Beers Similar to Modelo

With its crisp, clean taste and light hoppy finish, Modelo Especial has become one of the most popular Mexican lagers in America. But Modelo is far from the only tasty cerveza coming from south of the border. Mexico has a long and proud brewing tradition, and today, there are dozens of excellent Mexican beer brands to explore beyond the ubiquitous Corona. From the German-style Bohemias of the north to the indigenous corn-based styles of the south, Mexico offers a diverse range of brews for any beer lover. This article will highlight some of the top Mexican lagers and ales that can hold their own against the mighty Modelo. Prost!

Key Highlights

With its crisp, clean taste, Modelo Especial has become a top-selling Mexican lager in the US. Here are some tasty cervezas worth trying for fans seeking new south-of-the-border brews. Pacifico offers a similar light, easy-drinking lager profile. Dos Equis delivers a more robust malt character in its Amber and Lager editions. Negra Modelo and Bohemia Obscura provide rich, dark lagers for those who like fuller-bodied beers. The pilsner-style Tecate offers a bit more hop bite. For something truly unique, seek out Mexican craft beers like Cucapá’s Chupacabras Pale Ale or Mexicali’s Brown Ale – both brewed with Mexican ingredients for distinctive new flavors. ¡Salud!

Overview of Modelo Especial

Modelo Especial has become one of the most popular Mexican beers in the US market. This classic Mexican lager offers a crisp, clean taste and mild, hoppy flavors, making it perfect for quenching your thirst or pairing with food. Let’s look closer at what gives Modelo Especial its distinctive taste and widespread appeal.

Taste Profile and Characteristics

Modelo Especial is a pilsner-style lager beer known for its balanced, straightforward flavor profile. It pours a bright, golden color with a foamy white head. The aroma is lightly grainy with hints of corn, a staple ingredient in Mexican lager recipes.

On the palate, Modelo Especial offers a mild sweetness upfront, followed by a crisp, refreshing finish with subtle hop bitterness. The body is light and highly carbonated. The beer aims for easy drinkability with its smooth flavor and lack of dominant malt or hop flavors. There are no eccentric additions or flavor extremes.

Instead, Modelo Especial lets the core ingredients of malt, corn, and hop shine through in harmony. It has a clean taste with a grainy sweetness and a dry, snappy finish. The hop profile gives it slightly more pronounced bitterness than beers like Corona, but the hops remain restrained. Overall, it is well-balanced, light on the palate, and highly refreshing – perfect for a hot day.

Popularity in the US Market

Modelo Especial has surged in popularity in recent years, becoming one of America’s top imported beer brands. It has overtaken other famous Mexican beers like Corona in US sales.

Several factors drive its success. It has a classic, easy-drinking taste profile that appeals to a wide range of beer drinkers looking for a crowd-pleasing lager. Its flavor hits that sweet spot between the bland lightness of Corona and the more polarizing, hoppy bitterness of something like Tecate.

It also benefits from the overall trend towards Mexican lagers in the US, driven by the growth in popularity of Mexican cuisine. The brand has invested heavily in marketing, further raising its profile. Demographically, it appeals to both Hispanic consumers wanting a taste of home and the broader American market looking to add Mexican-style brews into the mix.

Modelo Especial has become a staple in bars and restaurants across America, available both on draft and in bottles/cans at any watering hole or grocery store selling beer. It’s a familiar name known for easy drinkability.

Availability and Where to Find It

As Modelo Especial has grown into one of the most ubiquitous Mexican beer brands, availability is very widespread. It can be found at:

• Bars/restaurants with a focus on Mexican food or Latin American cuisine
• Sports bars and pubs – it’s a familiar go-to lager on tap
• Grocery stores, specialty beer shops, and convenience stores – sold in bottles/cans
• Major retail chains like Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, etc.
• Any establishment selling a variety of beer brands

Modelo Especial is distributed across all 50 states, so it’s easy to find in stock at stores or on taps across America. It’s produced in Mexico and imported to the US by the beer giant Constellation Brands.

The bottom line – if you’re looking for a classic Mexican lager taste, it’s hard to go wrong picking up a 6-pack of Modelo Especial or ordering a draft. Its smooth, easy-drinking flavor profile has made it a go-to choice for many beer lovers across the United States.

Similar Beers to Modelo Especial

With its crisp, clean taste and smooth drinkability, Modelo Especial has become a favorite Mexican lager for many beer drinkers in the US. For those who enjoy Modelo, here are some recommended beers with comparable flavors and characteristics to try.

Classic Mexican Lagers

• Pacífico – This Mexican lager offers a nearly identical flavor profile to Modelo Especial. It has the same crisp, mild sweetness upfront with a dry, slightly bitter finish. Pacífico is another great choice for an easy-drinking cerveza.
• Victoria – Hailing from the same brewery as Modelo, Victoria is similarly light-bodied and refreshing, with subdued malt flavors and a touch of hop bitterness. Victoria errs closer to the lighter side, akin to a Corona.
• Estrella – One of the most popular Mexican lagers, Estrella has a pilsener-like flavor – crisp, grainy malt taste with a hint of noble hop spice. Estrella brings more hop presence than Modelo.
• Dos Equis Lager – This lager has a delicate malt sweetness with a nice hop bite. Dos Equis Lager is slightly more robust than Modelo but still easy-drinking.

These Mexican lagers can all be found at major grocery stores, liquor stores, Mexican restaurants, and bars across the US.

Mexican Dark Lagers

If you want to explore darker, fuller-bodied Mexican brews:

• Negra Modelo – A classic Vienna-style lager with a rich amber color and flavors of toasted grain, caramel, and coffee. Negra Modelo offers a beautifully smooth, malty taste.
• Bohemia Obscura – Another excellent Mexican Vienna lager with a mix of chocolate, biscuit, and light hop notes. Bohemia Obscura has a bold, complex malt.
• Dos Equis Amber – This amber lager has subtle caramel and biscuit flavors with mild hops. Dos Equis Amber is lighter-bodied than the others.

These dark lagers may not be as widely available as standard Mexican beers but can be found at restaurants and specialty beer stores.

Mexican Craft and Specialty Beers

For those who want to venture into more unique Mexican-brewed beers:

• Mexicali Rose – An amber ale with floral, fruity notes and mild chili spice. Mexicali Rose offers something different with delightful fruit and gentle heat.
• Cucapá Chupacabras Pale Ale – Made with blue agave, Chupacabras has tropical fruit notes with mild agave sweetness. It brings creative new flavors to a pale ale.
• Tijuana Morena Negra – A deep, dark brew with strong espresso notes and rich chocolate malts. Morena Negra hits you with intense roasted coffee flavors.

Mexican craft beers like these may require some searching but provide creative new flavors and styles beyond the classic lagers. Check specialty beer shops or Mexican markets.

Recommendations

• For another crisp, easy-drinking cerveza – go for Pacífico or Estrella.
• If you like some more maltiness – try Dos Equis Lager or Negra Modelo.
• Estrella and Dos Equis Lager bring a bit more hopbite for those who enjoy hops.
• To taste unique Mexican craft beers – seek out Mexicali Rose, Cucapá Chupacabras, or Tijuana Morena Negra.

With this range of delicious Mexican lagers and ales, you’re sure to find a perfect cerveza match for your tastes beyond trusty Modelo Especial. ¡Salud!

Differences Between Modelo Especial and Similar Beers

With its balanced flavor profile and widespread popularity, Modelo Especial has become many drinkers’ favorite Mexican lager. While beers like Pacífico, Victoria, and Dos Equis offer a similar crisp, easy-drinking experience, some notable differences distinguish each brew.

Comparing Modelo Especial to Other Classic Mexican Lagers

Modelo Especial is characterized by its mild sweetness, light body, and crisp, dry finish with restrained hop bitterness. Here’s how some other popular Mexican lagers compare:

• Pacífico – Nearly identical to Modelo in its flavor balance – light, sweet maltiness upfront with a clean, snappy finish. The main difference is that Pacífico has a touch more hop spice, giving it a slightly more pronounced bitterness.
• Victoria – Made by the same Modelo brewery, Victoria is also light-bodied and crisp, but it has even less hop presence than Modelo, making it closer to the very light-bodied Corona. Victoria emphasizes drinkable refreshment over flavor complexity.
• Estrella – While similarly crisp and refreshing, Estrella sets itself apart with a more prominent malt character and moderate hop bitterness. Its pilsener-like taste makes it slightly fuller flavored than Modelo.
• Dos Equis Lager – This lager has a bit more malt richness than Modelo, with a smooth caramel flavor. The hops also make a stronger showing, giving Dos Equis a good bitter snap.

Darker Mexican Lagers vs. Modelo

Popular Mexican dark lagers like Negra Modelo and Bohemia Obscura have much fuller, richer flavors compared to the lighter Modelo Especial:

• Negra Modelo – As a Vienna-style lager, Negra Modelo has pronounced toasted malt, caramel, and chocolate flavors, creating a smooth, full-bodied mouthfeel. The roasted malt presence is much stronger than the light Modelo.
• Bohemia Obscura – This Vienna lager has robust maltiness similar to Negra Modelo, with distinctive notes of coffee, sweet biscuit, and chocolate. Bohemia Obscura is significantly heartier and more complex than Modelo Especial.
• Dos Equis Amber – The amber lager has subtle caramel and biscuit flavors but is actually lighter in body and malt character than the other two. So, while darker than Modelo, Dos Equis Amber retains a good degree of drinkability.

Flavored and Craft Beers

For those who want to branch out from Modelo’s traditional lager taste, Mexican craft, and flavored beers offer bold new dimensions of flavor:

• Mexicali Rose – This amber ale uses strawberries and honey for light fruity flavors and floral aromas – a drastic change from Modelo’s straightforward malt and hop profile.
• Cucapá Chupacabras – With blue agave sugar, Chupacabras has a sweet agave taste along with citrusy, tropical fruit notes – completely different from Modelo’s clean lager flavor.
• Tijuana Morena Negra – As a robust dark lager, Morena Negra has intense coffee flavors with creamy chocolate malts – going way beyond Modelo in terms of rich malt complexity.

The variety of Mexican brews offers plenty of alternatives to the classic balance of Modelo Especial, from ultra-light lagers to exotic flavored ales. Keep an open mind and enjoy discovering new cerveza experiences!

FAQ

How do flavors like lime and chili pepper change Mexican beers?

Adding lime, chili peppers, or spices like coriander to beers is very common in Mexican brewing. Squeezing a fresh lime into a Mexican lager like Pacifico or Victoria gives it a bright, citrusy kick. Chili beers add a subtle heat and peppery kick – Chili Pepper Lager by Cerveceria Mexicana has a nice mild chili bite. Fruit-flavored beers like mango or pineapple are also popular. These additions provide new dimensions of flavor and refreshment. Just be careful not to overdo it – a gentle sprinkle of chili pepper or a squeeze of lime enhances the beer, but too much can overwhelm it.

What are the differences between Mexican lagers and Mexican ales?

Most traditional Mexican beers are lagers, brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast at colder temperatures. Lagers offer crisp, clean flavors and are highly refreshing and easy to drink – ideal for Mexico’s climate. Ales use top-fermenting yeast at warmer temps and have more robust, complex malt flavors. Craft breweries in Mexico have started producing more pale ales, amber ales, porters, and Belgian-style beers. So, while lagers define classic Mexican beers, watch for Mexican ales if you want something with more body and distinct malt character.

Related Video: Modelo Especial vs Negra – Which is Better?

Summing Up

While Modelo Especial deserves its popularity and place in the limelight, it’s far from the only great Mexican beer option. As we’ve seen, Mexico has a diverse beer culture with lagers, ales, pilsners, and more to suit any palate. Classic brands like Pacifico, Dos Equis, and Tecate offer their own take on crisp, easy-drinking Mexican brews. And newer craft players like Cucapá and Mexicali are using local ingredients to create unique flavored ales. The next time your store has a “Build your own 6-pack” promotion, why not venture beyond the Modelo and Corona and try a new cerveza from south of the border? Your taste buds will thank you!