Battle of the Brews....El Cerveza

Buenos Dias Muchachos, this week we go all Latin, as we check the Cerveza brews of Spain and Mexico. Most of these brands were first sampled on package holidays, and have made their mark in the UK. I have chosen two extremely well known ones, one that is hardly seen, and one Brazilian one, which is a bit of a cheat, but what the Hell.

San Miguel
Well they say you learn something new everyday, and today I found out that San Miguel is in fact a beer from the Philippines! The best selling beer in south east Asia in fact. Hmmm. It was founded by a Spanish geezer in Manila. But for our purposes it is going to represent Spain, because I can't be arsed changing this section around now. Of course the reason I thought it was from the Iberian peninsula is not just it's name, but the fact that it was the first place I'd seen it and tried it, they sponsor the Spanish La Liga coverage on Sky Sports, the adverts depict three guys out on the razz in what resembles a Spanish town and it sounds Spanish. Blimey. Vital statistic ABV 5%. It tastes great ice cold on a hot day, and has a very agreeable flavour. I would not count it as one of my all time favourites, but if presented with this brand as an only choice, I would not be duly upset either.

Corona
This is one I truly do not get. Never mind the fact that it doesn't taste particularly fine, but what the fuck is that slice of lime all about?? Of course this is just the opinion of a short bald fella, I seem to be in a minority, as it appears to be extremely popular, especially in the USA. I admit it tastes pretty good alongside a spicy enchilada (sans fruit of course), but never in a million years would I settle down for a major session of the stuff. It has an ABV of 4.6%, and to my mind tastes best chilled to an Antarctic temperature. In the Antipodes you can buy it on draft, but this begs the question "Where do you stick the fruit?"



Brahma
A Brazilian lager, only on sale in the United kingdom for the past couple of years. Formerly Brazil's best selling brand, it is now part of a huge brewing conglomerate, Inbev, and was to be marketed at a more upmarket clientele. It was originally from Sao Paulo, and has an ABV of 4.8%. I have yet to see it sold on draught, but it can be found in most chain pubs in bottle form. The bottle itself is pretty cool, and it isn't a bad taste, a bit like Corona, but with a more taste. I personally can't see it being a huge success over here, it is a little bit poncey, but who can tell. The fact that it is no longer the top of the tree in Brazil, tells it own tale. "Which lager outsells it now?" I hear you ask. Skol. Enough said.

Negro Modelo
I promised you something different, and here it is, Negro Modelo. Like Leffe, Modelo has two styles, pale and dark, and although the pale is a decent enough drop, it is the dark one I am going to put forward on the vote. Although it looks like an ale, it is a lager, and has some fizz. It comes in the famous Modelo bottle, that has an offset neck, allowing for easier drinking. So they say. It will not be to all tastes, especially fans of the beers mentioned above, as it actually does have a taste. The Shoutster might not be so keen, as it resembles in many ways the Alt style of beer, although Modelo brands it self as a Vienna lager. It has a very healthy ABV of 5.4%, and is nigh on impossible to find in the UK, since JD Wetherspoons ditched it in favour of the Eastern European brews favoured by the latest wave of immigrants. If you do come across it, perhaps in a Mexican restaurant, give it a go, I highly recommend it.