Pacifico Clara: The one with the interesting label
Written: Dec 28 '00 (Updated Apr 25 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Refreshing, thirst quenching, lightly hoppy
Cons: Nothing special
The Bottom Line: Alas not all lagers from Mexico are weak and watery. Here's one with a little substance. Perfect with seafood.
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| andaryl's Full Review: Pacifico Clara |
My recent visit to Mexico was pretty uneventful in terms of discovering new brews. The Pacifico Clara came about in my visit to a fish taco stand. I have to say that while I can be pretty adventurous on most foods, be it frog’s legs, horse meat, or the spiciest chilies in the world, my adventure does not extend so far when it comes to raw fish, shellfish, or low-income nations.
As far as I’m aware, there is no McDonald’s in Rosarito, so I was going to have to go beyond my usual adventure. I let my wife order and we ended up with 2 shrimp tacos and 2 fish tacos, which I was later, surprised to discover, were cooked.
Now due to my usual nervousness at these kinds of places I had no alternative but to order a beer. The choice turned out to be pretty simple, Corona or Pacifico. Corona and Sol were the two Mexican beers that I knew better than any, and the ones, which I feel, give a bad name to Mexican brewing. In fairness, Mexico is a hot country, and these products probably are perfectly suited. Anyway I knew Pacifico only as the beer with the interesting label, but I wasn’t going to order the Corona.
The bottle
In this case I decided to drink my beer from the bottle. You may cringe at me for this, but after all, they tell you not to drink the water and the glass has to be washed in something, and I didn’t know if I was going to get a frosted glass. Call me a snob, but with the busiest time of year right around the corner, I wasn’t going to risk a spell of bathroom arrest.
The bottle is indeed something of interest. The yellow label features a white life preserver tied with a yellow rope. Inside the preserver is the Creston on which stands the second tallest lighthouse in the world. In front of the Creston is a gold anchor. Underneath the life preserver are barley and hops, how appropriate. It’s the kind of bottle, which I think belongs in my collection.
The beer
The initial aroma of this beer is a distinct hopiness, although not overwhelming. The beer itself is pretty smooth and easy drinking; it actually went down very quickly when I started making my food more interesting with hot sauce. In terms of flavor it’s lightly hoppy with a nice sharp mouthfeel. In short, it’s pretty straightforward, refreshing with just a little hops, and dryness in the finish.
When?
When else, but with Mexican food? This beer is best known for its accompaniment to seafood; it is named after the Pacific. It seems a little overwhelmed by spicy food, which would be my preference, and probably the most likely time I’d drink it, hence the reference to hot sauce earlier.
This is one of Mexico’s “better” beers, although not as good as Bohemia, and from what I’ve heard, Negra Modelo. It does seem like a good thirst quencher for a summer’s afternoon. I’ll probably never drink it again, unless forced through lack of better alternative. While not the greatest beer I’ve ever tasted, it was definitely well suited to the situation and much better than the US Big 3.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
andaryl
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 - Top 500 |
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Member: Andrew Smith
Location: The Desert, So Cal
Reviews written: 219
Trusted by: 174 members
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