Loving Mexican beers is easy. That is the reason in this article we are exploring the Modelo Especial alcohol content, calories per 12 fluid oz., carbs per serving, ingredients, IBU, and other considerations.
Modelo Especial Lager Mexican beer is brewed by Grupo Modelo and contains 4.4% alcohol content by volume. The Pilsner-style beer will give you 143 calories per 12 oz. serving (350 ml. can/ bottle/ pour) that come from the alcohol, 13.6 grams of carbohydrates, and 1.1 grams of protein.
It is important to note that the United States is Modelo’s largest export market. The Pilsner-style Modelo Especial is the number two imported beer in the United States.
This Mexican beer is a full-flavor pilsner beer whose ingredients are premium malted barley, yeast, hops, corn, and filtered water. This makes the beer have a light, crisp finish with a slightly sweet taste from the barley malt.
Let’s dive in for the details:
Modelo Especial Alcohol Content
Modelo Especial Lager is a pilsner-style Mexican beer brewed by Grupo Modelo and contains 4.4% alcohol content by volume. Compared with Modelo Negra which has an alcohol content of 5.4% ABV and Corona Extra which has 4.6% alcohol by volume, Modelo Especial has a lower alcohol content.
Other than the alcohol content, Modelo Especial and Modelo Negra’s differences lie in their tasting notes, aroma, and ingredients. These sessionable beers will give you the ideal combination of a strong, balanced, and enjoyable feel.
As a model beer, the Cerveza Modelo Especial is a full-flavored Pilsner that delivers a crisp, refreshing taste due to the balanced taste and the alcohol content. It is the best beer to prepare Micheladas and other beer cocktails that require a light-colored brew as a base.
This import Pale Lager alcohol content means that an average-sized man will need four to five beers to get drunk, while an average-sized woman will need two to four Modelo Especial beers taken within an hour.
However, the rate of intoxication will depend on the alcohol absorption and the body’s reaction to alcohol vary. The absorption and reaction depend on the weight, height, food in the stomach, age, gender, consumption rate, lifestyle, alcohol tolerance, and health status among other variables.
Modelo Especial vs Modelo Light alcohol content
The Modelo Light is a light beer as compared to Modelo Especial which has a medium body. The Modelo Light has 3.7% alcohol content by volume as compared to the 4.4% alcohol content by volume in Modelo Especial.
Modelo Light packs in 100 calories derived from the 3.7% alcohol content seven (7) grams of Carbs, zero grams of Protein, and zero grams of Fat per 12 fluid oz. serving as compared to the 143 calories per 12 oz. serving (350 ml. can/ bottle/ pour) derived from the alcohol content, 13.6 grams of carbohydrates, and 1.1 grams of protein.
Modelo Light is fairly thick compared to other light beers. It has an off-white head, and a clear, bubbly, golden appearance, in addition to a little lacing that is retained on the glass. Moreover, it contains a biscuity, sweet, and even slightly syrupy malt taste with a little lingering aftertaste. You may love the light and watery mouthfeel which makes it gives you a crisp, clean, and refreshing finish.
You can enjoy Modelo Cantarito Light Cerveza with family and friends due to the flavorful, authentic connections in authentic Mexican beer. This beer makes your moments refreshing and enjoyable. Modelo Light has a lower alcohol content compared with other light beers such as Bud light which has an alcohol content of 4.2%, Miller Light- 4.2% ABV, Michelob Ultra-4.2% ABV and other light beers.
On the other hand, Modelo Odo is a high-end light beer that was rolled out in Charlotte, Fresno, and Houston as the three test markets. The Modelo Odo is being produced as a direct competitor to the lucrative premium Michelob Ultra market which is a beer with low calories and carbs.
Modelo Negra vs Modelo Especial
The Modelo Negra and Modelo Especial are two great beers from the Modelo family. They are great tasting but have their marked differences as pertains the alcohol content and calories per serving.
Modelo Negro packs in 173 calories in the 12 oz. serving which come from the 5.4% alcohol content by volume, 15 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of proteins as compared to the 143 calories that you will get from the 12 oz serving of Modelo Especial which come from 4.4% alcohol content, 13.6 grams of carbs and 1.1 grams of protein.
The Color of Modelo Negra is a rich copper to the dark brown color in a glass pour. The beer has a medium white head and foam that does not disappear very fast. On the other hand, Modelo Especial color is a dark straw to gold beer in your glass pour. The Modelo Especial has a higher honeyed hue compared to Negra and the hue adequately matches the richer malt profile in the beer.
The aroma of Modelo Negra vs Especial
Especial is an international pale lager as described above. Most of the international pale lagers have a subdued aroma. You will find that Modelo Especial also has a subdued aroma. The aroma that you get from this beer is a soft honeyed aroma with fresh biscuits, creamed corn, and a finish with hints of earthiness.
On the other hand, Modelo Negra is full of a perfectly combined aroma containing caramel foster, roasted nuts, brown bread, and hints of banana. This is true of the Modelo Negra style. The beer has a sweet aroma containing hints of apple that enables it to have a fine balance. However, the roasted malts dominate the aroma making the hoppy floral notes hard to notice.
Finish of Modelo Negra vs Especial
When exploring the finish for the two brews, they exhibit different types of finish. You can take the beer that suits your taste and preferred finish. Let’s check the finish for Modelo Especial and Negra separately.
The Especial has a surprisingly long finish which is not what we expected from the beer with its style. The finish shows notes of honeyed biscuits and an earthy hops aroma which limits the brightness expected from the carbonation. Thus, Especial gives you a refreshed mouthfeel due to the crisp dryness that dissipates ultimately thus enabling the drink to pair nicely with spicy Mexican meals among other spicy foods.
On the flip side, Modelo Negra has a balanced flavor that gives you a soft, lingering hops finish. The delicate dryness will be felt in your mouth as you sip the beer. This subtle dryness makes the next sip to be more refreshing, balanced, and desirable.
The feeling on the palate of Modelo Especial vs Negra
Finally, as we compare Modelo Especial and Modelo Negra, we will describe how the two beers feel on the palate. This gives you direction on the beer you can demand every time.
The Modelo Especial gives you a more balanced and substantial feel on the palate due to the subtle (delicate) richness. The beer has a high carbonation that will be felt on the palate as soon as you take the first sip. The dazzle on the palate lingers to give you a refreshing, clean, and crisp beer profile. Thus, you will feel a shot of energy dazzling your tongue as you take it.
The richer, fuller mouthfeel of the Modelo Especial is different from most domestic lagers and will only be experienced in imported lagers.
Conversely, Modelo Negra will give you a medium body with a smoother texture and fine bubbles as it moves along your palate and tongue to supplement the aroma of the roasted nuts that washes the palate. Thus, you will taste a hint of caramel sweetness from the roasted malts that make the beer which adds to the dark fruit flavor. The caramel sweetness and dark fruit flavor disappear as the beer goes down the gut.
Modelo Especial 12 fluid ounce calories
The Pilsner-style beer will give you 143 calories per 12 oz. serving (can/ bottle/ pour) that come from 4.4% alcohol, 13.6 grams of carbohydrates, and 1.1 grams of protein. The beer does not contain any fat content. 60% of the calories are from alcohol, 37% from carbohydrates and 3% of the calories are from proteins.
When calculating the Percent Daily Values of Modelo Especial (12 oz.) based on a 2000-calorie diet, the 14 grams of total Carbohydrates will provide you with 5% of the daily values, while Sodium 20mg will provide 1% of the daily values.
The 143 calories can be spent by swimming, biking, walking, or mixing things up with different activities. You can burn 143 calories provided by 12 fluid ounces of Modelo Especial by:
- 15 minutes using a high-intensity exercise for a 125-pound person
- 36 minutes of hatha yoga for a 125-pound person and 24 minutes for a 185-pound friend
- 25 minutes of vigorous weightlifting for a 125-pound person and 16 minutes for a 185-pound friend
- 20 minutes of tennis for a 125-pound person and 14 minutes for a 185-pound friend
- 14 minutes of cycling at a speed of 14 to 16 miles per hour
- 10 minutes of running at a pace of 8 miles an hour
- Walking for 40 minutes
The rate at which you lose the calories depends on the type of exercise you choose, how hard you do it, and your body size. It is important to note that you do not need any special equipment to burn calories.
Modelo Especial provides you with an easy-drinking beer in 12 oz beer bottles which can be paired with Mexican dishes, pizza, or seafood for a perfect match. However, when paired with these dishes, you need more exercises to lose the total calories gained.
Is Corona Extra stronger than Modelo Especial?
Corona Extra’s alcohol content is higher than that of Modelo Especial. Corona Extra is therefore stronger in ABV and gives you more calories.
Corona Extra, also a pilsner-style, is bottled at 4.6 percent ABV. Corona Extra gives you 148 calories that are derived from alcohol, 13.9 grams of Carbs, 1.2 grams of Protein, and 0 grams of Fat. Modelo Especial has an alcohol content of 4.4%, a calorie output is 143 calories per 12 oz. serving (can/ bottle/ pour) that come from the alcohol, 13.6 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of Fat, and 1.1 grams of protein.
Modelo Especial has the closest similarities to Corona Extra when the taste, calories, ABV, and color are compared. The foam amount and texture are almost similar in the two beers.
However, the aroma of Corona Extra does not match that of the Modelo Especial. Thus, Corona Extra has slightly crisper flavors as compared to Modelo Especial.
Comparing Modelo Negra with Modelo Especial
Modelo Negra is stronger than other Mexican beers because it contains 5.4% alcohol content by volume.
| Specifications | Modelo Negra | Modelo Especial |
| Style | Munich Dunkel-Style Lager | International Pale Lager (pilsner-style) |
| Brewery | Grupo Modelo S.A. De C.V. – Mexico City, Mexico | Grupo Modelo S.A. De C.V. – Mexico City, Mexico |
| Ingredients | Malt, Hops, Yeast, and Water | Rice, Hops, Corn Starch, Yeast, and Water |
| IBU | 19 | 12 |
| Taste | Delicious, creamy, full-flavored dark brew with pleasant malt aroma and dry hop flavor thus smooth mellow taste | Slightly sweet, clean, crisp finish- refreshing, well-balanced, and light hop character |
| ABV | 5.4 percent | 4.4 percent |
| Calories | 173 calories (12 oz.) | 143 calories (12 oz.) |
| Carbs | 15 grams (12 oz.) | 13.6 grams (12 oz.) |
| Proteins | 2 gram | 1.1 grams (12 oz.) |
| Hops | Galena Hops | Hallertau Hersbrucker |
Conclusion
We have gone through the Grupo Modelo Especial pilsner-style lager for your information before indulging. This beer is one of the most popular Mexican imports to the United States.
Modelo Especial Lager Mexican beer is brewed by Grupo Modelo and contains 4.4% alcohol content by volume. The Pilsner-style beer will give you 143 calories per 12 oz. serving (350 ml can/ bottle/ pour) that come from the alcohol, 13.6 grams of carbohydrates, and 1.1 grams of protein.
The beer has several similarities to Corona Extra when the taste, texture, and color are compared. We have also compared the beer to other popular regular beers in the United States.