Mexican Lagers: The Origins a Long Way From the Americas

*This essay is updated (added to, and/or modified) from previous publications, authored by me, on the subject elsewhere*

September 16th, Mexican Independence Day.

What did we get when Austrians, Bavarians, Swiss, and Germans migrated to the Americas? If you said the accordion and polka-inspired music (Banda/Norteña), you would probably be correct. If you said beer, you’d also be correct! Mexican Lagers have a unique history that most of us never consider. This past is grounded in monarchy, deception, and political fallacies. Today is Mexico's Independence Day and I want to show my pride for my heritage by not only talking about its beer, but also the events that brought it here! Put that lime wedge down for just a second and let us discuss the origins of Mexican Lager and some Mexican history.

Mexico’s declaration of independence came on Sept. 16, 1810. Until the revolution began a century later in 1910, there was still a bit of turmoil. Along with other important historical events, the beer-related one is when an Austrian native declared himself emperor of Mexico, thinking it was the will of the Mexican people.

During the Napoleonic occupation of Mexico, Maximilian I, Archduke of Austria, born in Vienna, was crowned Emperor of Mexico in 1864. Unaware of an arrangement by conservative Mexicans to overthrow Liberal President Benito Juarez, and Napoleon III, who wanted to continue his reign and collect money, Maximillan I accepted the throne as Emperor of Mexico thinking he was democratically elected to it. He was not; he was deceived.

While Maximilian I held up many reforms, such as indigenous protections, and continued to antagonize the Roman Catholic hierarchy, Juarez continued to assert himself as the legitimate leader of the Mexican people. Furthermore, the condemnation of the power and privilege once held by the Catholic church is completely against conservative ideology. Refusing to reinstate any power or return confiscated treasures to Roman Catholics resulted in them (conservative Mexican powers that be) no longer supporting the empire as they once did.

With the American Civil War ending, the Monroe Doctrine was enforced. This forced the French to withdraw leaving Maximilian I at a major disadvantage. Eventually, Juarez exploited this turn of events and, on June 19th, 1867, Maximilian was executed.

Depending on one's individual perception and predisposed ideals, Maximilian I can be looked at in one of two ways. He can be seen as the invading monarch who tried to usurp Benito Juarez. Or he can be seen as a tragic character who was a victim of deception while validly trying to rule under his liberalistic principles in his new homeland. His quote before execution supports the latter: “Voy a morir por una causa justa, la de la independencia y la libertad de México. Que mi sangre selle las desgracias de mi nueva patria. ¡Viva México!”.

Translated quote: “I will die for a just cause, that of the independence and freedom of Mexico. My blood pays the price for the disgraces of my new homeland. Long live Mexico!”

I am quite proud of my Mexican culture, and it is no surprise that I, and many of my fellow Mexicans, have a fair amount of Western European genetics, as well. And now we know why. This would also explain my personal affinity towards German culture, too.

Back to the beer. We begin where most Lagers begin: in Germany. And Austria since they were unified at this time. Upon returning from a research trip to England with a fellow brewer in 1833, Anton Dreher began experimenting with a revolutionary malt-roasting technique. A few years later, Dreher released a paler amber Lager made with his pale grain, dubbed Vienna Malt. This beer is what ultimately became the Vienna Lager. More on its evolution in Austria/Germany here!

While these beers lost popularity as quickly as they gained it thanks to the emergence of the Pale Lager in modern-day Czechia in 1842, German and Austrian immigrants were making their way to the Americas, specifically Mexico. As mentioned above, in 1864, Maximillian I became Mexico’s emperor, bringing Vienna Lager with him. There was an influx of Lager brewing, including brewers who produced Lager in the Vienna style. While Maximillian may have been executed by 1867, the thirst for Vienna Lager remained.

Santiago Graf, a Swiss-born brewer living in Mexico in the late 1800s, purchased Compania Cervecera Toluca y Mexico from a fellow Swiss immigrant. Graf soon began to import the ingredients to make the Vienna-style Lager. He would later start using a locally abundant and inexpensive ingredients (maize, specifically). Eventually, the pale Lager would gain popularity in Mexico, too, and evolve into the popular golden beer we see in advertisements with a lime wedged into the neck of the bottle. You can still find remnants of the Vienna Lager, however.

Worthy of note is that it has been documented that Victoria's beer anthropology can be traced back to Graf's brewery. Remember that the next time someone looks at you with a raised brow of judgment while you proudly take a refreshing drink of history.

Cervecería Cuauhtémoc, the first major Mexican Lager brewery, was born in 1891. In the first half of the 1900s, there were about 35 independent breweries in Mexico. Hereafter, as with most businesses, there was a period of consolidation resulting in only two major Mexican brewery groups. The two groups are Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma and Grupo Modelo. Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma offers brands such as Bohemia, Carta Blanca, Indio, Noche Buena, Sol, Superior, Tecate, and  Dos XX/Dos XX Amber. Grupo Modelo runs the brands Corona, Estrella, Modelo/Negra Modelo, Montejo, Pacifico, Victoria, and a few others. Thankfully, there is a bit of a craft beer boom happening in Mexico. There are plenty of small, independent breweries now making some delightful beers.

The traditional Vienna Lager is made by utilizing Vienna malt, sometimes making up 100% of the grains are light amber to copper hued with a firm bitterness behind the elegant malt, medium body, moderate carbonation, and a range of around 4.7% to 5.5% ABV. You find a delicate bready character, often with light toasty notes, crisp cereal maltiness, and a dry finish. By contrast, the lighter, more common version, typically labeled as Mexican Lager, more resembles the American Lager than its historically Germanic cousin. Color ranges from light-toned straw to gold for the pale versions with medium-low to medium bitterness, high carbonation, and a range of 4.5% to 6% ABV or so. The use of flaked maize gives them an aroma of sweet corn along with a vitamin zing from the yeast. Quite the drinkable and refreshing beer.

Here on this side of the border in Orange County, CA, we have some amazing examples of Vienna and Mexican Lagers. Stereo Brewing in Placentia offers its Oktoberfest as a Vienna Lager that’s available around this time of year. Toasted burnt sugar and dark honey flavors and firm bitterness on the finish. Helmsmen Ale House in Newport Beach usually has a Vienna Lager as well. A readily available and fantastic Pale Mexican Lager is the award-winning Carlos Danger from Bearded Tang in Stanton. Lumino from Unsung is also an award-winner and shows off the light corn-like sweetness and water crackers typical of the style. Unsung also recently made an imperial version of Lumino and it was amazing! Artifexican by Artifex is usually always available to take care of your thirst, and is yet another award-winner. 1886 in Orange regularly offers Norteño Lite, a crisp and lively pale version that needs more love and should be brewed regularly. Radiant, GameCraft, Green Cheek, Santa Ana River, Rad, and Bottle Logic usually offer wonderful and invigorating Pale and/or Amber Mexican Lagers. Keep an eye out at those locations and other local spots to release one if they have not already.

With food, it is important to remember to keep the intensities in mind and keep the salsa and chile at respectable levels to avoid overpowering the beer. Mexican Lagers tend to find themselves alongside Tex-Mex, traditional Mexican plates, and Latin American cuisine. Tacos, Burritos, Tostadas, Enchiladas, or Nachos find wonderful partners with both versions of the Lager, lime or not. They won’t offend the dish and the carbonation will provide a nice contrast by scrubbing away any fats and oils. However, some grilled fish tacos might be the best example where both versions of the Lager will find an ally. Keep it simple here and char the fish over the grill and serve on a corn tortilla that has been heated over the same flame with a bit of oil, add some onion, cilantro, cabbage or lettuce, and squeeze some lime into it to resonate with the refreshing nature of the beer. Side dishes like earthy beans, savory rice, and umami-rich cotija cheese will flavor-hook with the cracked cereal grain and corn flavors in the Lager. The darker Vienna Lagers find partners with dishes when grilled and roasted meats are involved to bridge the browning in the carne asada, pollo a la parrilla, or al pastor with the toasted bread and gram cracker notes in the beer.

We all have traditions. Although I may not always express it, my Mexican heritage flows through my blood as freely as these beer styles at a ‘fiesta de cumple.’ I dedicate much time with my family -my father in particular- and we devote hours upon hours chatting about absolutely nothing while enjoying a few Mexican Lagers. Even though beers from Mexico have Germanic origins, the connections I've built with my father have no borders. It is because of him that I am who I am. And a good Mexican Lager beer, lime or not, will always be what keeps us together.

¡Salud y Viva México!

-Gilbert “Charlie” Perez, Advanced Cicerone®

References

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Amato, M. (2014). Beerology: Everything You Need to Know to Enjoy Beer… Even More. Appetite by Random House.

Carpenter, D., (2017). Lager: The Definitive Guide to Tasting and Brewing the World's Most Popular Beer Styles. Voyageur Press.

Dornbusch, H. D. (1997). Prost! The Story of German Beer. Brewers Publications (Brewers Association).

Kraus-Weyermann, T., Dornbusch, H. D. (2018). Dark Lagers: History, Mystery, Brewing Techniques, Recipes. Master Brewers Associations of the Americas (MBAA).

Herz, J., Conley, G. (2015). Beer Pairing: The Essential Guide from the Pairing Pros. Voyageur Press.

McCalman, M., Gibbons, D. (2009). Mastering Cheese: Lessons for Connoisseurship from a Maître Fromager. Clarkson Potter.

Oliver, G. (2003). The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food. HarperCollins.

Oliver, G. (2012). The Oxford Companion to Beer. Oxford University Press.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maximilian-archduke-of-Austria-and-emperor-of-Mexico