Forget Modelo And Dos Equis: This Is The Best Mexican Lager On The Market By Far

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Mexican lager is a beloved beer, especially in its home country and in the United States. Modelo Especial has been the fifth best-selling beer in the U.S. since 2020, with Corona Extra at No. 7. You'll find Mexican-brewed lagers everywhere, from Mexican and American restaurants and bars, beaches and barbecues, to stadiums. They're light, satisfying, refreshing, and versatile for occasions and food pairing. But there's also diversity among different brands, so we ranked 12 Mexican lagers from worst to best to pinpoint the brands most worth stocking your fridge with.

The results may surprise many beer fans, considering Modelo's No. 5 best-selling position and the seeming ubiquity of Corona, Tecate, and Dos Equis — our writer found the very best Mexican lager to be Pacifico Clara. While "Mexican lager" can also include versions with slightly darker, toastier malt called Vienna lagers, via complicated geopolitical history, it primarily refers to pale golden lagers that are crisp and clean and low-ABV. These have an ever-so-slightly sweet character, thanks to the inclusion of corn, and hop bitterness for balance, with subtle notes of herbaceousness, florals, spices, and maybe slight citrus.

Pacifico Clara captures this better than other lagers on our list like Modelo and Dos Equis because you get more of that floral, grassy hop flavor and some malt breadiness — but this lager still finishes perfectly dry, so it remains utterly refreshing. It finds the ideal balance between quintessential "beer flavor" and an easy-drinking clean profile. Modelo Especial is close to flawless, but Pacifico Clara beats it out by demonstrating more flavor without losing its lightness.

When we separately reviewed 15 popular Mexican beer brands, Pacifico Clara ranked seventh — not bad, not amazing. But this was partly due to it competing against all different beer styles, like hoppy IPA and roasty porter from Loba. When we narrowed it down to Mexican lager in particular, Pacifico Clara stole the show. 

We're not the only Pacifico enthusiasts, either. "I tried Pacifico Clara for the first time last night and really like it," says one Reddit user. "To me it had a lot of flavor but still nice and light." Another user on that thread agreed, sharing, "Pacifico is my favorite 'it's hotter than hell out and I need a cold beverage' beer." Many fellow commenters on the same thread call Pacifico their favorite, and some recommend enjoying it with fresh lime or lemon with sea salt. On the Sam's Club website, a reviewer says Pacifico is the "best Mexican lager in the world," and other customers chime in about how tasty it is and how it's a staple in their household fridge. "Could never go wrong with some cold Pacificos!" one buyer proclaims. 

While the Reddit thread acknowledges there are negative reviews out there for Pacifico, it's hard to actually find any, and some Redditors theorize that the criticism comes from fans of less light craft beers. Amazon shoppers also sing Pacifico's praises: "Always a good go-to for a party and better than any American beer." Whether you're looking for a next-level beer-and-taco pairing or just a warm-day refresher, Pacifico's an easy pick.