Beer of Year: Best Mexican Beer and Best Workhorse Beer

Ah Mexican beer. You got to sit back and admire the popularity of Mexican beer. In many hip hop clubs, Corona is usually high on the list of beers ordered, probably followed by Bud Light. Whether you enjoy it with a lime or straight up, it can be a great experience. My one issue with the cervazas is that they usually come in clear or green bottles, which can oxidize (deteriorate) beer a lot faster.

When I first started beer, I was all over the Dos Equis Ambar. I even called it Dos Equis "Armbar" as a shout out to my love of Mixed Martial Arts. But someone somewhere ordered me a Negra Modelo, and I was hooked. Excellent maltiness and some citrus in there. Great right out of the bottle or in a glass. It's negra color looks great and it goes with just about any tex-mex or mexican food (yes, there's a difference).

So Congratulations Negra Modelo for winning Best Mexican Beer of 2008.

Not so fast my friend, what about a beer you can have anywhere, anytime that's pretty good. Well in most parts of the country, the answer would be Guiness Foreign Extra Stout on nitro. But this TEXAS SIR! And out here, we need something to cool our jets for the 11 months of summer, and to handle all that spicey Tex-Mex and Louisiana food. I've gotten so deep into Tex-Mex, I cook everything with a big helping cayenne and red pepper. I'd put it in apple pie if they let me. While Pale Ales would seemingly be the ticket, you just can't find them everywhere. At many bars, you would be lucky to find a Sierra Nevada or one of those English Pale Ales (Boddingtons or something). But everywhere you go in these parts, there's always NEGRA MODELO! Miller Lite won't get 'er done out here. In the entire state, every inhouse, outhouse, doghouse, steakhouse has Negra Modelo. And if they don't someone's going to be insulted.

So Congratulations Negra Modelo, you are the Workhorse Beer of 2008.