Corona Familiar: An Amateurish Beer Review

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It looks like the general consensus among beer snobs is that Corona beer is essentially Mexico's Budweiser: weak, low-quality swill. It certainly doesn't help that their products are usually packaged in clear glass bottles, almost guaranteeing some skunkiness. However, I decided to try the Corona Familiar in a brown bottle to give it the best chance for a fair first impression.

According to Corona, this has, "...the bright, crisp taste Corona is known for with a slightly fuller flavor, higher ABV, and shareable 32oz packaging. [...] Corona Familiar is best served in small gatherings with close friends and family, using the tradition of sharing to create meaningful experiences."

It has 4.8% ABV and 19.5 IBU, so it fits what one expects in a pilsner-derived brew. It also has a strange cloyingly sweet aftertaste to finish a relatively unremarkable favor. It's not great, but it's not completely awful either.

For the price of a 32-oz. bottle of Corona Familiar, you could get a 22-oz. bottle of a decent microbrew if you want a beer to enjoy, or you could get malt liquor if your goal is to get drunk. While I can't jump on the hatred bandwagon, I can't see any reason to really recommend this either. It's just not anything to get excited about in any way whatsoever, so skip it in favor of something else.

If you brew your own beer, the quart-sized bottles might be handy, but that depends on how the labels are applied. It looks etched or painted on, so keep that hurdle in mind. Still, you could share it with some gullible friends next time you watch sports on TV together, and save the bottles if you really need them.