If you love Modelo Negra like me, perhaps you’ve wondered as you are sipping this tasty Mexican dark lager how much alcohol is in it.
Modelo Negra has an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 5.4%, which is very much higher end for mass producer Mexican or American lager beers.
The clue to this is in the type of beer – Modelo Negra is a dunkel style dark beer and dark beers are renowned for having higher-than-average alcohol content. For a dunkel, the ABV can range between 5 and 10%.
How Much Alcohol is there in Modelo Negra vs other Modelo Beers?
Unsurprisingly, Modelo Negra is the beer in the Modelo range with the highest ABV. Modelo Especial, which is more of a Pilsner style lager, has an ABV of 4.4% and Modelo Oro (a light beer) has an ABV of 4%.
| Beer | Alcohol content (ABV) |
|---|---|
| Modelo Negra | 5.4% |
| Modelo Especial | 4.4% |
| Modelo Oro | 4.0% |
How Much Alcohol is there in Modelo Negra vs other beers?
Modelo Negra’s ABV is slightly higher than most Mexican beers or American lagers. For example, at 5.4% ABV it is more than 25% higher in alcohol than Bud Light.
It is worth noting Modelo Negra has more calories than most beers too.
| Beer | Alcohol content (ABV) |
|---|---|
| Modelo Negra | 5.4% |
| Pacifico Clara | 4.4% |
| Corona Extra | 4.6% |
| Bud Light | 4.2% |
| Busch | 4.3% |
How Many Modelo Negra Beers Can I Drink and Not Get Drunk?
Using the rule of thumb of having one standard drink initially and one every hour, then you can drink two Modelo Negras in two hours and stay well and truly sober. There are 1.5 standard drinks in bottle or can of Modelo Negra, so having two in two hours gives you three standard drinks. That’s one initially and one for each hour.
Obviously how alcohol affects you depends on your individual tolerance and your body mass, so be sure to monitor how you are feeling as you drink, drink responsibly and don’t drink and drive.
What Type Of Beer is Modelo Negra?
Dark lager, dark beer, amber lager … you’ll see various labels applied to Modelo Negra. The correct answer is that Modelo Negra is a dunkel. This is a German beer style that comes from Munich. Dunkel literally means “dark” in German and dunkel beers can vary from a light amber color to something more approaching a stout in color.
Modelo Negra pours at the lighter end of the scale for a dark beer and is a rich copper color in the glass.
What Does Modelo Negra Taste Like?
Modelo Negra, like a typical Munich dunkel lager, has a smooth rich flavor with caramel characteristics that come from the dark malts used in the brewing process for dark beers.
The other main flavor note from my perspective for Modelo Negra (see here for our beer judge Andy’s full review) is the absence of any real hop driven bitterness in the flavor profile.
It makes for a smooth creamy taste that pairs well with grilled meats (say beef tacos) and copes well with the chilli driven spice in Mexican dishes.
Andy taste notes mentioned a brown bread flavor in the beer, which I agree with, while other reviewers picked out caramel and roasted nuts and other similar flavors.
