Mexican beers are some of the best-selling imported beers in the United States, and American craft brewers are taking notice. Industry titans such as San Diego/Richmond’s Stone Brewing and locals like Lexington’s Hazelwood Brewing are now trying their hand at similar brews. Candidly, these Mexican-style beers are very similar to most of the lagers brewed by the megabrewers of North America, but I cannot argue with their success.
Mexican lagers, like many of those from megabrewers, use corn as an adjunct ingredient in addition to malted barley or wheat, whereas craft brewers typically brew all-malt beers. Corn is cheaper than malt and is fermentable, so it provides alcohol without adding much flavor. It also thins the body of beer and provides crisp, easy drinkability that make these fairly bland beers popular.
Stone’s Buenaveza (4.7 percent ABV; about $8.99 for a six-pack at major retailers) is a Mexican-style lager with the addition of ingredients that speak to American affectations — salt and lime. On drinking, the lager has a whiff of lime, salt and corn in its aroma. Its body is thin and the prevailing flavors are salt and an acrid, astringent lime that is reminiscent of the citrus’ peel. The result is a not-so-good hot weather beer.
Hazelwood’s Mexican Lager (5.3 percent ABV; about $9.99 for four-pack of pint cans at major retailers) is a similar beer that also utilizes lime and salt. Its offering has a slightly higher ABV than Stone’s and has more body and a predominantly malt-forward flavor. Any corn was unnoticeable, beyond perhaps a limited taste. The lime addition in this beer tastes like fresh lime juice, avoiding astringency, and pairs well with the lager’s maltiness. Hazelwood’s beer is much more craft-like than Stones’ with a tasty and complex array of interesting flavors. Cheers!
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July 15, 2020 at 11:00AM
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Drink of the Week: Stone Brewing's Buenaveza and Hazelwood Brewing's Mexican Lager - Charleston Post Courier
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