It’s Bodega Beer season. What’s a Bodega Beer? I’m glad you asked. Please refer to the conveniently placed definition below (trademark pending):
You know what I’m talking about. The seemingly exotic bottles of carbonated sunshine, stamped with an “Imported” or a “Cerveza” or an “Hecho en México.” The ones that make you feel like you should be wearing a white linen shirt, despite how pale your skin may be at the moment. The ones that, when it comes down to it, aren’t really that great at all.
Frankly, these Mexican lagers aren’t even close to the best of beers. Nonetheless, we love them, and not only do we love them; we buy them, a lot. Last year 693.6 million dollars of Corona Extra was purchased in the United States, just about twice as much as the next leading imported beer, Heineken. With a non-intrusive and predictable flavor, the universal appeal makes sense. The fact that they’re drinkable as hell doesn’t hurt either.
With Cinco de Mayo and summer approaching, Mexican beers are in our future, and not even Donald Trump can build any sort of structure to keep them from crossing the border. Thank god. But the real question is, if you’re going to be drinking a Mexican lager, which one should you be drinking?
We ran through a line-up of all of the Bodega Beers we could find here in NYC to figure out which is the worthiest of purchase on Cinco de Mayo. We knocked down bottles of Corona Extra, Corona Light, Pacifico, Sol, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo, Dos Equis, Dos Equis Ambar, Bohemia Clasica, and Tecate. They were all very similar in flavor; it was things like smoothness, crispness, and the yearn to crack another bottle that determined which ended up on top.
But when it comes down to it, there are only two.
If you want a consistent, single-noted, refreshing lager, Dos Equis is your best light-bodied option. It doesn’t leave you with the semi-skunked aftertaste of Corona or the cardboard-behind-the-bar smell of Modelo Especial, and best of all, you can drain more than three without developing some arsenic-esque lacquer on your taste buds. If you want something that is still technically a Mexican lager, but offers more than a single layer of complexity, Negra Modelo is the best all-around beer. It brings a darker complexion and some recognizable caramel and almond-y flavors to the table, without any sign of heaviness.
But that can’t be it, right? I’m the guy who advocates barrel-aged wild ales and well-preserved hop profiles. I like the most complex and developed craft beers, the antithesis of Corona. There has to be something better than the Bodega Beers, right? There is. Craft brewers are taking on Mexican-style lagers. Breweries that have turned their heads to accessible and delicious lagers, and they’re going to be everywhere this spring and summer.
Keep an eye out for: 21st Amendment’s El Sully, Oskar Blues’s Beerito, Ska Brewing’s Mexican Logger, Flying Dog’s Numero Uno, or Deep Ellum’s Neato Bandito. Brewing beer with better ingredients and more attention to the process ultimately gives you better beer that’s smoother, more flavorful, and not quite as boring. Think of these brews as elevated alternatives to your Bodega Beers.
So you have the responsibility to drink some Mexican (or Mexican-inspired) beer this week, and the great thing is that whether you hit the corner store or Whole Foods, you know what you’re looking for. Regardless of where you end up, make sure you grab some limes, and while you’re at it, you’re going to want taco supplies (or at least what you need for guacamole). I won’t force you to listen to mariachi music though, at least not until after your third beer.