 | Rob Miller
owns and operates Goebel Liquor, family owned since 1971, located at the corner of Maple and West Streets. Rob's World of Beers selection, offers over 450 microbrews and imports. Rob has worked hard to make his beer selection the best available, short of taking a drive to Dallas or Denver. When not on the road prospecting new products for the store to introduce to Wichita, you can usually find Rob at a sporting event, or any activity involving one of his five children. You can contact Rob at Goebel Liquor, e-mail: stoutsman@aol.com, or by phone at (316) 943-2911. |
Beer, Wine & Spirits
2003-05-01 11:00:00
What is 'Cinco de Mayo'?
: What is ‘Cinco de Mayo’?
ANSWER: It is not, as many people think, Mexico's Independence Day, which is September 16th. The holiday of Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, commemorates the victory of the Mexicans over the French army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862, which happened at a violent and chaotic time in Mexico's history. Mexico had finally gained independence from Spain in 1810, and a number of internal political takeovers and wars, including the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Mexican Civil War of 1858. France invaded the Gulf coast of Mexico and began to march toward Mexico City from the coast. The French army encountered strong resistance at the Mexican forts of Loreto and Guadalupe. A small poorly armed militia of about 4,500 stopped and defeated a well-outfitted French army of 6,500 soldiers. This halted the invasion of the country. The victory was a glorious moment for Mexican patriots and is the cause for the historical date's celebration. To answer the question, "What is Cinco de Mayo?" It is a celebration of Mexican culture, as well as the food, music, beverages and customs unique to Mexico. Cinco de Mayo is becoming adopted into the holiday calendar of more and more people every year. And, it's a great excuse to sample Mexico's beer selection! Historical events influence Mexico, but also Mexican beer more than most beer-lovers might realize. The brief period of Austrian rule and the immigration of brewers from Switzerland, Alsace and Germany introduced lager, which today accounts for all but the tiniest drop of Mexican beer. Most Mexican beers emanate from two large groups of breweries. One group, Grupo Modelo of Mexico City is partly owned by Anheuser-Busch. It is the main producer and distributor of beer in Mexico. Two of Grupo Modelo's largest breweries are Cerveceria Modelo de Guadalajara, which brews Corona Extra, Modelo Especial and Estrella. This is the only plant that brews Corona Light, which is exclusively sold in the U.S. market. The other of Modelo's largest breweries is Cervecera del Tropico, which brews Corona Extra, Victoria, Modelo Especial, and Negra Modelo. If you want to try a Mexican beer of extreme character, sample a chocolaty Negra Modelo, a dark Vienna-Munich type beer known as "elite of beers" (crema de la cerveza)! Among the very lightest of Mexican beers is Corona. In 1985, Corona stole the hearts of Spring Break students at South Padre Island, Texas by supplying enough free beer on the beach, that by 1999 it had surpassed Heineken beer as the #1 selling import in the world! But, fashions change. It has become less frequent that you see someone trying to be fashionable by paying a high price for a cheaply made Mexican beer with a wedge of lime in the neck of the bottle. Under the Carta Blanca label, rival company Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc del Montezuma produces a variety of dark lagers such as Sol, Tecate, Bohemia, Dos Equis, and others. The pick from this line is Tecate. It has just a hint of flavor, but paired with a spicy Mexican dish, the flavors explode. An honorable mention among Mexican beers is Pacifico by Cerveceria del Pacifico, located in Mazatlan. Some will argue this pilsner type beer to the top of the list. A definite on a hot Mexico day! No fruit needed.
