BajaNomad - Cerveza with Limon, another story

Cerveza with Limon, another story

CortezBlue - 8-17-2009 at 08:13 AM

Ok, so we have had many discussions regarding the origin of beer with lime. We had several great reasons,

To kill any germs in or on the bottle

To keep the fly's out of the beer, etc.

So, Saturday, I had 2 guys that help me work on my house. At about 4:30 we called it a day and I asked them if they wanted a cerveza? "Si" they said. I asked "Limon?" They confirmed, "Si."

I bring out the Tecate's with a nice sixed slice of lime on the top of the can. I had to go back into the house to ask my wife a question and came back out. When I arrived I noticed that the guys were slowly eating the lime while drinking the beer. So while I am asking them why they didn't put the lime directly into the beer, they got a big grin on their faces and replied, "thats gringo style." and then laughed. This is happening as I am squeezing my lime into my beer. So when I brought the second round of beers out, with lime, I noticed this time that they squeezed the lime directly into their beer and took a drink. They both looked at me and smiled and said, "gringo style is bueno!"
So I am confused, is this a gringo thing only while in Mexico and not a Mexican thing at all? Is it possible that some germ phobic Gringo started this trend?
The more I know the less I know.

:yes:

David K - 8-17-2009 at 08:17 AM

In Baja, they put limes on everything!

At Laguna Chapala, they served Cup of Noodles for the pre dinner soup, with sliced limes... It was surprising how much better the limes made the soup taste!

CortezBlue - 8-17-2009 at 08:23 AM

Thats what I thought, but these amigos didn't, that is what suprised me.

BTW I will look for Top Ramen Limon :smug:

Martyman - 8-17-2009 at 08:27 AM

The first time I had it was in the Plaza de Mariachis in Guadalajara. 1979 and the Mexicanos showed us how to do it. It is not a gringo thing.

Russ - 8-17-2009 at 08:28 AM

Breakfast Beer... juice with a buzz

Hook - 8-17-2009 at 09:35 AM

I believe it developed because it masks "skunk" beers that develop from lack of refrigeration or too much sun exposure. This condition was much more common 20 years ago before Mexican beer companies got real serious about caring for their beer in transportation.

And since Corona always seems to have that slight skunkiness, I use one when I am "forced" to drink Corona by circumstances beyond my control.

CortezBlue - 8-17-2009 at 10:04 AM

I agree with you about Corona, I will not drink it unless tap water is the only other beverage. We live in the north part of San Felipe and many folks complain that there are not many Corona stores near by and have to drink Tecate. I really like Tecate but will also drink Modelo especial when only Corona products are around.

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
I believe it developed because it masks "skunk" beers that develop from lack of refrigeration or too much sun exposure. This condition was much more common 20 years ago before Mexican beer companies got real serious about caring for their beer in transportation.

And since Corona always seems to have that slight skunkiness, I use one when I am "forced" to drink Corona by circumstances beyond my control.

Ol' Crusty and Rusty Theory....

OLIGUACOMOLE - 8-17-2009 at 10:13 AM

We had an Ol' timer come in the bar and offer a story of the salt and lime. He was from San Diego and has been frequenting the baja since the late 40's.

The story was that Tecate Beer had cans. These cans used to be made out of tin or something. When they get shipped around lots of dirt would get on the tops and they would corrode. He told me that the salt and lime thing started because one used the salt first on the top of the can, then squeezing the lime. This made a scrubbing compound that would clean the top of dirt and oxidation off the canwith the sqeezed lime. I can imagine it being used to remove the rust circles off the clear Corona bottles when opened.

shari - 8-17-2009 at 10:24 AM

the flying medicos dentists were telling me that one reason for mexican teeth issues is because they eat so much lime which weakens the enamel protective coat on your teeth so decay can set in faster....ewww...hmmm

Bajahowodd - 8-17-2009 at 11:23 AM

OLIGUACAMOLE's post may be on the money. Most oldtimers will recall that historically, Mexican beer was mostly available in returnable bottles. While Mexico has had litter problems historically, they were late to the party when it came to throwaway bottles and cans. Anyway, Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc is responsible for the first canned beer in Mexico. It started in the 1950s when they bought the Tecate brewery and started canning Tecate. Of course, no such thing as aluminum cans back in the day. So the steel cans were subject to rust and corrosion.

Hook - 8-17-2009 at 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CortezBlue
I agree with you about Corona, I will not drink it unless tap water is the only other beverage. We live in the north part of San Felipe and many folks complain that there are not many Corona stores near by and have to drink Tecate. I really like Tecate but will also drink Modelo especial when only Corona products are around.

I find Modelo Especial to be eerily similar to Corona in taste, although it seems slightly heavier than Corona.

A solid year (to the day, I might add!) of living over on the mainland has enabled me to drink many beers from Mexico. I never was THAT big of a beer drinker until I began living in daytime highs of 80-100 degrees. But, after carefully sampling so many beers, I find that my tastes of previous years are being altered. Tecates and Dos Equis lagers are becoming too "sweet" for regular drinking.

Much to my surprise, I am drinking 80% Pacifico Light, maybe 15% Negra Modelo and the rest regular Pacifico.

I also like the Dos Equis Ambar but it is not common.

Bajahowodd - 8-17-2009 at 12:11 PM

The fact that you find Modelo eerily similar to Corona may be because they are owned by the same company. Grupo Modelo. And it is 50% owned by Anheuser Busch INBEV. Pacifco is theirs too. The end may be near! A recent Wall Street Journal article indicated that AB-INBEV is looking to obtain the other 50%. Wouldn't totally suck if the company that controls over 60% of the Mexican beer market was owned by Belgians?

Cypress - 8-17-2009 at 12:33 PM

shari, Had a friend that always had a lemon handy, sucked 'em. He was addicted to 'em. Ate the enamel off his teeth.

Hook - 8-17-2009 at 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
The fact that you find Modelo eerily similar to Corona may be because they are owned by the same company. Grupo Modelo. And it is 50% owned by Anheuser Busch INBEV. Pacifco is theirs too. The end may be near! A recent Wall Street Journal article indicated that AB-INBEV is looking to obtain the other 50%. Wouldn't totally suck if the company that controls over 60% of the Mexican beer market was owned by Belgians?

I cant say. I dont know any Belgians. Do they suck, as a people, more than others? I have liked the Belgian beers I have tasted.

I know all that about the beers that Cer. Modelo owns. I just think it peculiar that they would market two beers so similar in flavor.

I really am not finding Carta Blanca or Superior anymore. They were both decent lager style beers.

I guess I have become a Pacifico convert.

Bajahowodd - 8-17-2009 at 02:04 PM

Hook- I think it's just like what happened decades ago in the US, as all the small brewers consolidated or were bought by the biggies. The unique flavor was not the goal anymore. It was just loyalty to the brand. I'm not dissing Belgians. It's just that I remember when Mexico had so many distinct brewers and beers, instead of having basically two.

Best Dark Chocolate

CaboRon - 8-17-2009 at 04:57 PM

The Belgins produce some of the best dark chocolate on the planet !

805gregg - 8-17-2009 at 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
the flying medicos dentists were telling me that one reason for Mexican teeth issues is because they eat so much lime which weakens the enamel protective coat on your teeth so decay can set in faster....ewww...hmmm

I've seen Mexican women feeding their babies Coke out of a bottle, also very bad for teeth.

BajaBros - 8-18-2009 at 01:51 PM

My version: In the 1970's Tecate beer in Baja was always served in the can with salt and lime on the side. You simply salted the top of the can, squeezed some lime juice onto the top, then drank. The combined mixture of beer-lime-salt was, and is, delicious. Much later Corona adopted the lime slice in the bottle thing in their ad campaigns.

redhilltown - 8-18-2009 at 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook

Quote:

I "think" he meant it WOULD NOT suck if Belgians owned some companies. Belgians have been making some of THE best beers and ales for the last 300 years. There are European beer companies and families throughout the world (China, South America...you name it). Modelo and Corona are personally not my style and I stick with Tecate or Pacifico unless I'm not off roading and bottles can be stacked in the cooler...then all bets are off!

I wonder how many bottles of beer the road to Gonzaga has opened in coolers to unwary travelers through the years??

Bob H - 8-19-2009 at 08:39 AM

Say whatever you want about the "keeping the flies away" theory... but it WORKS... every time. Try it out the next time there are lots of flies around.

Bob H

[Edited on 8-19-2009 by Bob H]