Beer with me.

OK, being a true Sinaloan, I like beer. I started drinking beer since I was 16. Yes, under the legal age, and yes, I would not have my daughters do the same, I am that kind of parent (some would call me hypocrite, but you should ask Vicky my point of view, at least she agreed).

In Mexico there used to be only two big beer companies: Grupo M0delo and Cerveceria Cuauhtem0c-M0ctezuma. Until a few years ago they had the complete beer market in Mexico; now there are more options being local microbreweries (Tijuana and Cucapah come to mind) and some good additions to the current leaders (like Casta).

Most of the brewing done in Mexico comes from German influence, because in the XIX century Austrian Duke Maximilian was named Emperor of Mexico. He brought master brewers from Germany and that is how Mexican beer started.

Most of the beer sold in Mexico is pilsner or pale lager beer; Corona, Tecate, Carta Blanca, Modelo, Estrella, the Light versions of them all, Dos Equis (XX) lager, Montejo, Tijuana Guera, Mexicali, Cucapah Triguena, Bohemia, Pacifico, etc. The best are Bohemia (if you like your beer hoppy) and Pacifico (of course, since is from Sinaloa! But you have to get the one brewed in Mazatlan). If you are in Tijuana, Tecate or Tijuana Guera are OK.

There are some darker beers; Negra Modelo, Victoria, Leon, Indio, Dos Equis Ambar, Tijuana Morena, Casta Morena, Bohemia Oscura, Cucapah Oscura, Nochebuena (for Christmas season), etc. Again, I like Tijuana Morena the best (draft version, not bottle), but I would drink any of those or Pacifico if there are not any dark beer.

However, last year, KC (sales rep of the company I work) invite me to taste St0ne beer. Man, I was slapped silly by the hoppiness, but once it passed I got hooked on it (I am not ashamed to say I now moved to the “Darker side” of beers). He got me samples of the Imperial Russian St0ut (10.8% alcohol; dense, black beer; almost solid), the X Anniversary (very similar to the Arr0gant Bastard, with higher alcohol content) and the Vertica1 Epic (070707 version; citrusy flavor). I tried all of the regular brews (Pale Ale, IPA, Levitati0n, Ruinati0n and of course the Arr0gant Bastard) and ender up liking most of them (Ruinati0n has a very distinctive bitterness that is way past me).

I attended the XI Anniversary party (in the brewery) and sampled several more beers (there were 32 breweries showcasing their products, I liked the Belgian beers and some German, Mexico was represented by Tijuana, Cucapah and Modelo); I specially liked the XI Anniversary Beer and the St0ne Nuclear Cheese spread (they have a bistro in the brewery); good times.

Anyway, in September there is the XII Anniversary party; I think you will find me there.

See you around.