Who doesn’t love a delicious Mexican beer? Cervezas from south of the border are wildly popular in the United States, often a go-to on sunny days or with good food, and you can find Mexican beers for every taste, from cans to bottles and hand-crafted IPAs to flavorful European-style brews. With so many options, you may be wondering where to start and want to know which are generally considered some of the best Mexican beers on the market.
Mexico has a rich history of brewing beer, which began in earnest when Europeans introduced the practice when they arrived in the 1500s. By the 1800s, German settlers added their lager-style brews to the mix, and that’s when things really took off. Now there are a range of distinctly Mexican beers that use plants like corn, cactus, agave, and cocoa beans in addition to barley.
In fact, beer is one of Mexico’s most exported products around the world, with the most popular styles being lagers, Vienna-style light beers, and dark beers. And if you’re like most people, you tend to think of having a Mexican beer with a lime, but if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, try what Mexicans call a “Michelada.” It’s a light beer served with lime juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, as well as your choice of other seasoning like soy sauce, chili powder, or tomato juice, served in a chilled, salt-rimmed glass.
So, with so many tasty beverages to choose from, how do you land on a handful of the best beers from Mexico? StudyFinds did the legwork and consulted 10 expert websites to draft this ist of the best Mexican beers you should consider trying if you’re looking for a new favorite beer. Let us know which ones you enjoy in the comments below.
The List: Best Mexican Beers, According to Brew Experts
1. Pacífico
This balanced, German-style amber lager is one of the best Mexican beers out there. The company has been brewing beer for more than 100 years, so they’re doing something right. “Its light golden color plus adequate carbonation gives you that unique experience in the mouth,” gushes Points and Travel. “When you smell it, you’ll find that it is almost the same as the regular pale lager. Unlike Corona, Pacifico has more depth when it comes to its flavor profile making it a good choice for those who want a stronger drink.”
“Pacífico is so-named due to the location of the original brewery in the city of Mazatlán on the Pacific coast,” notes Renegade Brewing. “It has a light golden color and enough carbonation to make it feel lively in the mouth. It smells like a regular pale lager with nothing overpowering the nose, but you should still be able to pick out aromas of hops along with something like grass.”
“It has a pale color and mild sweetness,” states Bison Brew. “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.”
2. Victoria
As one of Mexico’s oldest beer brands, it’s a shoo-in for one of the best in the country. A light, crisp beer known for its distinctly fruity flavor. “This lager is by Mexico’s oldest beer brand and has flavors of toasted malt, tangy apple butter, and star fruit,” states Delish.
“Made from a blend of yeast, hops, malted barley and corn, this beer has a wonderfully golden amber color and is classed as a Vienna-style lager – which means that it has a medium body and usually possesses a toasted malty flavor,” writes Top10HQ.
“Victoria is very easy to drink,” says Taste of Home. “The Vienna-style lager boasts flavors of orange, honey, apple butter and star fruit.”
3. Negra Modelo
This is an Austrian, rather than German, creation in Mexican beer making. It’s a rich, dark beer that’s great to drink on its own or with food. “The Vienna lager, though grouped with German styles, is indeed an Austrian creation, and the amber lager is lighter than an Oktoberfest, but features more toasted barley flavor than a pilsner,” writes Men’s Journal. “Negra Modelo … stays true to the style’s malty character and makes a fine barbeque or beach beer.”
“This quintessential Mexican-style Vienna lager upends the idea of what ‘Mexican beer’ is for many drinkers used to brews light in color and flavor,” states Wine Enthusiast. “But, of course, it has a heritage every bit as traditional as the more crushable, fizzy yellow beers. And just because it’s dark and more robust in flavor, doesn’t mean it isn’t highly-drinkable—as well as an ideal food-pairing beer.”
“The other true 5.3% alcohol premium beer, this fine malty brew is familiar to many Americans as it’s a staple in Mexican restaurants,” writes Transitions Abroad. “It’s a sweetish, smoky dark beer that goes well with spicy and hearty Mexican food and is interesting on its own—no lime required.”
4. Carta Blanca
This is an affordable, award-winning lager known for its balanced flavor. It has a light color and smooth, unmistakable taste. As Delish states, “Carta Blanca balances its grain and hops elements making it a good beverage to pair with spicy foods.”
“Smooth and crisp, this refreshing beer tastes just as good on its own as it does with a lime wedge,” writes Taste of Home.
“Carta Blanca is a well-known Mexican beer in the world,” notes Bison Brew. “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.”
5. Bohemia Obscura
This German-style pilsner is a tasty treat. And it has a 5.3% alcohol content, which is higher than most other Mexican beers. “Made primarily using barley and hops, this beer also offers the drinker a fruity flavor, complete with a sweet vanilla aroma and a taste of cocoa beans to finish,” gushes Top10HQ. “If there is one beer that could be considered the taste of Mexico, it would be Bohemia.”
“This classic pilsner is malty and earthy with slight floral notes,” states Taste of Home. “It’s a little more bitter than other brews and pairs perfectly with even the spiciest dishes.”
“The combination of black malts and caramel gives it a unique blend while the added hops give it that slight bitterness to it,” writes Points and Travel. “Additionally, this beverage has a pleasant aroma to it with a bit of sweetness coming from the grain. This drink has a pale color with medium-light carbonation. Mexico considers it as one of the finest beers in the country.”
You might also be interested in:
- Best Craft Beer
- Best Tequila
- Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Mexico
- Best Guacamole
- Best Tortilla Chips
Sources
- Taste of Home
- Points and Travel
- Top10HQ
- Men’s Journal
- Delish
- Renegade Brewing
- Wine Enthusiast
- My San Antonio
- Bison Brew
- Transitions Abroad
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.
What about some of the new, from microbreweries?
Not as old as the one in this article, but also reflecting the Mexican beer. Colima brewery, Minerva, among others have their own pale Ale, pilsner or lagers that are contenders, or better than some in this article.
2x lager and amber are missing here as well. Sure Victoria and modelo negra deserve their spot, but others missed it.
Tecate is better than all but Negra Modelo.
Did equis