Cinco De Mayo used to be a Mexican holiday, but here in the U.S. we have embraced the tradition, and turned every May 5th into the best reason to drink way too many Mexican beers at the unofficial start of BBQ season.
This year, when you are trying to figure out what beer to bring to your Cinco De Mayo barbeque, you will probably find yourself looking at all of the Mexican imports thinking that not one of them is new or exciting in any way. We have all tried those beers before and we know that we can expect the same old clear bottle skunky taste that we cover up with lime and salt.
Luckily, there is a break in the monotony. Cabotella Mexican Ale by Baja Brewing Co. is what you are looking for if you want to bring something delicious, high quality, and different to this Cinco De Mayo celebration.
Cabotella- Cabo (a beautiful place) + botella (Spanish for bottle) = Cabo in a Bottle.
Cabotella Mexican Ale is a light, and crisp brew. It pours clear, and golden with a creamy white head. The malt hits first with some citrus and it washes down smooth with only a slight hoppy after taste. Cabotella is well balanced so it doesn’t need a lime. Now, after that description, I would understand if you were thinking that Cabotella seems a lot like many other Mexican imports. You are probably asking, “What makes this beer so different?”
When all of these elements come together we end up with a unique and delicious beer. I would recommend Cabotella to anyone as a great alternative to their favorite Mexican import. Right now it is only available in Texas and in Colorado at a few places in Denver (17th Street Liquors, 2001 E. 17th Ave, Amendment XXI, 2548 15th Street, and Bonnie Brae Wine & Liquor, 785 S. University Ave).
Cabotella is a great beer. It is very drinkable, especially if you want more than a few. I found the flavor to be nice, not especially extraordinary, but you can taste the craftmanship, quality, and care in every sip. I enjoyed drinking this brew, but my favorite part about it is the message that it sends. It is a message that all beer drinkers and makers should remember. That message is, “this is just beer. It is supposed to be fun. Relax.”
