Beer Trends & Styles: The 30 Best Mexican-Style Lagers

As someone who gets to see hundreds of new beer packaging every day, I get some keen insight into beer and brewing trends simply based on what I see breweries producing every day.

Over the last year, I’ve noticed one specific beer style that seems to be more and more common across the country. I’m talking about Mexican-Style Lager, and it’s a broad description for four different styles as outlined below by the Brewers Association Style Guidelines:

Mexican-Style Light Lager

Color: Straw to pale gold
Clarity: Appearance should be clear; Chill haze should not be present
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low to medium-low pale malt sweetness and aroma may be present. May have adjunct flavors from corn and/or rice
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very low to low with attributes typical of noble-type hops
Perceived Bitterness: Very low to low
Fermentation Characteristics: Clean fermentation profile; low fruity esters may be present; sulfur may be present in very low levels. Diacetyl should not be present
Body: Very light to light body with dry finish
Additional notes: Clean pale lagers often made with 2-row pilsner malt and may contain corn and/or rice to lighten body. Medium to medium-high carbonation and low final gravity produce a light-bodied beer that finishes dry
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.026-1.044 (6.5-11 °Plato)
 Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.003-1.01 (0.77-2.5 °Plato)
 Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 2.50%-3.40% (3.20%-4.20%)
 Bitterness (IBU) 8-17
 Color SRM (EBC) 2-3(4-6 EBC)

Mexican-Style Pale Lager

Color: Pale to deep gold
Clarity: Appearance should be clear; Chill haze should not be present
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low to medium-low pale malt sweetness and aroma may be present. May have adjunct flavors and aromas from corn and/or rice
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Low with attributes typical of noble-type hops
Perceived Bitterness: Low to medium-low
Fermentation Characteristics: Clean fermentation profile; low fruity esters may be present; sulfur may be present in very low levels. Diacetyl should not be present
Body: Low to medium-low with dry finish
Additional notes: Clean pale lagers often made with 2-row pilsner malt and may contain corn and/or rice to lighten body. Head retention may be medium to medium low and low noble-hop character is slightly more noticeable than that of its light counterpart
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.045-1.05 (11.1-12.4 °Plato)
 Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.008-1.012 (2-3.1 °Plato)
 Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.50%-4.00% (4.50%-5.00%)
 Bitterness (IBU) 15-22
 Color SRM (EBC) 3-5(6-10 EBC)

Mexican-Style Amber Lager

Color: Light amber to copper
Clarity: Appearance should be clear with white head of foam; Chill haze should not be present
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium-low to medium-high caramel and bready malt aroma and flavor; light roast and light corn and/or rice flavors may be present
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: None to low with attributes typical of noble-type hops
Perceived Bitterness: Very Low to low
Fermentation Characteristics: Clean fermentation profile; low fruity esters may be present; sulfur may be present in very low levels. Diacetyl should not be present
Body: Light to medium-light body with light creaminess
Additional notes: Addition of specialty malts may provide caramel or lightly toasted complexity to malt profile. The presence of corn and/or rice to lighten body may be noticeable. Medium to medium-high carbonation with dry finish makes these beers very refreshing
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.045-1.052 (11.1-12.9 °Plato)
 Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.01-1.012 (2.5-3.1 °Plato)
 Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.10%-4.40% (4.00%-5.50%)
 Bitterness (IBU) 12-25
 Color SRM (EBC) 7-15(13-30 EBC)

Mexican-Style Dark Lager

Color: Dark copper to dark brown with ruby or garnet highlights
Clarity: Appearance should be clear with creamy, beige to light brown foam. Chill haze should not be present
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Medium to medium high complex bready toast malt aroma and sweetness from addition of darker specialty malts; light caramel, toast, nutty and/or toffee flavors may be present; Low aromas and flavors from corn and/or rice may be present
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: None to low with attributes typical of noble-type hops
Perceived Bitterness: Very low to low
Fermentation Characteristics: Clean fermentation profile; low fruity esters may be present; sulfur may be present in very low levels. Diacetyl should not be present
Body: Medium to medium-full body with dry finish
Additional notes: Grain bill may contain Munich and/or Vienna type base malts. May also contain corn and/or rice. Small amounts of toasted and crystal malts and/or dextrin may be added for color and slight sweetness.
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.048-1.053 (11.9-13.1 °Plato)
 Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.009-1.012 (2.3-3.1 °Plato)
 Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 3.50%-4.60% (4.50%-5.80%)
 Bitterness (IBU) 12-28
 Color SRM (EBC) 16-30(31-59 EBC)

While there are definitely differences in the four Mexican-Style Lager categories above, most brewers are only labeling their cans & bottles with the more generic “Mexican Lager.” Here are the typical characteristics of a Mexican Lager:

A Mexican-style lager is a refreshing, crisp, and balanced beer characterized by a light body, pale or golden color, and mild malt sweetness with low bitterness, often enhanced by the use of corn or rice as adjuncts. The style originated in 19th-century Mexico from Austrian Vienna lager traditions, adapted by adding corn to create a smooth, clean, and highly drinkable beer that is excellent with food. 


Flavor: Subtle malt sweetness balanced by a mild hop bitterness. Often described as clean, crisp, and sometimes with a hint of toastiness. 
Aroma: Low malt aroma with potential hints of corn. 
Appearance: Pale to golden in color and clear, with no chill haze. 
Body: Light-bodied, creating a refreshing quality. 
Ingredients: The defining feature is the use of corn or rice as adjuncts, which contribute to the beer’s smoothness, clarity, and crispness. 
Bitterness: Low bitterness, making the beer highly drinkable. 

Historical Context
Vienna Lager Roots:
The style’s origins trace back to the 19th century when Austrian brewers brought their Vienna lager brewing traditions to Mexico. 
Addition of Corn:
To adapt to local conditions and ingredients, brewers like Santiago Graf incorporated abundant local corn into the mash. 
Evolution:
This adaptation lightened the body and added a slight sweetness, evolving the beer into the crisp, refreshing style known today as Mexican-style lager. 

Brewing
Adjuncts:
Flaked maize (corn) is a common adjunct, contributing starches that ferment completely, adding dryness, reducing haze, and increasing clarity. 
Fermentation:
A clean, cool fermentation process is crucial for a smooth, balanced lager. 
Serving:
These lagers are famously served with a wedge of lime, which adds a touch of brightness and complements their refreshing qualities. 

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Over the last few years, I’ve noticed an increase in new beers of the style being packaged by breweries from coast to coast. A quick search on “Mexican Lager” on mybeerbuzz.com will net you over 50 results for new and existing Mexican-style lagers.

A quick search on new beers being licensed shows 305 new Mexican-style lagers were approved in the last 12 months, so clearly it’s a trend that hasn’t died out, and a very popular beer style that I believe will be popular for quite a while to come.

I’ll admit up front that I’m not a huge fan of the style, but as a beer writer, I get to taste a lot of beers. With that in mind, here is my list of my favorite Mexican-Style Lagers (in no particular order & some may no longer be in distribution):

• Lone Tree Lime Mexican Lager
• Firestone Walker 805 Cerveza
• AleSmith Sublime Mexican Lager
• Pike Brewing Mexican Lager
• Lakefront El Wisco Mexican Lager
• Oskar Blues Beerito Amber Mexican Lager
• Ska Brewing Mexican Lager
• Smuttynose El Smutty
• Great Lakes Mexican Lager
• Flying Dog Flashman’s Mexican Lager
• Reubens Brews Mexican Lager
• Odell Brewing El Kernal Mexican Lager
• Jester King Mexican Lager
• Hoppin’ Frog Cervecero Loco Mexican Lager
• 10 Barrel Pub Cerveza
• Terrapin Cerveza Mexican Lager
• Monday Night Taco Tuesday Mexican Lager
• 3 Floyds Fantasmo Mexican Lager
• WeldWerks Long Bones Mexican Lager
• Goose Island Beer For Dancing Mexican Lager
• Boulevard !Vamos! Mexican Lager
• Shiner Cerveza De Verano Mexican Lager
• Mother’s Brewing Madre’s Mexican Lager
• Kern River Brewing Rioveza Mexican Lager
• 3 Daughters Mexican Lager
• Crooked Stave Mexican Lager
• Evil Twin Greenhouse Mexican Dark Lager
• Reuben’s Brews Southsun Mexican-Style Lager
• Two Roads Dos Caminos Mexican Lager
• Cape May Mexican Dark Lager

The Mexican-Style Lager is an interesting and really drinkable lager style, and while I’ve highlighted 30 examples above, there are a lot more out there to try. Agree or Disagree, let us know in the comments.

Among the many ways people enjoy this style, it is hard to overlook how popular caguama beer has become in Mexico thanks to its generous size and easy shareability. The oversized bottle often turns a simple drinking session into a more communal experience, which aligns well with the laid-back, approachable nature of Mexican-style lagers.