This is not the first beverage I've had from Mexico. This is the first beer I've had from Modelo, and I'm led to understand that they have other beverages I might sample after this. This is widely available in the US, and I remember having it at a Mexican restaurant that I frequented many, many years ago. I do not recall what it tasted like. In my experience, that's kind of what Mexican beers are known for. They don't have a whole lot of flavor punch. But, maybe there was a reason I ordered this one more than once.
This beer is darker than previous lagers from Mexico, and is darker, in general, then most other lagers I've encountered. This is more of a dark amber beer, but I had been under the impression that Negra meant black in Spanish. This is not a black beer. The head drifts away rather quickly, and a ring around the sides with just a smattering of bubbles floating in the center of the beer are the remnants of the aforementioned head. The aroma is a little nutty, some hefty yeast, and a somewhat scorched caramel malt. It is, at the very least, inoffensive.Caramel and toasted bread seemed to come out above other things. Is it a dunkel? This thing really patterns like one, and the taste is definitely putting me in mind of one more than a brown ale or the like which I had kind of expected from the color alone. It has bitterness on the back end that I would expect in a dunkel, but I'm not sure if this should or should not get a sub categorization in the lager family. Since the brewery didn't, I'm going to assume I shouldn't.
Tip-in is moderate carbonation sizzle with toasted bread crust on caramel and toffee - but without significant sweetness. The middle is quite smooth with minimal flavor, but without becoming too watery; a slight nuttiness seems to join the bread and caramel as carbonation moves to the roof of the mouth. The finish is a slight bitter downturn as carbonation alights across the tongue and nuts and toasted bread are left for the trail off.
Bottom Line: A fine beer for just sitting back and drinking.
4.0/5