TECATE aka TECAT-YAY

“When you get to Texas, you’re gonna love Tecate.”

This is what my good friend Frieda told me as we sipped craft brews in Chicago, discussing our individual relocations to new cities: she to Nashville and I to Austin.

To respect this tender moment, the first beer I bought in Texas was a Tecate. There’s a convenience store down the street from my apartment that sells individual tall boys (I was STOKED), but lemme tell you. These aren’t ordinary tall boys. These are extra tall and slightly stout boys. Instead of the 16fl oz I’m used to clutching, this Tecate was a tall boy and a half at a whopping 24fl oz. I literally couldn’t wrap my hand around this one.

Tall boys are bigger in Texas.

Both Natalie and Frieda strongly suggested drinking a Tecate with lime. They didn’t, however, tell me how much lime. Obviously thrown by the size, I ended up squeezing half a lime into this beast.

Beer Name: Tecate Original
City and State of Origin: Tecate, Baja Mexico
Year Created: 1944
ABV: 4.5%
Cost: $1.97 for a 16oz tall boy

Taste: A crisp and refreshing pop of the top, a squeeze of lime, and a timid sip got me hooked on Tecate. My first reaction? “Wow! This doesn’t taste like bread!” It’s a tasty and fresh malty lager, without the sweetness of PBR or the skunkiness of Bitburger. I think the lime really added a dimension of fruity freshness and elevated Tecate’s zing-factor.

How Do I Feel? I feel like I’m indulging in a piece of geographic cultural history. If PBR and Labatt Blue are the preppy-hipster beers of the Northeast, Tecate is that of the South. Wielding a can of this size, I feel unstoppable. Tecate’s got a cool factor to it, with a new Red Bull-esque branding that sets it apart from classic cheap beers. Check out the evolution of the can from the past until now.

The eagle evolution, from the official Tecate website.

When To Drink Tecate Original: Yo, it’s hot as a skillet out here in Austin. When ISN’T it a good time to pop open an icy cold Tecate? Whether you’re on a patio looking for a beverage with your meal or at home contemplating life with glorious air conditioning, this is a good beer for you. Oh yeah, don’t forget the lime!

Overall Rating: 9/10 I didn’t try Tecate without the lime so I’m not sure how it stands alone. Next time around, I’ll probably get a 16fl oz tall boy to spare myself the intimidation of a beer can the size of my femur.

Until next time!

Cheers,
Erin