A Taste of the Mexican Beers

Beer is one of the most consumed alcoholic drinks in the whole world, and practically every country has their signature style. Ranging from the soft ones, to the strong flavored ones, there’s a wide variety of beers you can pick from according to your palate, but I’ve been interested lately in the Mexican ones, since they are so present in the United States market. I wanted to find out more about them, and let me tell you what I’ve found so  far!

As in every culture, the alcoholic beverages have been present since the ancient times. In Mexico it was Pulque, made of the fermented product from the Maguey plant. However, it wasn’t for daily consumption, it was reserved for the elite. With the colonization came new techniques to produce beverages, and with it the first concession to fabricate European beers. In 1543, the market started to expand; this was not easy because the colonial taxes and regulations, along with the competition against the traditional drinks of the natives. It was only after the Independence War that the brewers were able to flourish, and in the late 19th century they were aided for the German Immigrants and their expertise.

Ever since, the production of beer has changed immensely. Nowadays there are small breweries with 10% of the market, and two big ones that dominate the market in Mexico: Grupo Modelo and Cervecería Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma. Those two make the most famous beers across the border; the ones that we see in the supermarkets here. They range from lagers, to vienna-style and dark beers as the Munich.

The most representative products of Grupo Modelo’s are the Corona Extra and the Negra Modelo, and the Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma’s are Sol and Tecate. These are the most used beers to make the famous Mexican drink, the “Michelada”. The name originated from the phrase “Mi chela helada” that means “My cold beer”. It’s a mixture of beer, lime juice and spicy or soy sauce, and the optional salt-rimmed glass with a piece of lime. It’s a Mexican way of enjoying the traditional beers, and you should try it at RG Cocina Mexicana!

RG Cocina Mexicana address is 314 72nd ST, Miami Beach, FL 33141. Their phone number is: 305-4647404.