Mexican Style Lager

“Brewed as an ode to the sun,” this light, crisp, subtly sweet Mexican-inspired lager from Peaceful Side in Maryville, Tennessee, won the gold medal for International Light Lager at the 2025 World Beer Cup.

Seth Carter, head brewer at Peaceful Side in Maryville, Tennessee, cites the key factors that helped their Solveza lager win gold at the 2025 World Beer Cup—and it begins with a team-wide approach to quality.

From Josh Pfriem, cofounder and brewmaster at pFriem Family Brewers in Hood River, Oregon, here’s a homebrew-scale recipe for their clean, crushable, and softly floral Mexican-inspired lager.

Josh Pfriem, cofounder and brewmaster of Oregon’s pFriem Family Brewers, details the thinking and process behind the brewery’s delicate, award-winning lagers inspired by traditions in Mexico, Japan, and beyond.

Let’s dig into the flavors of malted corn via this Vienna lager recipe from Seattle’s Holy Mountain Brewing.

Jacob Sembrano, head brewer at Chicago’s Cruz Blanca brewpub, shares this recipe for their American lager—a showcase of Bloody Butcher red corn, grown and malted at Sugar Creek Malt in Lebanon, Indiana.

These crispy, moderately spicy quesadillas are delicious and easy to make, while a splash of Mexican-style lager adds subtle sweetness to the adobo dipping sauce.