The Ultimate Guide To Modelo Especial
With the slogan "Brewed for Those with a Fighting Spirit," Modelo Especial embodies the passion and perseverance that defines the Mexican culture. The slogan also represents the beer's long journey from when it was first bottled in 1925 to its current status as a major player in the beer industry.
Not only is Modelo Especial ultra popular in Mexico, but the lager's crisp taste has also won the hearts of beer lovers around the globe. While this may come as a surprise to some, Modelo Especial is the second best-selling beer in the U.S. after Bud Light, based on sales figures from IRI data as reported by Forbes. According to the publication, this is in part thanks to Modelo Especial's popularity with America's Hispanic population. Another factor that has contributed to the beer's success in the U.S., as highlighted by VinePair, has been its popularity with craft beer enthusiasts.
Still brewed in Mexico, Modelo Especial is a pilsner-style lager with an alcohol content of 4.4% that's sold in both bottles and cans. The brew comes in standard 12-ounce bottles, as well as larger 32-ounce bottles and smaller 7-ounce offerings named Modellito Especial. No matter the size, all Modelo Especial bottle types are transparent and come with a distinct shape and a gold-colored foil cover around the neck.
History of Modelo Especial
Modelo Especial has been around for almost a century. The beer was first brewed back in 1925 in Tacuba, which is now a part of Mexico City. The pilsner is the brainchild of Grupo Modelo (today owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev), which was also founded in 1925 and has been crafting beers ever since. Today, Grupo Modelo is the largest brewer in Mexico. In 2019, the group held a 57.3% share of the country's beer market, according to research firm Euromonitor International as reported by Mexico Now. The group's facilities in Mexico are also the home of the largest brewhouse in the world.
Modelo Especial's production process has been inspired by the techniques developed by German brewmasters. In fact, the brewing process behind beers such as Modelo Especial dates back to the reign of Maximiliano I, who was once the emperor of Mexico. While his time in power only lasted between 1864 and 1867, the Austrian-born ruler is credited with bringing German- and Austrian-style lagers to the country.
Modelo Especial appeared on the American market in 1990 and has been steadily growing in popularity ever since. In 2013, Constellation Brands obtained exclusive import and marketing rights in the U.S. for Modelo Especial as well as five other beers for a cool $4.75 billion. We think the deal was worth every cent.
What does Modelo Especial taste like?
Despite its light honey hue, Modelo Especial could never be mistaken for being delicate. In fact, the brew has been called a "deceptively full-bodied beer." And since the lager comes in a clear bottle that displays its pale color, deceptive may just be the perfect word to use here. Nevertheless, despite its rich flavor, Modelo Especial is relatively easy to drink due to its well-balanced flavor characterized by a light hoppy profile and a crisp finish, complemented by a subtle hint of orange. In addition, the brew is also highly carbonated, making it a perfect thirst quencher on hot summer days.
Calling the beer approachable and a crowd-pleaser, Zach Mack from Liquor.com gives Modelo Especial 3.5 out of 5 stars. According to Mack, the brew comes with a "delicate, herbaceous hop profile [that] gives way to a richer palate with notes of honey, subtle malt, and maize." And while he says that the lager is both versatile and refreshing — and as such makes a great sipper that can be enjoyed by all — he also notes that it lacks the complexity of some other German-style pilsners.
How is Modelo Especial made?
Made with barley malt, non-malted cereals, and hops, Modelo Especial is a pilsner-style lager inspired by German brewing techniques. While there's very little detail out there about the beer's brewing process, there are a few things we can deduce from its composition and flavor profile.
Pilsner is a type of lager, named after its birthplace in Plzeň, which is now a part of the Czech Republic. It's believed that the first pilsner was produced in the 19th century by a talented Bavarian brewer named Josef Groll. He used soft water, barley malt, and Saaz hops to develop a brew that was both hop-forward and spicier than other lagers. And his creation was so exceptional that it's still in existence as Pilsner Urquell.
According to MasterClass, pilsner can be divided into four categories: American pilsner, Czech pilsner, Belgian pilsner, and German pilsner. German-style pilsners — such as Modelo Especial — are usually made with noble hops (Saaz is one of the noble hops) that give it a richer and more bitter flavor than other types of lager.
How to drink Modelo Especial
Modelo Especial is an approachable brew, which makes it perfect for all types of gatherings. Also sold in 7-ounce bottles called Modellito Especial, the beer is perfect for those not ready to commit to drinking a full serving. In addition, the small bottle size is great for slow sippers who like to finish their beverage before it gets warm or goes flat.
While at 4.4% alcohol content, Modelo Especial is by no means a light beer. Its refreshing taste makes it highly appealing to beer drinkers who prefer beverages with lower alcohol content. "We're kind of the outlier," Constellation Brands vice president of brand marketing Greg Gallagher told VinePair in 2021. "But while we're not a low-calorie light beer, there are a lot of consumers who still view Modelo and Mexican lager as a pretty light, sessionable beer."
Modelo Especial's high carbonation and crispiness make it a perfect choice for beer-based cocktails. Not only does Modelo Especial add a unique flavor to alcoholic concoctions, but it also makes them a lighter alternative to traditional cocktails that rely on hard liquor. One of the lightest and fruitiest cocktails that incorporate the brew is Pinta de Verano, which calls for ginger beer and a variety of fruit to be mixed with Modelo Especial. Those looking for an alternative to a Bloody Mary should try Model Michelada, a savory concoction that incorporates tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, mango slices, and soy sauce, among other ingredients.
Bottle vs. Bottle
Light and refreshing, yet rich in flavor, Modelo Especial is popular with both beer enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts for a good reason — it's easy to drink without being a washover. So how do some of the other beers produced by Grupo Modelo stack up against the lager?
Grupo Modelo is best known for bringing us Corona Extra, which for years was the best-selling imported beer in America after dethroning Heineken about 20 years ago. But Modelo Especial surpassed Corona Extra in U.S. sales around 2018 and now holds the No. 1 spot for best-selling imported beer. Just like Modelo Especial, Corona Extra is a pilsner. As such both beers feature similar alcohol content, color, and taste, although, according to Hopsters Brewing Company, Corona Extra has a somewhat crispier flavor than its sibling. Liquor.com rates Corona Extra 3 out of 5 stars, putting it almost on par with Modelo Especial.
Another popular offering produced at the Grupo Modelo brewery is Modelo Negra, which is an entirely different type of beer. Modelo Especial is a pilsner while Modelo Negra is a dark beer. With a 5.4% alcohol content, Modelo Negra a bit stronger than Modelo Especial. While Modelo Negra's malty and spicy flavor makes it a great complement to hearty meats, it's still drinkable enough to be enjoyed on its own.
The Modelo Especial label is surprisingly complex
Two things stand out when you first look at the Modelo Especial label. Aside from the brand's name, we immediately notice the description of the brew as a "golden, full-flavored pilsner-style lager with a clean, crisp finish" and the date 1925 marking the year the brew was first produced. On closer inspection, however, it becomes apparent that there is more to the seemingly simple label than meets the eye.
The bold Modelo wordmark just below the word cerveza is guarded on either side by two golden lions standing on their hind legs. The lions are very similar to the ones depicted on Mexico City's coat of arms in a nod to the brew's origins. There are also the obligatory barley stalks that appear on either side of the date the brewery was founded. The same stalks also appear behind the logotype, forming a faint wreath around a building, which could be either Mexico's National Palace or the original Modelo Brewery — depending on whom you ask.
According to Thirsty Bastards, the label on Modelo Especial bottled in 2018 also features a signature of Pablo Diez Fernández, who was one of the founders of Cervecería Modelo, a division that was responsible for the distribution of the Modelo brand. Fernández was also an honorary chairman of Grupo Modelo.
Modelo Especial is the official sponsor of the UFC and LU
Modelo Especial has been the sponsor of the Ultimate Fighting Championship since 2018 when the organization dropped Bud Light as its official beer. At the time, the UFC president Dana White called the partnership a game-changer, saying, "Modelo is an amazing brand that shares UFC's unmatched commitment to its fan base." As reported by MMA Weekly, the collaboration has seen the beer brand sponsor UFC pay-per-view bouts and Modelo advertising inside the UFC Octagon. In addition, the beer brand featured UFC featherweight Brian Ortega and UFC Champion Amanda Nunes in its "Fighting Spirit" campaign.
Modelo was also the sponsor of "Lucha Underground," El Rey network's pro-wrestling TV series, whose characters were played by various wrestlers. The series ran from 2014 until 2018. As reported by VinePair, Modelo became an "extremely visible sponsor" of the television show in season four with product placement that included branded floor mats and gimmicks such as announcers calling out the brand by name.
Modelo Especial benefited from Prohibition
More than a century ago, alcohol was blamed for all sorts of social evils. Prohibition put a screeching halt to the booze industry in the U.S. when it went into effect in January 1920. The ban was to last an excruciating 13 years. While the move put many alcohol manufacturers out of business, it helped others thrive. Modelo was one beer brand that benefited from Prohibition since it produced beer for both Mexicans and thirsty Americans who crossed the border to enjoy a brew or two.
According to the Home Brew Academy, Mexico had about three dozen breweries at the start of Prohibition, with two facilities built right along the California border a few years later. Both the American-founded Aztec Brewing Company and the Mexican-owned Cerveceria Mexicali were more than happy to supply booze-starved Americans with their offerings. Then came Modelo Especial, which entered the market eight years before the end of Prohibition.