Cerveza Cortezana Review

I'm spending a lot of time brewing beer and trying to keep up with the growing demand for Dos Aves here in San Miguel but on occasion I have time to sit back and enjoy some of the other Mexican beers that are available.

Two of my most recent samplings were from a brewery in Toluca, Mexico called Cortezana and I tasted them both at The Beer Company.

 

I started with the lighter one, a beer that I guessed at regarding the style since the label gave no indication of what I was about to drink. It is light gold or yellow and murky with a white thin head and low carbonation. The beer has a large phenolic taste of clove and all-spice and unfortunately a little vinegar at the end. Although this beer is light and crisp the acetobactor element detracts from my fully enjoying it. The body is light along with a low 4.4% abv. I could only guess that this beer is an attempt at a German style hefeweizen but has some elements of a hybrid yeast. Maybe a combination or blend of Whitelabs wlp300 and the Belgian wlp500 yeast. I was unable to get any more information about this beer from their facebook page. (Interesting side note: Most businesses in Mexico use a facebook page instead of  a website. Most likely because of the cost and ease of use.)

The second beer that I sampled by this company was a stout and the style is clearly stated on the bottle label. Actually, it's not printed on the front, but is clearly noted on the back label. In any case, this is a dark and again murky beer with bits of sediment and yeast clumps floating about even after a careful pour. This beer also had a quickly diminishing head and low carbonation. A light aroma of coffee and roasted grain.

 

 

 

The flavor was clean aside from the flavor of yeast and a moderate taste of coffee and cocoa with a slight lingering roast bite. On the bland side but fairly drinkable if you're looking for a single serving.

 

To conclude, I haven't found an artisenal beer that I really like, that is, a micro brewery here in Mexico. Minerva, Tempus and T.J.'s provide some consistently enjoyable middle of the road styles that I'll often resort. I recently had a Cerveceria Primus' Tempus alt that was very good and a good representation of the style. The one small brewery that I really like and that as it turns out has their beers contract brewed at Minerva is La Chingoneria . Each beer I've tried by them have been excellent and naturally, there are non to be found anywhere in San Miguel.

If you know where I can get a bottle, let me know cause I'm dying of thirst for a great Mexican micro brew. Besides Cerveceria Dos Aves of course.