I cannot for the life of me understand why Modelo Especial gets a bad rap. Sure, the squat bottled brew isn’t the finest Mexican beer on the market, but it is the most popular – and with good reason. Cheap and refreshing, Especial is stable as a table in drinking terms.

The usual formalities that go into beer reviewing don’t fare well with Modelo Especial, as it pours a typical shade of gold with decent head that fizzles quickly. The scent is grassy and grainy, giving me ‘late nite’ summer vibes, when outdoor drinking is the season’s theme.

Speaking of summer, one can see why this beer is underrated (misunderstood?), as its charms are almost exclusively set for the hottest months of the year. Its taste is straight up anti-firewater, a sweet malt flavor that acts as a cleaning agent for spicy palettes. If we’re talking about beers to pair up with spicy food, not many budget brews beat Especial.

But the truth? It’s merely ok, which is fine. And good.

Modelo Especial stats:

Smells like: hot sticky summer nights

Tastes like: sweet sticky summer nights

Alcohol content: 4.40%, which is plenty for this watery blend