Modelo and Corona. Both similar Mexican lagers, they must be fierce competitors? As adversarial as the matador and the bull? Ali and Frazier? Depp and Heard? Nope. Corona is a Modelo brand. To complicate matters, Grupo Modelo was purchased in 2013 by Anheuser-Busch InBev.* I think it’s safe to say we aren’t dealing with craft beer here. In fact, during the Bud Light boycott* of 2023 Modelo Especial became the top selling beer in the US, a position it still holds today.
Despite all the hoopla and availability of Modelo, and the many many many different beers I have tried, I’d never sampled a Modelo Especial. Time to see just how especial number 1 is.
A golden and very clear pour, the only thing floating on top was a lonely lime languishing where the head should be. First taste was a mild malt with a very flat taste, a touch of fizz on the finish. Quite bland. Subsequent quaffs yielded similar results. A very bland pilsner style lager, without a full malt flavour or a perky pilsner finish. Easy drinking and light on flavour, definitely made to appeal to the masses and mass consumption. My first thought was maybe it would have performed better out of the bottle? I guess I have grown to love the full flavour eccentricities of the craft beer world. Although I do enjoy a lime lined bottle of Corona on a heat stroke kinda day. But to be clear, at 330ml there is no extra in a Corona Extra, and there is no special in a Modelo Especial.
In 1971 the number one song was “Joy to the World” as opposed to another song that came out that year, “Stairway to Heaven”. My point? Just because it sells the most, doesn’t mean it’s the best.
0 Comments