Brews News: A nod to light, sweet craft Mexican lagers

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Is this Mexico or southern Ontario? Both the temperature and the brewers fool you.

Don’t get me started on the heat wave and the need for misting stations in city parks, but do get me started on the passion brewers have for cooling us down with Mexican lagers.

London, of course, is a major brewer of the popular Corona at the downtown Labatt brewery and I daresay few Canadian restaurants and pubs don’t stock it, especially in summer.

Craft breweries have capitalized on the appeal with their own takes on these neutral and light beers, where the most heart-racing add-on might be lime flavor. Unlike brewing styles from other nations, there are no uniquely Mexican hops to tap – and the climate doesn’t work to grow existing varieties, stifling any attempt to give them a Mexican terroir. Maybe someday in northern Mexico.

Here’s a six-pack nod to the light, sweet craft Mexican lagers available this month.

Limon Loco by Wellington Brewery. It started as a taproom draft and when that went well, they rolled it out in 355 ml cans. It’s the expected 4 per cent alcohol. Wellington used pilsner malt, flaked corn and lime puree. It was cold lagered for six weeks. The can format is surprising in a world of tallboys and even mega cans, but they’ll fit better in ice-filled coolers. Order it in person or online at Wellington, Guelph’s 40-year-old craft brewery.

Anderson Cerveza. See a small can and you think of Anderson Craft Ales, London’s popular Old East Village brewery that just marked nine years of brewing. In the tap room by the glass or six-packs to go is this Anderson version of a Mexican lager, coming in at 4.8 per cent alcohol and ready to pair with your favourite enchilada or a summer salad with a vinaigrette.

Una Cerveza Mexican Lager by Powerhouse. A little love now for one of the first businesses to draw a crowd at 100 Kellogg in London. Sure, there’s a hotel there now that has people talking, a mystery steakhouse and a museum kids like. But before all that, there was Powerhouse, fruit of loins of Tobermory Brewing. Echoing the watery, vacation-y, wish-I-had-booked-the-grotto earlier vibe of the Bruce Peninsula is a decidedly summery 5 per cent alcohol brew. You should pick up some honey flavour here. And admire the label on the 473 ml tallboy cans. The art by Cancun-born Ruben Arispe (he’s on Instagram) is packed with cultural references. Arispe, according to the Powerhouse website, is also part of the brewery’s culinary team.

Cencerro Cerveza Mexican Style Lager by Cowbell. A day on the beach or a day harvesting? Whether lazing or harvesting, Cowbell has you covered with Cencerro (that’s Spanish for Cowbell). Their approach used two-row pale malt, both Saaz and Wakatu hops, flaked maize and lime zest. The yeast strain is Mexican Lager. The beer is also part of Cowbell’s summer pack of six different summery brews from Blyth.

Playa Cerveza by Railway City. The St. Thomas brewer has been serving this sea salt and lime version since 2021. Translated to English, its name is Beach Lager. Shall we pair this light lime lager with a day in Port Stanley?

Mexican Lager by Sober Carpenter. This is new from the non-alcoholic beermaker. They used two types of hops, Hallertau Tradition and the bittering Pahto. On the marketing side, Sober Carpenter dressed this one up with artwork byToronto’s Astro Circo. The beer world – including the near-beer universe – needs more art to set it apart.

NEW AND NOTED

Storm Stayed in London has a refreshing new pineapple radler on the board. That’s real pineapple juice blended with beer to keep you healthy and happy in the heat.

Red Barn in Blenheim can cool you down with its new Raspberry Lime Sorbet, a timely brew from its Kettle Series. Surprisingly, there’s no lactose, according to the brewery. A documentary chronicling Red Barn’s first five years is being shown to the public for the first time in a ticketed event Aug. 27 beforegoing to film festivals.

Wayne Newton is a freelance journalist based in London.

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