Ready for the second installation in my Beers of Mexico series? Then quick! Name a Mexican lager whose roots trace all the way back to 1800s Germany. Give up? Before you cheat and scroll down further, think back through your memories. Have you ever tried a Mexican beer that reminded you of a pilsner (think Stella Artois)?
Truth be told, I didn't know anything about this lager when I picked it up last weekend. I'm sure I've tried it before, but never really paid any attention to its distinct notes. Expecting a mellow lager, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a flavor profile that lands smack in the middle between a Stella and a Corona.
Ready for the big reveal?
One more clue...
"Stay thirsty my friend!"
Our mystery beer is Dos Equis lager. Dos Equis is Spanish for XX, as the beer was first produced in 1897 to celebrate the arrival of the twentieth century. This beer was first crafted by a German brewer named Wilhelm Hasse who emigrated to Mexico under the short-lived Second Mexican Empire of Maximilian I (for kicks, check out the wiki on this fascinating period), hence its similarity to European pilsners. Today, thanks to the most interesting man in the world, Dos Equis remains a popular Mexican import in the U.S., and throughout the world.
Dos Equis is brewed by Cuauhtemoc-Moctezuma Brewery (CMB), one of the two mega breweries in Mexico (the other is Modelo), but it is itself a subsidiary of Heineken. CMB has been in business since 1890, when a group of Austrian and Mexican businessmen joined forces to start a brewery. Other recognizable imports from CMB include Sol and Tecate, among others.
Dos Equis Lager:
Nose: Like a Stella, with a light, sweet finish
Taste: I'd put it right between Stella and Corona. A smooth oaky start, with the distinct limey notes of a Mexican lager, pilsner hints and a floral essence.
Recommendation: If you've been avoiding Dos Equis lager just because it's too mainstream, why not give it a try, then tell us what you think!
Truth be told, I didn't know anything about this lager when I picked it up last weekend. I'm sure I've tried it before, but never really paid any attention to its distinct notes. Expecting a mellow lager, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a flavor profile that lands smack in the middle between a Stella and a Corona.
Ready for the big reveal?
One more clue...
"Stay thirsty my friend!"
Our mystery beer is Dos Equis lager. Dos Equis is Spanish for XX, as the beer was first produced in 1897 to celebrate the arrival of the twentieth century. This beer was first crafted by a German brewer named Wilhelm Hasse who emigrated to Mexico under the short-lived Second Mexican Empire of Maximilian I (for kicks, check out the wiki on this fascinating period), hence its similarity to European pilsners. Today, thanks to the most interesting man in the world, Dos Equis remains a popular Mexican import in the U.S., and throughout the world.
Dos Equis is brewed by Cuauhtemoc-Moctezuma Brewery (CMB), one of the two mega breweries in Mexico (the other is Modelo), but it is itself a subsidiary of Heineken. CMB has been in business since 1890, when a group of Austrian and Mexican businessmen joined forces to start a brewery. Other recognizable imports from CMB include Sol and Tecate, among others.
Dos Equis Lager:
Nose: Like a Stella, with a light, sweet finish
Taste: I'd put it right between Stella and Corona. A smooth oaky start, with the distinct limey notes of a Mexican lager, pilsner hints and a floral essence.
Recommendation: If you've been avoiding Dos Equis lager just because it's too mainstream, why not give it a try, then tell us what you think!
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