From FEMSA – Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma (also brewers of Bohemia, Carta Blanca, Sol and Tecate) and owned by Heineken comes Indio. It is described as “a Lager-type beer with an amber hue and a distinctive light caramel-malt taste.”
I received a six-pack from the PR firm that is spreading the word to the LA (and maybe) other markets. In my e-mail, I let them know that the LA scene was hopping and that the beer would need to earn a good review considering the great stuff that I am starting to see from our new breweries.
Well, Indio pours a very pretty amber color. Aroma is primarily sweetness and not much else. The first sip is mostly sweet but that fades into wateryness. As it warmed I got a bit of an apple taste as well. But any flavor that does appear tends to disappear as quickly. Indio is better than Corona or Sol or Tecate bu that is not much of a bar to hurdle. It just doesn’t have much other than water going on. I would prefer a strong pils from Lagunitas or Trumer to pair with Mexican food or a hot day for that matter.
So kudos to the effort. It doesn’t have that numbing corn pop taste that I get off of American Industrial water lagers but it could use a heartier grain bill and a dose of hops to create a better beer for me.