Dos cervezas

On a random shelf sweep in the basement of El Corte Ingles in Barcelona last week I picked up a bottle of the store's own-brand Cerveza Especial. The specialness was made quite apparent by the black label and gold writing. Mmmm, classy. This strong (7%), corn-based lager pours to a fairly tight head leaving extensive lacing on the glass. The taste is mostly dry, with slightly syrupy notes. The corn gives it a marked aftertaste as well: like Wotsits without the cheese dust. It's an odd one. Sorry, special.

I also took home a bottle of Bohemia, from Mexico. It's a very pale blond colour and I was expecting it to be yet another ordinary hot country lager. It's not though. I wouldn't be too sure of my formal nomenclature here, but I'd class this as a golden ale in the Flemish style typified by Duvel. It's lighter, bitterer and gassier than most of these, however. Out of context I've no idea if this is a poor imitation of golden ale, or a standard Mexican beer, or even a pilsener gone wrong (which is how Duvel was created). Suffice it to say it's slightly interesting, but not something you'd pick above just about any European competitor. However, there's nowhere near enough North American beer on this blog, so now there's one more.