Mexican beet

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Sam
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Mexican beet

Post by Sam »

I’ve been reading that Mexican beer has overtaken German, Italian and European beers as the leading imports in the United States. I’ve enjoyed Dos Equis and Dos Equis Ambar but I’m thinking about branching out. When we were in Costa Rica Sol seem to be the most served then Pacifico. I also know there’s Modelo. We’ve been drinking Corona premier, which is their version of Michelob Ultra, but It lacks flavor. So what is your Mexican beer and why
I think Clive likes Becks and I really enjoyed that along with Heineken light and Peroni. It just seems like Italian beers and German beers have a little bit more Crispness
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drmoss_ca
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Re: Mexican beet

Post by drmoss_ca »

I'm going to have to get back into homebrew at some point. There is a brewing supply shop in the town we shall move to and the internet makes like easier for finding these things. You could buy bags of hops and cans of malt extract in any supermarket in the UK, but they were missing from Canadian shelves on coming here in 1985. When my parents had their farm in Wales, they made homebrew for the haymaking, it being traditional everywhere to pay your neighbours for their help with copious amounts of beer or cider. This recipe starts off in a clean plastic dustbin with a lid (and if you try it, remember in the UK "a pint of pure water weighs a pound and a quarter" rather than the patently untrue "a pint's a pound, the same the world round"! That is to say, 20fl.oz. to a pint, and eight of those to a gallon, not the scrawny short-changed US versions.)

4lb malt extract
4oz dried hop flowers
6lb sugar
dissolve in 3 gallons boiling water, and when dissolved, add 5 gallons cold water
As long as temperature is down to <37ºC/<98ºF, add 8 level teaspoons dried yeast

Put the lid on and leave at room temperature or better, skimming off the scummy foam once at 24 hours.
At seven days strain into a second clean dustbin, cover and wait seven days more.

At the end of the second seven day period it is ready for bottling. A teaspoon of sugar in each pint bottle and seal tightly, leave for two weeks. This will be very fizzy and foamy to open, and strong. You have to use proper bottles that will not explode. But a better method is this. Hang around the back door of a pub and ask if you can have a couple of the plastic barrels that cider is sold in. They can also be bought from a brewing shop and they hold about 5 gallons, have an airtight screw cap and a tap at the bottom. Like this:

Image

Leaving some space at the top is wise to allow for compressible gas, so dividing the wort between two such vessels will be just under 4 gallons in each, again adding sufficient sugar to equal one level tsp per imperial pint. Leave undisturbed for two weeks with the top screwed on as tight as you can. These containers let you draw off a glass from the tap without disturbing the sediment in the bottom. This is far more authentic than beer that has been cleared with finings. It will be only a little fizzy, with a soft head of large bubbles, and again it will be very strong (do not serve until most of the hay bales are in the barn). Just like a real ale from a wooden cask, rather than the pressurized rubbish from an aluminum barrel. This amount of hops will make not a classic bitter but what used to be called a 'mild ale' which refers to a lack of bitterness rather than a low alcohol content! If it tastes sour it got contaminated and ought to be thrown out. Repeat but with more attention to sterilizing the containers first!
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Gene
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Re: Mexican beet

Post by Gene »

My favorite Mexican beer is Negra Modelo. My son likens it to "liquid bread" since it is a dark brown color. I love it ice cold, with a lime!

Next is Dos Equis (amber).

Beyond that it's Shiner and Stella for a change of pace.
Gene

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brothers
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Re: Mexican beet

Post by brothers »

I easily agree with all mentioned. Dos Equis offers a summertime variation with lime and salt. It's all good. The first Mexican beer I had as a teenager was in a bar across the border in Nuevo Laredo 50 plus years ago called Carta Blanca. Long story. :D
Gary

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