Cinco de Mayo, Spanish for “May 5,” commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over the occupying French forces at the Battle of Puebla during the Second Franco-Mexican War, which was started by Napoleon III. The battle took place, as you can probably guess, on May 5, 1862. While it was a significant boost for Mexican morale, it took another five years for the nation to finally kick the French out for good.
For many Americans, however, Cinco de Mayo has become more of an opportunity to celebrate Mexican American culture, and it’s been that way almost since the beginning.
The first known Cinco de Mayo events took place in Columbia, California, a small town in Gold Country, where the predominantly Latino residents celebrated when they learned of Mexico’s victory over the French (likely around May 27). Since then, Columbia has held an annual celebration every May 5. The following year, other communities in California began celebrating Cinco de Mayo, seeing Mexico’s struggles as similar to America’s in our ongoing Civil War. The victory also prompted Mexican Americans throughout the state to form patriotic assemblies to support and raise funds for Mexico’s efforts.
So while Cinco de Mayo is a big deal here in California and the rest of the nation, it’s not a federal holiday in Mexico. The festivities have even spread to other countries, but the day remains a somber affair in Mexico. The city of Puebla may stage reenactments or hold military parades, but for the rest of Mexico, it’s just another Tuesday.
Our modern Cinco de Mayo holiday in the U.S., however, has far more recent origins. The 1960s Civil Rights Movement, especially in California, included a Mexican American component known as the Chicano Movement. By the 1980s, beer, food and tequila companies began advertising campaigns to promote their Mexican or Mexican-influenced products. To say it worked would be an understatement. In the same way everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, Mexican lagers, margaritas and nachos have become ubiquitous each May 5.
Happily, Mexican breweries make some pretty good beer, especially as the nation has seen a recent craft beer explosion. However, most imported Mexican brews are still from the larger beer companies.
The French occupation of Mexico popularized a particular style of beer, which has evolved into Mexican lager. During the five years between the Battle of Puebla and Mexico’s independence, France installed an emperor, Austrian nobleman Maximilian I, who brought with him brewers from his home country.
Those brewers started making Vienna lagers, an amber lager that you’re likely already familiar with, even if you don’t realize it. If you’ve ever had a Samuel Adams Boston Lager or Dos Equis Ambar, then you’ve had a Vienna lager. The Austrian brewers stayed in Mexico after the war and built beer empires with Vienna lager, which proved perfect for Mexico’s climate and, over the years, quietly evolved into Mexican lager; though honestly, the two are so similar they’re mostly indistinguishable. The biggest differences are in what malts are used. Still, either will make a good choice to celebrate Mexican American culture this year.
Here are cinco cervezas to get you started in deciding what to serve (and drink) this Cinco de Mayo:
1. Victoria: While I tend to suggest smaller brands, Victoria’s history makes this worth trying. Produced by Grupo Modelo, which also makes Corona, Modelo Especial and Pacifico, Victoria is the group’s original Vienna lager and is still made fairly close to the original recipe. It may not be as popular as Grupo Modelo’s other brands, and it has only been imported for a few years, but it is a good example of an early Mexican Vienna lager. It’s a bit like tasting history.
2. East Brother Red Lager: Richmond’s East Brother makes this fine example of a Vienna lager that’s a little drier and less hoppy than many others. It’s also slightly lower in alcohol, but it is loaded with good malt and caramel flavors. East Brother also makes a beer eponymously named Mexican Lager.
3. Órale: Del Cielo Brewing’s Mexican-style pale lager Órale is a great example of merging tradition and innovation, using Saaz hops (which are the quintessential pilsner hops) to create a crisp, light-bodied lager that’s easy to drink. For something a little different, Del Cielo also makes a rich Mexican lager, Cerveza Rica.
4. Fieldwork 1502: If you’re out and about, odds are, you’ll be near one of the 11 Fieldwork Brewery outposts, and their Vienna lager, 1502, is a great mix of traditional and modern interpretations of the style.
5. Humble Sea Look Güd: Humble Sea’s version, which is double decocted with Spalter Select and Perle hop varieties, will have you feeling good in no time.
A few more local options include Half Moon Bay Brewing’s Cerevez Oscura Vienna lager; North Coast’s Laguna Baja Vienna lager; Danville Brewing’s Cerveza Vaquero Mexican lager; and San Francisco’s Hop Oast Vindobana Vienna lager, which should be available again by May 5. Luckily, this style is widely available, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a local one to enjoy.
