beyond, as Craft Beer Amethyst. A vocal advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in beer. As a British South Asian woman living in Texas, Ruvani brings a unique voice to the world of craft beer.
Mexican Lager: A History of Colonialism, Adaption, Appropriation and Ascendence
What springs to mind when you think of a Mexican lager? Sinking your toes into gorgeous smooth white sand as you recline on a beach in Cancun or Puerto Vallarta with a Dos Equis or Pacifico? Stuffing a lime down the neck of a Corona or Sol in a student bar? Or sipping a Modelo or Victoria over plates of sizzling fajitas? In the UK, Mexican lagers might lack the enormous popularity and ubiquity they enjoy Stateside but it’s likely that most beer drinkers will have encountered them sufficiently to have their own idea of what to expect when ordering one.
Ruvani De Silva
A travel-loving beer writer,with a host of bylines, Ruvani blogs about beer in Central Texas and beyond, as Craft Beer Amethyst. A vocal advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in beer. As a British South Asian woman living in Texas, Ruvani brings a unique voice to the world of craft beer.
Around the world…
… the majority of beer drinkers will have their first experience of Mexican lager from a macro brand – most likely one of those listed above, although there are many other incarnations. What they might not know is that most of these brands are owned by just two of the major international beer conglomerates: AB Inbev, who own all Corona, Modelo, Pacifico and Victoria beers (distributed in the US by Constellation Brands), and Heineken, who own Dos Equis, Tecate, Sol, Indio, Bohemia and Kloster. What they also might not know is that the history of commercial Mexican lager as we know it, or just lager if you are from or in Mexico, was dominated by a small number of large brands who shaped the way the lager is perceived internationally to this day, whose roots are a mix of colonial invasion and myth-making and local adaptation and innovation.
Around the world, the majority of beer drinkers will have their first experience of Mexican lager from a macro brand – most likely one of those listed above, although there are many other incarnations. What they might not know is that most of these brands are owned by just two of the major international beer conglomerates: AB Inbev, who own all Corona, Modelo, Pacifico and Victoria beers (distributed in the US by Constellation Brands), and Heineken, who own Dos Equis, Tecate, Sol, Indio, Bohemia and Kloster. What they also might not know is that the history of commercial Mexican lager as we know it, or just lager if you are from or in Mexico, was dominated by a small number of large brands who shaped the way the lager is perceived internationally to this day, whose roots are a mix of colonial invasion and myth-making and local adaptation and innovation.
“The history of Mexican lager is as disputed as its definition: a source of conflicting information, differing cultural perceptions and a lack of documentation and consistency.“
— Ruvani de Silva
“After just a year of formation the CIU had helped 13 clubs to begin, growing to 55 by its second.”
— Rachel Hendry
The history of Mexican lager is as disputed as its definition: a source of conflicting information, differing cultural perceptions and a lack of documentation and consistency. Whether you are delving into the contested and oft-misinformed origins of Mexican lager (or lager in Mexico, if you will) or debating contemporary classification of a style that is currently not a style (and many people believe should remain so), this is one of the most gnarly beer categorisations a brewer or drinker may encounter, and is still so open to interpretation, personal preference and experience that there are very few right or wrong answers. There are a few of both though, and also the extremely important contextual issue of cultural appropriation and how to brew, brand and market a Mexican lager in a way that is respectful and collaborative rather than insensitive and offensive, although of course there are differences of opinion on this subject too.
The history of Mexican lager is as disputed as its definition: a source of conflicting information, differing cultural perceptions and a lack of documentation and consistency. Whether you are delving into the contested and oft-misinformed origins of Mexican lager (or lager in Mexico, if you will) or debating contemporary classification of a style that is currently not a style (and many people believe should remain so), this is one of the most gnarly beer categorisations a brewer or drinker may encounter, and is still so open to interpretation, personal preference and experience that there are very few right or wrong answers. There are a few of both though, and also the extremely important contextual issue of cultural appropriation and how to brew, brand and market a Mexican lager in a way that is respectful and collaborative rather than insensitive and offensive, although of course there are differences of opinion on this subject too.
There is some irony in the American craft beer industry’s current love affair with making Mexican lagers, whose historic and contemporary identities are so tightly bound with the same macro brands the industry set out to overturn. That a style that was once the butt of hop-head’s jokes is now on everyone’s taplist and picks up serious silverware at the Great American Beer Festival. The growing appreciation for and understanding of lager more generally as well as an interest in beer history and heritage among both brewers and drinkers have helped this occur, while the steady expansion and dominance of macro Mexican lagers in the US beer market offers craft breweries a financial imperative to make their own equivalent. Modelo Especial is now the biggest selling beer in the US, knocking Bud Light off the top spot and cementing the huge popularity of a beer whose drinkability and accessibility make it appealing to a wide audience.
If you feel you might be entering a cultural and sensory minefield by even approaching a Mexican lager you would be both right and wrong at the same time (of course). The facts and timeline behind the evolution of Mexican lager might not be as simple as ongoing colonial mythology conveys, but they do offer a clear and precise insight into the styles we know and appreciate today as Mexican lager. Having an understanding of the cultural and historic factors influencing how the style has evolved and come to be recognised, as well as how contemporary Mexican brewers and American brewers choose to interpret this most adaptable of beers will guide both brewer and drinker through the many faces of Mexican lager towards their own informed understanding of one of the most popular yet least-defined beer styles in the Americas.
There is some irony in the American craft beer industry’s current love affair with making Mexican lagers, whose historic and contemporary identities are so tightly bound with the same macro brands the industry set out to overturn. That a style that was once the butt of hop-head’s jokes is now on everyone’s taplist and picks up serious silverware at the Great American Beer Festival. The growing appreciation for and understanding of lager more generally as well as an interest in beer history and heritage among both brewers and drinkers have helped this occur, while the steady expansion and dominance of macro Mexican lagers in the US beer market offers craft breweries a financial imperative to make their own equivalent. Modelo Especial is now the biggest selling beer in the US, knocking Bud Light off the top spot and cementing the huge popularity of a beer whose drinkability and accessibility make it appealing to a wide audience.
If you feel you might be entering a cultural and sensory minefield by even approaching a Mexican lager you would be both right and wrong at the same time (of course). The facts and timeline behind the evolution of Mexican lager might not be as simple as ongoing colonial mythology conveys, but they do offer a clear and precise insight into the styles we know and appreciate today as Mexican lager. Having an understanding of the cultural and historic factors influencing how the style has evolved and come to be recognised, as well as how contemporary Mexican brewers and American brewers choose to interpret this most adaptable of beers will guide both brewer and drinker through the many faces of Mexican lager towards their own informed understanding of one of the most popular yet least-defined beer styles in the Americas.
What is Mexican Lager?
The beery equivalent of the $65,000 question for sure, there is, as currently stands, no single definition of a Mexican lager. Mexican lagers can be pale, gold, amber or dark. Like American lagers, they are made with six-row barley, and are likely to include adjuncts such as rice, or more commonly corn or maize. They may be made with yeast cultivated in-house at larger macro breweries such as Grupo Modelo and Corona, who turn 100 this year. They may be made to historic recipes, such as Victoria, which has been brewed since 1906. Dark Mexican lagers are, as described by Josh Brengle, head brewer at Cervecera Hercules in Santiago de Querétaro, three hours north of Mexico City, are “Darker, usually using caramel coloring and/or chocolate malts (along with other specialty malts), with corn usually present. with a typically fairly sweet finish.”
The classic example of the pale version is, according to LA’s Norwalk Brew House founder Ray Ricky Rivera. “A Modelo Especial, which is a bright, crisp, smooth pilsner.” For Brengle, the use of corn is a key component, qualifying that “I would consider the style to be a very loose category.” Melissa Mendez, co-owner and head brewer at Houston’s Project Halo Brewing focuses on drinkability. “To me a Mexican lager is light in body but flavorful, refreshing, clear, crispy,” she says, also highlighting that the use of corn or maize can enhance these characteristics. Drinkability is also key for Mariana Dominguez, owner of Mexico City’s Cervecera Macaria. Dominguez also highlights the role of historic Mexican yeast.
RayWhat is Mexican Lager?
The beery equivalent of the $65,000 question for sure, there is, as currently stands, no single definition of a Mexican lager. Mexican lagers can be pale, gold, amber or dark. Like American lagers, they are made with six-row barley, and are likely to include adjuncts such as rice, or more commonly corn or maize. They may be made with yeast cultivated in-house at larger macro breweries such as Grupo Modelo and Corona, who turn 100 this year. They may be made to historic recipes, such as Victoria, which has been brewed since 1906. Dark Mexican lagers are, as described by Josh Brengle, head brewer at Cervecera Hercules in Santiago de Querétaro, three hours north of Mexico City, are “Darker, usually using caramel coloring and/or chocolate malts (along with other specialty malts), with corn usually present. with a typically fairly sweet finish.”
The classic example of the pale version is, according to LA’s Norwalk Brew House founder Ray Ricky Rivera. “A Modelo Especial, which is a bright, crisp, smooth pilsner.” For Brengle, the use of corn is a key component, qualifying that “I would consider the style to be a very loose category.” Melissa Mendez, co-owner and head brewer at Houston’s Project Halo Brewing focuses on drinkability. “To me a Mexican lager is light in body but flavorful, refreshing, clear, crispy,” she says, also highlighting that the use of corn or maize can enhance these characteristics. Drinkability is also key for Mariana Dominguez, owner of Mexico City’s Cervecera Macaria. Dominguez also highlights the role of historic Mexican yeast.
“…the steady expansion and dominance of macro Mexican lagers in the US beer market offers craft breweries a financial imperative to make their own equivalent“
— Ruvani de Silva
“Arguments for and against the consumption of alcohol in Working Men’s Clubs went on for some time until 1865 when Solley decided, for the sake of the growth and popularisation of WMCs, to allow individual clubs to make their own decision about the sale of alcohol. “
— Rachel Hendry
There is a psychological idyl-based construct at play too. “Mexican Lager is an idea, or an ideal, more than a specific thing,” says beer writer Mark Dredge, referencing the connection for many drinkers with sunny beach holidays squeezing limes into longnecks. Dominguez also highlights the role of marketing beach culture in popular perceptions of Mexican lager, and beer writer Kevin Kain asserts that “People shouldn’t think of Mexican Lager as a distinct ‘style’. Instead, it should be seen as a cultural and geographical distinction from other lagers.”
Bearing all this in mind, Mexican lager may be made by anyone, anywhere who wants to try their hand at creating their own Dos Equis or Pacifico. But don’t mistake this variation for a lack of identity. Mexican lagers exist in their own right, and while opinions vary on their key characteristics, there is a strong consensus, summed up by Kevin Kain, that “There’s a rich history of making lager in Mexico that needs to be respected.” The history and longevity of these breweries does, in and of itself, speak of the power of the identity of Mexican lager.
There is a psychological idyl-based construct at play too. “Mexican Lager is an idea, or an ideal, more than a specific thing,” says beer writer Mark Dredge, referencing the connection for many drinkers with sunny beach holidays squeezing limes into longnecks. Dominguez also highlights the role of marketing beach culture in popular perceptions of Mexican lager, and beer writer Kevin Kain asserts that “People shouldn’t think of Mexican Lager as a distinct ‘style’. Instead, it should be seen as a cultural and geographical distinction from other lagers.”
Bearing all this in mind, Mexican lager may be made by anyone, anywhere who wants to try their hand at creating their own Dos Equis or Pacifico. But don’t mistake this variation for a lack of identity. Mexican lagers exist in their own right, and while opinions vary on their key characteristics, there is a strong consensus, summed up by Kevin Kain, that “There’s a rich history of making lager in Mexico that needs to be respected.” The history and longevity of these breweries does, in and of itself, speak of the power of the identity of Mexican lager.
If all of this is enough to make your head spin, we haven’t even started on the role of lime and salt, neither of which have any historic relation to Mexican brewing, and which are all generally agreed upon as Americanised inventions that build into the ‘holiday-party’ branding on which contemporary Mexican lager incarnations like Sol and Corona are known for. While they are not seen as ‘wrong’ per se, their inclusion isn’t an essential component for a Mexican lager. One popular explanation for the habit of squeezing a lime into a longneck Corona or Sol is that it came about to counteract any skunky aroma or flavour that the beers acquired in their signature clear glass bottles, which then evolved into a stylistic and presentational norm.
At Fierce Brewing in Edinburgh, their Cerveza is made with lime and salt. Founder and MD Dave Grant was inspired by Modelo and Stone Brewing’s popular Buenaveza salt and lime lager, and is clear to emphasise that his is a not a straight Mexican lager, but designed to capture that holiday feeling. One of few UK-brewed Mexican lagers, the beer has been successful enough to feature on their core year-round list, and Grant sees the style growing in popularity in the UK over the next few years.
If all of this is enough to make your head spin, we haven’t even started on the role of lime and salt, neither of which have any historic relation to Mexican brewing, and which are all generally agreed upon as Americanised inventions that build into the ‘holiday-party’ branding on which contemporary Mexican lager incarnations like Sol and Corona are known for. While they are not seen as ‘wrong’ per se, their inclusion isn’t an essential component for a Mexican lager. One popular explanation for the habit of squeezing a lime into a longneck Corona or Sol is that it came about to counteract any skunky aroma or flavour that the beers acquired in their signature clear glass bottles, which then evolved into a stylistic and presentational norm.
At Fierce Brewing in Edinburgh, their Cerveza is made with lime and salt. Founder and MD Dave Grant was inspired by Modelo and Stone Brewing’s popular Buenaveza salt and lime lager, and is clear to emphasise that his is a not a straight Mexican lager, but designed to capture that holiday feeling. One of few UK-brewed Mexican lagers, the beer has been successful enough to feature on their core year-round list, and Grant sees the style growing in popularity in the UK over the next few years.
At present, Mexican lager does not qualify as its own category under GABF or BJCP guidelines, so when a brewery enters a beer they have qualified as a Mexican lager into official competitions, they must choose the category whose specs most closely match the style profile of that specific beer. This can vary significantly, from International Pale Lager or Light Lager to Amber Lager, Vienna Lager or Specialty Lager. While this somewhat nomadic position might seem challenging, it also offers scope for brewers to dive in and find the style of Mexican lager they feel most inspired to make, and know there will be a place for it in the industry.
But before we move to brewing, let’s take a canter through Mexican beer history.
At present, Mexican lager does not qualify as its own category under GABF or BJCP guidelines, so when a brewery enters a beer they have qualified as a Mexican lager into official competitions, they must choose the category whose specs most closely match the style profile of that specific beer. This can vary significantly, from International Pale Lager or Light Lager to Amber Lager, Vienna Lager or Specialty Lager. While this somewhat nomadic position might seem challenging, it also offers scope for brewers to dive in and find the style of Mexican lager they feel most inspired to make, and know there will be a place for it in the industry.
But before we move to brewing, let’s take a canter through Mexican beer history.
A Brief History of Brewing in Mexico part one: The Myth of the Austrian Archduke
Beer is full of tall tales – some less well-intended than others, and Mexican lager is no exception. It has its very own version of IPA’s brave seaquest to quench the thirst of the plucky Brits colonizing India – and it’s just as offensive and historically inaccurate. Much has been made of how the short reign of the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximillian as Mexican Emperor from 1864 to 1867 brought Vienna lager to Mexico. The story goes that Maximillan, appointed by Napoleon III during his bid to conquer Mexico and establish a French colony in the Americas, was a bit of a beer nerd and brought a coterie of Austrian and German brewers with him to keep him fully libated, many of whom stayed on in Mexico, shaping the local beer scene after Maximillian found himself at the wrong end of a firing squad when Mexico gained back its independence.
In an excellent in-depth deep-dive into Mexican beer history, Kevin Kain debunks this myth, citing both lack of evidence and refrigeration, as well as briefness of Maximillian’s reign. Kain offers a much more nuanced and fact-based story, highlighting that yes there was an influx of Austrian, German and Swiss immigrants to Mexico throughout the 1800s who began to brew beer, but this was not at the behest of one man and his three-year reign, and emphasizing that until the 1880s and the arrival of the railway linking Texas with Mexico and modern refrigeration techniques, these brewers were brewing ale. Not as pithy as a murdered Archduke but far more accurate.
A Brief History of Brewing in Mexico part one: The Myth of the Austrian Archduke
Beer is full of tall tales – some less well-intended than others, and Mexican lager is no exception. It has its very own version of IPA’s brave seaquest to quench the thirst of the plucky Brits colonizing India – and it’s just as offensive and historically inaccurate. Much has been made of how the short reign of the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximillian as Mexican Emperor from 1864 to 1867 brought Vienna lager to Mexico. The story goes that Maximillan, appointed by Napoleon III during his bid to conquer Mexico and establish a French colony in the Americas, was a bit of a beer nerd and brought a coterie of Austrian and German brewers with him to keep him fully libated, many of whom stayed on in Mexico, shaping the local beer scene after Maximillian found himself at the wrong end of a firing squad when Mexico gained back its independence.
In an excellent in-depth deep-dive into Mexican beer history, Kevin Kain debunks this myth, citing both lack of evidence and refrigeration, as well as briefness of Maximillian’s reign. Kain offers a much more nuanced and fact-based story, highlighting that yes there was an influx of Austrian, German and Swiss immigrants to Mexico throughout the 1800s who began to brew beer, but this was not at the behest of one man and his three-year reign, and emphasizing that until the 1880s and the arrival of the railway linking Texas with Mexico and modern refrigeration techniques, these brewers were brewing ale. Not as pithy as a murdered Archduke but far more accurate.
Kain’s article is one of several important pieces (Beer Is For Everyone, CraftBeer.com) to emphasise that the arrival of beer and beer culture into Mexico was part of the overall process of colonization – the violent, brutal and damaging invasion of the indigenous population of Mexico by a succession of European powers. It is important to contextualise that although Mexican lager has, through a process of reclamation and reinvention, now become a part of Mexican culture, it arrived as part of a power structure designed to displace and control, and was no less a tool of oppression than the IPA in the Subcontinent. Kain describes in the detailed entries from One Hundred Years of Brewing dismissing traditional Mexican pulque (a traditional indigenous drink made from fermented maguey agave sap) as ‘unwholesome’ and promoting beer consumption – inferring beer as a ‘civilizing’ (ie Westernising) societal force. Not a great look.
But although beer began in Mexico as a drink made for and by colonizing powers, but it did not stay that way.
Kain’s article is one of several important pieces (Beer Is For Everyone, CraftBeer.com) to emphasise that the arrival of beer and beer culture into Mexico was part of the overall process of colonization – the violent, brutal and damaging invasion of the indigenous population of Mexico by a succession of European powers. It is important to contextualise that although Mexican lager has, through a process of reclamation and reinvention, now become a part of Mexican culture, it arrived as part of a power structure designed to displace and control, and was no less a tool of oppression than the IPA in the Subcontinent. Kain describes in the detailed entries from One Hundred Years of Brewing dismissing traditional Mexican pulque (a traditional indigenous drink made from fermented maguey agave sap) as ‘unwholesome’ and promoting beer consumption – inferring beer as a ‘civilizing’ (ie Westernising) societal force. Not a great look.
But although beer began in Mexico as a drink made for and by colonizing powers, but it did not stay that way.
“There is a strong awareness among brewers of Hispanic heritage for a need for greater education and awareness around the use of inappropriate cultural stereotypes and appropriated imagery in American Mexican lager branding“
— Ruvani de Silva
“Arguments for and against the consumption of alcohol in Working Men’s Clubs went on for some time until 1865 when Solley decided, for the sake of the growth and popularisation of WMCs, to allow individual clubs to make their own decision about the sale of alcohol. “
— Rachel Hendry
A Brief History of Brewing in Mexico part two: Building the Brewing Behemoths
The first record of beer being brewed in Mexico was by Alfonsi de Herrero in 1543, just south of what is now Mexico City, but it did not take off on a large scale until the nineteenth century. Mexico’s first brewery, Cervecera de Toluca y México didn’t open until 1865, its founder Agustin Marendaz and subsequent owner Santiago Graf (both Swiss) brewing ale until the mid 1880s. Adapting Central European brewing techniques and recipes to local climate and ingredients required patience and flexibility, until the arrival of an ice machine. This was a gamechanger, and soon the brewery was making multiple Central European lager styles, including Toluca Extra, Lager, Pilsner, Standard and Bock. Initially Toluca continued to make ales too, but with lager sales exceeding 100,000 barrels as the century drew to a close, it had truly taken over. Mexicans began not just to drink but to brew beer too.
At what point exactly local adjuncts, particularly corn, entered the mix, in unclear, but local brewery ownership was quick to follow Toluca’s success. Cervecería Cuauhtémoc hit the market in 1892 with ownership comprising three Mexicans and one American, debuting their Carta Blanca pale lager at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. According to Kain, “Cuauhtémoc was the brewery that propelled Mexico into the international realm of brewing,” with sales exceeding 300,000 barrels annually by 1910. Kain’s research from One Hundred Years of Brewing indicates that both breweries were brewing dark and light lagers at this time, including Toluca’s Victoria brand, possibly the first dark or Vienna lager brewed in Mexico , which exists today, and Cuauhtémoc’s Munich-style Salvator, which became Bohemia.
A Brief History of Brewing in Mexico part two: Building the Brewing Behemoths
The first record of beer being brewed in Mexico was by Alfonsi de Herrero in 1543, just south of what is now Mexico City, but it did not take off on a large scale until the nineteenth century. Mexico’s first brewery, Cervecera de Toluca y México didn’t open until 1865, its founder Agustin Marendaz and subsequent owner Santiago Graf (both Swiss) brewing ale until the mid 1880s. Adapting Central European brewing techniques and recipes to local climate and ingredients required patience and flexibility, until the arrival of an ice machine. This was a gamechanger, and soon the brewery was making multiple Central European lager styles, including Toluca Extra, Lager, Pilsner, Standard and Bock. Initially Toluca continued to make ales too, but with lager sales exceeding 100,000 barrels as the century drew to a close, it had truly taken over. Mexicans began not just to drink but to brew beer too.
At what point exactly local adjuncts, particularly corn, entered the mix, in unclear, but local brewery ownership was quick to follow Toluca’s success. Cervecería Cuauhtémoc hit the market in 1892 with ownership comprising three Mexicans and one American, debuting their Carta Blanca pale lager at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. According to Kain, “Cuauhtémoc was the brewery that propelled Mexico into the international realm of brewing,” with sales exceeding 300,000 barrels annually by 1910. Kain’s research from One Hundred Years of Brewing indicates that both breweries were brewing dark and light lagers at this time, including Toluca’s Victoria brand, possibly the first dark or Vienna lager brewed in Mexico, which exists today, and Cuauhtémoc’s Munich-style Salvator, which became Bohemia.
These two brands would form the basis of the Mexican lager industry, which, Kain explains clearly, was always centred around big business. “Small operations simply couldn’t get far given the high costs associated with starting a lager brewery, particularly without support from the government,” he says. A flailing Toluca was acquired by Grupo Modelo in 1935, following their founding in 1922, and as Prohibition hit the US, the demand for Mexican lager, both smuggling it across the border and serving it to US tourists, soared. Brewing in Mexico became increasingly nationalized and less dependent on American and European expertise with the opening of the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in 1943 by the heir to Cervecería Cuauhtémoc, enabling Mexican brewers to train locally.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the industry grew as cheap, plentiful production meant beer replaced pulque as the local drink of choice. Multiple mergers and acquisitions brought all the main brands under the roofs of two international brewing powerhouses, and Mexican lager as we know it took over the US macro beer market.*
But what does this mean for craft brewers in and outside Mexico wanting to make Mexican lager?
These two brands would form the basis of the Mexican lager industry, which, Kain explains clearly, was always centred around big business. “Small operations simply couldn’t get far given the high costs associated with starting a lager brewery, particularly without support from the government,” he says. A flailing Toluca was acquired by Grupo Modelo in 1935, following their founding in 1922, and as Prohibition hit the US, the demand for Mexican lager, both smuggling it across the border and serving it to US tourists, soared. Brewing in Mexico became increasingly nationalized and less dependent on American and European expertise with the opening of the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in 1943 by the heir to Cervecería Cuauhtémoc, enabling Mexican brewers to train locally.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the industry grew as cheap, plentiful production meant beer replaced pulque as the local drink of choice. Multiple mergers and acquisitions brought all the main brands under the roofs of two international brewing powerhouses, and Mexican lager as we know it took over the US macro beer market.*
But what does this mean for craft brewers in and outside Mexico wanting to make Mexican lager?
Craft Mexican Lager
As craft beer has taken off in the US and Mexico, both Mexican and American craft brewers have begun creating their own interpretations of Mexican lager. The space the style offers means that they have been able to put their own spin and interpretation on their products, and for drinkers it has meant a greater range of choice and quality. “Whenever I write a new recipe I read the guidelines of a beer, study and research the style and then make it my own,” says Project Halo’s Melissa Mendez. Mendez includes a Mexican Amber Lager in her core range, Gatos Before Vatos, which she describes as “Amber in color and brilliant. This Lager has a sweet malt and biscuity flavor. It is balanced with noble hops to produce a drinkable, flavorful, crispy beer.” Mendez also makes a seasonal Mexican Pale Lager, which is “Also malty but more like sweet honey which is then balanced with hops that give it a light bitterness with a hints of lemony citrus, and is very crispy.”
Ray Ricky Rivera is also not afraid to experiment with the style’s parameters. Norwalk’s Agua De Oro (Gold water) Mexican lager is light bodied brewed with fresh lemon peel. “It has a nice mix of citrus, lime and floral hop character and is brewed with 55% pilsner malt, Munich malt and flaked corn,” Rivera explains. Conversely, their La Mano Mexican lager is brewed with rice and fermented with Augustiner yeast, creating a very clean, dry, German style pale lager. “The key [Mexican lager] components are pale in color, low abv and light bodied,” he says.
Craft Mexican Lager
As craft beer has taken off in the US and Mexico, both Mexican and American craft brewers have begun creating their own interpretations of Mexican lager. The space the style offers means that they have been able to put their own spin and interpretation on their products, and for drinkers it has meant a greater range of choice and quality. “Whenever I write a new recipe I read the guidelines of a beer, study and research the style and then make it my own,” says Project Halo’s Melissa Mendez. Mendez includes a Mexican Amber Lager in her core range, Gatos Before Vatos, which she describes as “Amber in color and brilliant. This Lager has a sweet malt and biscuity flavor. It is balanced with noble hops to produce a drinkable, flavorful, crispy beer.” Mendez also makes a seasonal Mexican Pale Lager, which is “Also malty but more like sweet honey which is then balanced with hops that give it a light bitterness with a hints of lemony citrus, and is very crispy.”
Ray Ricky Rivera is also not afraid to experiment with the style’s parameters. Norwalk’s Agua De Oro (Gold water) Mexican lager is light bodied brewed with fresh lemon peel. “It has a nice mix of citrus, lime and floral hop character and is brewed with 55% pilsner malt, Munich malt and flaked corn,” Rivera explains. Conversely, their La Mano Mexican lager is brewed with rice and fermented with Augustiner yeast, creating a very clean, dry, German style pale lager. “The key [Mexican lager] components are pale in color, low abv and light bodied,” he says.
Most American craft breweries now have at least one Mexican lager in their portfolio, something that some handle with greater cultural sensitivity than others. There is a strong awareness among brewers of Hispanic heritage for a need for greater education and awareness around the use of inappropriate cultural stereotypes and appropriated imagery in American Mexican lager branding. “The appropriation of Mexican culture by non-Mexican brands is a big issue in the United States. As a Mexican-American in the beer industry, I find it problematic and disrespectful when brands with no connection to the culture pander to Latino consumers,” says Rivera (more on Hispandering here). “There are ways a brand can properly market a Mexican lager without appropriating Mexican culture.
The best way to know if what you’re doing is appropriate or not is to simply ask someone from the culture,” Rivera concludes. Dominguez agrees, adding that Cinco de Mayo is more American creation than Mexican festival, often used inappropriately to sell Mexican lagers, and emphasizing that the lime-salt beer culture associated with Mexican lager is American in origin, unlike cheladas and micheladas. As with beer specifically associated with any culture, avoiding stereotypes in branding and marketing, ideally by engaging directly with that culture, is the best way to avoid this.
Most American craft breweries now have at least one Mexican lager in their portfolio, something that some handle with greater cultural sensitivity than others. There is a strong awareness among brewers of Hispanic heritage for a need for greater education and awareness around the use of inappropriate cultural stereotypes and appropriated imagery in American Mexican lager branding. “The appropriation of Mexican culture by non-Mexican brands is a big issue in the United States. As a Mexican-American in the beer industry, I find it problematic and disrespectful when brands with no connection to the culture pander to Latino consumers,” says Rivera (more on Hispandering here). “There are ways a brand can properly market a Mexican lager without appropriating Mexican culture.
The best way to know if what you’re doing is appropriate or not is to simply ask someone from the culture,” Rivera concludes. Dominguez agrees, adding that Cinco de Mayo is more American creation than Mexican festival, often used inappropriately to sell Mexican lagers, and emphasizing that the lime-salt beer culture associated with Mexican lager is American in origin, unlike cheladas and micheladas. As with beer specifically associated with any culture, avoiding stereotypes in branding and marketing, ideally by engaging directly with that culture, is the best way to avoid this.
With celebrities like Danny Trejo launching their own Mexican lager brands, and articles in major publications including the Washinton Post, Forbes, Bloomberg and VinePair on top of Modelo’s shiny-new status as the biggest beer in the US, Mexican lagers are on the ascendency, and more than likely on their way to the UK. Whether you’re a brewer or a drinker, expect to be seeing more Mexican lagers in your future. If you’re planning to make one, the overall consensus is that a high-quality adjunct is key. “Don’t be afraid to use real wild corn (if it’s available). Pulverizing it and doing a cereal mash is quite simple and can make a great difference in quality and flavor. The pre-gelatanized flakes are great but real corn is where it’s at,” says Cervecera Hercules’ Josh Brengle. Mark Dredge agrees. “[Mexican lager] should be an adjunct lager (ideally maize), dry and crisp, and very low in hops,” he advises. Mariana Dominguez has a final word to add. “Avoid resembling to Corona, add a nice rice, use your favorite hops, take care of oxygen, look for all the types of maize available and select one with care, enjoy the process and remember it should be drinkable, not something you want to add lime and salt to forget the original flavour.” Salud!
With celebrities like Danny Trejo launching their own Mexican lager brands, and articles in major publications including the Washinton Post, Forbes, Bloomberg and VinePair on top of Modelo’s shiny-new status as the biggest beer in the US, Mexican lagers are on the ascendency, and more than likely on their way to the UK. Whether you’re a brewer or a drinker, expect to be seeing more Mexican lagers in your future. If you’re planning to make one, the overall consensus is that a high-quality adjunct is key. “Don’t be afraid to use real wild corn (if it’s available). Pulverizing it and doing a cereal mash is quite simple and can make a great difference in quality and flavor. The pre-gelatanized flakes are great but real corn is where it’s at,” says Cervecera Hercules’ Josh Brengle. Mark Dredge agrees. “[Mexican lager] should be an adjunct lager (ideally maize), dry and crisp, and very low in hops,” he advises. Mariana Dominguez has a final word to add. “Avoid resembling to Corona, add a nice rice, use your favorite hops, take care of oxygen, look for all the types of maize available and select one with care, enjoy the process and remember it should be drinkable, not something you want to add lime and salt to forget the original flavour.” Salud!
Further Reading
* A more detailed history of these developments can be found in Kevin Kain’s article on the CasketBeer blog
