There is no doubt that Mexico loves beer . Yes, Mexico produces decent wines and fantastic spirits, but for many Mexicans across the Republic, beer is their go-to drink; it's the fans favorite for parties, meetings, and makes the best partner for snacks. It's simple, democratic – because there's one to suit all tastes – but in short, beer is love.
Beer industry in Mexico
Beer has been produced in Mexico for over 125 years, and we're sure it still has many more to come.
According to The book on Mexican Beer (Museo Museo, 2016), Mexico consumes more than 71 millions Hectoliters every year, which means that an average Mexican drinks up to 63 liters a year – and those numbers place us among the top 10 beer drinking countries in the world.
Likewise, the beer industry has had an economic growth of 0.7 percent in just six years (2010 – 2016). Thus, the efforts of large scale and small scale producers have bear fruit. Mexico is today the fourth producer of beer, with 105 millions of hectoliters per year. And while we are still below China, Brazil and the United States, we've surpassed Germany and its famous beer tradition. That's one for the history books.
Finally, it's necessary to highlight that our country is also the world's number one beer exporter (to 180 countries, no less), according to the figures gathered by Cerveceros de Mexico (Mexican Beer-Makers) during 2015.
What beer styles do we produce?
There are many beer styles, and everything depends on how beer is brewed. Generally, beer falls within two categories: lager and ale. The Book on Mexican Beer says that “for brewing ales , light yeasts are necessary and the process is done at temperatures between 17 to 24°C in order to achieve complex fruit flavors.” On the other hand, lager beers need “a yeast that acts from deep within, brewed at temperatures between 8 to 15°C, so the slow process achieves a sharp flavor with a crystalline look and a higher carbonation.”
Large or small, we all contribute
Perhaps the most common beers are those of multinational companies, such as Cervecería Cuauhtémoc or the Modelo Group, but there are currently over 400 craft beer producers in the country, and they play a key role not only in the growth of the industry but also in product quality and positive competition.
This beer boom is the result of the efforts of both, the producer and the consumer.
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