14 Mexican Beers to Sip All Summer Long
Updated: Jul. 25, 2024
Mexican beers are crisp and refreshing, perfect for relaxing on the beach or in the backyard. Pass the lime wedges, please!
When the sunshine starts to peek from behind the clouds in the summer, there is no place I’d rather be than outside with a Mexican beer in hand. This guide will help you select the best Mexican beers for any occasion. Because of the hot, dry climate where they are brewed, typical Mexican beers are refreshing, bubbly and crisp. However, there is a surprising amount of variety within this category.
Slightly sweet dark lagers still refresh, while herbal European hops give some beers a zesty flavor. And while all of these beers are tasty on their own, they also make a great base for beer-forward cocktails.
It goes without saying that they’re the perfect pairing for Mexican food. And because many of the beers share similar flavors with Mexican tortilla chips, it’s an easy drink when you’re serving snacks like guacamole and homemade salsa.
Modelo Especial
Modelo Especial is the queen of balance when it comes to Mexican beers. Its delicate flavors lean neither too bitter nor too sweet, sitting at a happy medium between corn chip and light honey flavors. The undeniable spritz of Modelo Especial keeps it light and refreshing.
This beer is the ideal golden sparkler that can do beach day duty just as well as it can grace the table for Taco Tuesday.
Estrella Jalisco
This beer is brewed in the Mexican state of Jalisco, which is also the homeland of some of the best tequilas. Unlike the many types and flavors of tequila, Estrella Jalisco is very straightforward. It has a simple flavor of sweet grains and finishes with no aftertaste.
I think Estrella Jalisco is best served very cold on very hot days. In some ways, it drinks like water, and that’s not a bad thing!
Corona Extra
It’s not often that beers get cocktail garnishes, but Corona belongs with lime. It’s usually pictured and advertised with this signature garnish for good reason: The very subtle flavors of Corona need the zing and zest of citrus to come alive.
Corona on its own is merely a bubbly, mild beer. However, with a lime, that high carbonation and medium body come to life and start the party. I like it with a touch of salt, too which accents the minimal malt flavors in the beer.
Sol Cerveza
The sun on Sol Cerveza’s label shows you exactly what it’s meant for—thirst-quenching on sunny days. Sipping a Sol in my apartment, I sometimes find it watery and lackluster. However, when I’m reaching into a cold cooler in the summer, it’s exactly what I crave.
This light lager has plenty of fizz to keep it fresh and bright even at subzero temperatures. Invest a quality cooler to keep your beers chilled at picnics, beaches and ball games.
Dos Equis Lager
Dos Equis Lager makes a great pair for spicy foods like shrimp tacos with corn salsa. It has a heavier body than other beers on this list, and it leans toward sweet grainy flavors. This makes it the perfect beverage for cooling down after a bite of fiery salsa.
Modelo Negra
My favorite beer from Mexico is Modelo Negra. It’s just as invigorating and crisp as the other beers on this list, but it sneaks in notes of toasted nuts and has a caramelly finish. Sipping on Modelo Negra feels so refreshing that it’s easy to forget it’s a 5.4% amber lager.
The nutty notes make it a great match for grilled foods like pork tacos or barbecue chicken.
Tecate
Tecate has a noticeably more robust malt flavor than other golden beers on this list. A pleasant crackery, grainy aftertaste also lingers longer than other Mexican lager styles. Even with the elevated grainy notes, Tecate is well-balanced and could easily stock a cooler for a happy beach day.
Carta Blanca
Carta Blanca is the definition of a beer made for easy drinking in the sunshine. It’s a little less carbonated than other beers on this list, but that helps it come across as smooth and sippable. Its flavor consists mostly of grainy cereal notes that come across similarly to my favorite Mexican tortilla chips. Grassy hops accent the corn-like flavors, but this beer is by no means bitter.
Reach for a Carta Blanca when you don’t want to think too deeply about what to pair with dinner. Its smoothness ensures it will taste good with just about any food without overwhelming it. May I suggest shrimp ceviche?
Victoria
Victoria is a paradox among Mexican beers because it is simultaneously darker and lighter than its counterparts. It pours a brassy deep gold a few shades darker than the other beers on this list, but it is also a lighter 4% ABV. Even with the lower alcohol content, Victoria isn’t watery. It has a balanced bready flavor and a mild roasty aftertaste. I like it as an option for lower ABV drinking, but its flavor is not particularly memorable.
Indio
Indio is another example of a dark Mexican lager. Overall, I find Indio very clean with a hint of caramel to add some interest to the taste. The balance of this beer is round and leans a little sweet. Like other dark Mexican lagers, it makes a nice pairing with foods from all over the world, especially grilled or charred meats.
Pacifico Clara
Bottle up sunshine and you have Pacifico Clara. It’s not trying to be fancy, it’s not trying to be complex, it’s simply a taste of something good and sweet. That’s why I love it. If you’re especially weary of hops or bitterness in a beer, Pacifico Clara is your clear choice (pun intended). It’s balanced and not cloyingly sweet, leans toward bready malt flavors and away from anything harsh.
Pacifico Clara’s one-note simplicity makes it a great candidate for a large lime wedge or as a base for cerveza margaritas.
Leon
Leon is the darkest beer on this list, but it’s not the heaviest! Tons of carbonation keeps this dark lager from being too weighty. Plus, it sits at 4.5% ABV, as do most other beers on the list. Despite its deep copper appearance, Leon has just a few toasty flavors of bread crust and very mild caramel to separate it from the other Mexican lagers.
This is a perfect beer to mix things up if you’re craving a little flavor, but still want to keep things light and bubbly.
Montejo
Mexico and America come together in Cerveza Montejo. This 4.5% golden lager is now brewed in California. Unlike many of the Mexican lagers that show grassy hop notes (if the hops are detectable at all), Montejo has subtle notes of citrus peel mingling amid the grainy base of the beer. The citrus notes help it rank as one of the lighter-feeling beers on this list.
Bohemia Pilsner
Bohemia Pilsner is named for the land that inspired it, the Czech Republic. This Czech-style lager is one of the beers from around the world that showcases herbal, grassy hop notes and more prominent bitterness than the other beers on this list. It’s also packing a little bit more in the booze department at 4.9%.
I love a beer with layers of flavors that unfold as I drink it. Bohemia Pilsner offers that complex drinking experience I’m looking for while still fitting in with the Mexican lager category.
Mexican Beers FAQ
What is Mexican beer?
Mexican beer is exactly what it sounds like: beer brewed in Mexico. Because of the warm climate, Mexican beers tend to be lighter in flavor and lean toward refreshing lager styles. Even dark beers like Modelo Negra or Leon have a light, refreshing flavor.
The craft beers brewed in Mexico span styles from dense, tropical IPAs and heavy, high-alcohol stouts to sweet and fruity flavored beers. However, the Mexican beers exported worldwide are usually the golden, sparkling popular beer brands like Corona Extra or Modelo Especial.
What is the best Mexican beer?
The best Mexican beer satisfies what you’re craving. If you like complex pilsners, Bohemia Pilsner might be your perfect Mexican beer with layers of hop and malt flavor and a long finish. But if you’re looking for easy drinking, the simplicity of Pacifico is your best Mexican beer. And, of course, for a hint of nutty sweetness alongside that typical refreshing balance, you can’t go wrong with Modelo Negra.
Like the various craft beers out there, there is a lot of variety within Mexican beer. The best option will always be best suited to the moment (or what you’re eating).
What do Mexican locals drink?
The bestselling beer in Mexico is Corona Extra. However, like any country, there are trends within regions. Many towns throughout Mexico have their own local craft breweries to support.
The michelada is a popular way to drink beer in Mexico City. To make a michelada, a standard Mexican lager like Corona Extra, Modelo Especiale or Pacifico is accented with lime juice, salt and other seasonings.
Originally Published: June 06, 2019
