Stop making Mexican lagers.

[u/ApricotLow1873]

I live in the deep south of the pacific northwest and the number of brewers trying to tap into the Modelo market is shameful. People drink Modelo because 15 years ago they came in with a cheap 18 pack and converted a bunch of cost-minded Coors/Bud/Miller drinkers. That's it. It's a very non offensive crushable beer. But stop trying to emulate it, because it isn't about the beer.

[u/JerseyMuscle17]

I'm trying to figure out what you're mad about here- that a brewery is trying to make money? That they're making Mexican lagers at all? That it isn't an 5th NEIPA on tap?

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/JerseyMuscle17]

If I came across as angry I apologize. This week I've had 5 different Mexican lagers offered from local breweries and one (corn based) was the worst beer I've ever had. It doesn't taste like they're trying to make a great lager, which I can totally appreciate. It tastes like they're going after the No 1 selling beer in the US.

[u/JerseyMuscle17 → u/ApricotLow1873]

You certainly don't need to apologize to me.

I think it makes business sense to at least start with a popular beer as a model, especially if you've never made that style before, and then put your own spin on it. Plus, there's always a non-zero number of people that come into breweries and will ask 'I normally drink Modelo, what should I get?'

[u/LemmyIsGod2 → u/JerseyMuscle17]

I am of two minds on this post. I have actually started gravitating towards the lagers/pilsners that craft breweries are putting out. Some are great, particularly at places that focus on these styles (e.g. Dovetail in Chicago).

That said, I do not think most Mexican lagers that craft breweries make are very good. Same with the recent trend in Italian lagers that emulate Peroni. These beers are generally just more expensive imitations of a style dominated by macros that actually taste superior in many cases. (Kind of like when a craft brewer makes an imitation of high life — part of high life’s appeal is bang for the buck. I don’t want a $14 4 pack of high life’s.)

I am sure there are exceptions. And I take no offense to craft breweries making and serving them. But I do sort of get where this guy is coming from.

[u/JerseyMuscle17 → u/LemmyIsGod2]

I wasn't meaning to produce 100% snark, but all breweries gotta pay the bills. It's why IPAs were so popular (they sell) and as summer comes around you'll see more lighter, easy-drinking beers, like a Mexican lager.

So if he's mad the breweries he goes to can't do a Mexican lager well, I guess that makes sense? If he's mad that people are buying a (in his taste) bad beer, that doesn't make sense; let people drink what they like. If he's mad breweries are trying to recreate a popular beer in an effort to make money, that also doesn't make sense.

[u/LemmyIsGod2 → u/JerseyMuscle17]

I am all for them making money and if these beers do that for them, more power to them. My own selfish concern is when the only lager on tap at a brewery is Mexican style, I get bummed. I would rather see them try a European lager or Pilsner or Kolsch in its place.

[u/JerseyMuscle17 → u/LemmyIsGod2]

That I can get behind, and generally how I feel when the only lighter non-IPA is a golden ale.

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/JerseyMuscle17]

He's not mad. He just thinks our breweries could focus on making better beer, not chasing market share.

[u/JerseyMuscle17 → u/ApricotLow1873]

It's hard out there for a brewery to survive with 1 or 2 competitors, but if you've made it to 5 this week, it sounds even harder. Gotta sell the big sellers so they can afford to do the one-offs and 'better' beer styles.

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/LemmyIsGod2]

For context, yes I'm in Idaho. We don't make great beer to begin with. A lot of breweries up here succeed with one strong offering.

[u/NerdNoogier → u/ApricotLow1873]

Talking like this about Mexican beers from Idaho is suspect

[u/Sea_no_evil]

I'm still stuck on "deep south of the pacific northwest."

[u/in4theTacos → u/Sea_no_evil]

Probably Idaho

[u/crs0812 → u/in4theTacos]

Ah, probably explains the hate for MEXICAN lagers

[u/lowlyworm → u/crs0812]

Belgian wit 👍 Negro modelo 👎

[u/drunkerton → u/lowlyworm]

Completely two different beers

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/crs0812]

Swing and a miss here. Been married to a 1st gen Latina from Guatemala for 15 years (she became a citizen last year). The lack of ethnic diversity in this area is awful.

[u/dychronalicousness → u/ApricotLow1873]

Longview?

[u/crs0812 → u/ApricotLow1873]

I was being sarcastic. But was Idaho correct? Resonates because I have family in Idaho and can attest to the whiteness lol.

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/crs0812]

Yes, Idaho. The most white washed area in the US.

[u/Gaypenisholocaust → u/ApricotLow1873]

Every racist I know is married to a Latina!

[u/Sea_no_evil → u/in4theTacos]

That state name is best pronounced using the voice of Mr. Hanky the Christmas Poo. Say it once and you can't un-hear it.

[u/lowlyworm]

Counterpoint: keep making lagers. And anything else that isn’t a hazy IPA

[u/Chiefcoldbeer1006 → u/lowlyworm]

Fuggit, I am making a clear hazy and no one can stop me!!!

[u/inimicu → u/Chiefcoldbeer1006]

Omega Daybreak yeast is essential engineered to do just this.

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/lowlyworm]

We're usually 20-30 years behind most trends up here but we jumped all over the haze craze. I'm down to 3 (of 38) hazy handles finally.

[u/DNedry]

Mexican Lagers rule. A place near me does one, and other lagers, for $6 for a big ole mug of it, like 20oz I believe. So good.

[u/crs0812]

Stop gatekeeping 🤷🏼

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/crs0812]

I had to Google this. I mean, kinda but it's just a bad take on my part. I acknowledge it.

[u/Joyaboi]

Modelo isn't the only Mexican lager, many Mexican lagers are actually good. I'm sorry to hear your local breweries are not making good beer but I'd rather a chili lime Mexican lager than another West Coast style ipa

[u/dharper90 → u/Joyaboi]

I enjoy Modelo and Pacifico (High Life and Lone Star in sameish tier) if I want something more simple/not on the level of a German brewery or micro. What other Mexican lagers do you recommend?

[u/bklynbeerz → u/dharper90]

Victoria!

[u/Realnegroid → u/dharper90]

Dos X

[u/Quesabirria → u/dharper90]

XX Amber is a fine Vienna lager.

For a light lager, I'll order XX lager or Victoria.

[u/Quesabirria]

Well-made lagers are a thing of beauty.

And to follow another poster's comment, we need more variety from breweries and not 15 types of IPA.

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/Quesabirria]

Thank you. 100% agree.

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/ApricotLow1873]

Agreed, but thank you all for the discussion. I learned.

[u/4_13_20]

Stop posting horrible takes.

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/4_13_20]

Agreed, but thank you all for the discussion. I learned.

[u/4_13_20 → u/ApricotLow1873]

Respect

[u/munche]

Something you'll learn as you get past the initial stages of liking beer: As it turns out, the reason lagers are really popular is because people like lagers

Breweries are making these lagers because not only do the people working at the breweries like them, but so do the customers

"Lagers are bad beer and people only like them because they were tricked" is the common wisdom of a dude who had 1 IPA and decided he was a beer expert

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/munche]

For context, we don't make really good beer up here anyway. For them to be chasing the big boys seems futile maybe? I love all good beer, I just haven't had one of these where I was like "whoa, I get it."

[u/CouldBeBetterForever]

I was talking to the brewer at one of my local breweries and he said their Mexican lager is their best selling beer. It's pretty tasty too.

[u/bjlwasabi]

Nah. I'll enjoy my local brewery's mexican lager with my street tacos thankyouverymuch.

[u/BuntOnTheseHoes]

I’ll keep drinking my cerveza delray from Brew Detroit, thank you.

[u/ElTunaGrande]

i also disagree that is isn't about the beer. modelo converted a lot of folks based on taste alone. including me and my 70 year old father.

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/[deleted]]

I love a good online beating. And I learned.

[u/MichaelEdwardson]

Fucking what?

[u/bablambla]

Ah shit guys apricotlow doesn't want to see mexilagers anymore. Dunk the tanks.

What can we fill them with instead, sire?

[u/Joe-Raguso]

Modelo wasn't new or cheap 15 years ago. Shit, it wasn't even the first Mexican lager to become popular either.

[u/Hotchi_Motchi]

American-made Mexican-style lagers aren't subject to tariffs.

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/Hotchi_Motchi]

I audibly snorted when I laughed at this and now I'm sad because this will probably impact my handle selection very soon.

[u/ChemistryNo3075]

If Modelo prices go way up because of tariffs, breweries want to have an alternative. In fact Miller bought an entire brewery in Chicago (with a flagship Mexican lager) likely for just this reason.

[u/chuckie8604]

Its cheaper to produce a simple lager than an ipa. Craft breweies have to adapt or die.

[u/Skoteleven → u/chuckie8604]

Yes, the ingredients are cheaper, way less of everything.

The problem most small breweries have with lagers is the tank time. An IPA can be grain to glass in as short as a week, where a lager will take 45 - 90 days to be ready.

Fermentors, and bright tanks all cost money, and take up space.

[u/Quesabirria → u/chuckie8604]

But it takes more skill to make a good lager than an IPA.

[u/pieman3141]

Stop adding hops into everything. I've bought way too many lagers, pilsners, etc. that were basically hop bombs. Mexican lagers are the final recourse against this trend, and even then, some bearded asshole is gonna dump hops into Mexican lager and start a trend.

[u/ApricotLow1873 → u/pieman3141]

Good take. And I'm a bearded asshole but I don't make beer, just sell it.

[u/rjm9147]

Yeah I live in Central WA and I've had enough bad "salt and lime cervezas"

[u/StockFly]

Eh it’s just the new trend. I’m a big IPA guy but I really enjoy breweries exploring lagers in general. Way easier and usually less heavier to drink than IPAs.

[u/Skoteleven]

I love a good Mexican style lager.

I have one fermenting right now.

[u/UdUb16]

Yes sir

[u/Comfortable-Study-69]

Brewers, don’t listen to this guy. I want more Shiner Orale

[u/tobysicks]

Sir yes sir.

I happen to live in the southeastern part of the Pacific Northwest and I agree

[u/Realnegroid]

Modelo isn’t really that good when you think about it