Leon Negra

Brewed by Grupo Modelo (Corona)
Style: Amber Lager/Vienna
México DF, Mexico

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Shaker

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One of the Mexican beers I enjoyed most, probably because it was a bit darker and tastier than the likes of Corona, Equis etc. Similar to the Negra Modelo, sweet and caramel in taste. Quite nice

Amber. Aroma has some malt and low quality hops. Medium body. Flavor has some caramel with very strong metal and leather overtones. A bit dry for the type, does also have a little tobacco tang. Finish resembles most Mexican lagers with a slight off yeast aftertaste.

UPDATED: FEB 27, 2010 Playa del Carmen bottle. Clear and medium amber. Light and a little watery with a moderate carbonation. A little sweetness (toffee). Background aromas were kind of nice (tobacco, coffee, burnt wood, smoke). Bitterness was kind of one-dimensional and uneventful. Dryish and somewhat sour aftertaste, with bitter baker’s chocolate. Overall, somewhat unbalanced, and it didn’t really do much for me, but I have to say it was a little surprising. RERATE (bottle in Mexico City): Smooth texture. Snappy bitterness, with elements of herbs, grass and plant stems. Malt side was full of bread crust, dark toast and cooked caramel. Bitter finish.

Amber coloured, a bit strange, cognac like. Bottle says 6% indeed. Light flavoured, a bit bitterness. Little bit carbonated. Not bad.

The darkest of all the Mexican "negra" beers I tried-- it’s no vienna, but it is something most definitely different from the massive pale lager market in Mexico. My bottle says 6% alcohol, not the 4.5% listed here. Anyway, I actually allowed this to come up in temperature a little before attacking it, and it payed off-- the subtle toffee sweetness of this beer became more apparent, but unfortunately so did the background metallic flavour. Still, one worth trying if you are in the country and sick of pale lagers.

I may have just really needed something other than Corona, but I thought this beer was decent. Drank t from the bottle, but it had a malty caramel flavor and nicce finish.

Had one two days ago while visiting Akumal. A distinct difference from the sol and modello we had been drinking. Not overbearing, just was good to taste rather than swill the others.

Sampled from bottle. Pours a clear amber with a scattered white head. Aroma is very clean with some sourness. I was really hoping for a boquet of vienna malts, but it didn’t happen for me. Flavor is slightly bitter with a clean finish. Toasted malts dominate, but there may be a hint of citrus-like hops in the flavor as well. Lightbodied, well carbonated and very drinkable. A good beer to drink while in Mexico (55 cents for this sample), but hardly worth importing.

UPDATED: FEB 28, 2005 Bottle... Light bodied and thin. Maybe some light cocoa notes in the aroma and flavor... maybe not. The best of limited choices in Calica, Mexico.

Leon’s a nice enough guy, but his beer’s not that great. Deep red. Nose a whiff of caramel, some malts, but not much there. Taste has some caramel to it, but it tastes a bit like it’s been brewed with some dish soap. Quite metallic, not that great, but doesn’t completely suck I guess.