Corona: The crisp icon of club culture

The word “crisp” is overused in the food and beverage world, but if there is one beer whose notes do justice to it, that’s Corona. The favorite beer of the clubbing world, in its distinct glass bottle, has been a smash hit since it was first made back in 1925. Its popularity soared first on the East Coast of the USA when all-night clubbing took off in the 1990s and then around the world.

Corona beer is known for its low carbonation, which helps make it more drinkable and much less filling than other beers. This makes it a popular choice for outdoor events and gatherings, where people may be drinking for long periods of time. The beer is so famous in international clubbing and music that it is a constant in popular culture too.

One of the most famous references to Corona beer in popular culture comes from the 1997 movie “The Big Lebowski.” In the movie, the character “The Dude,” played by Jeff Bridges, drinks Corona throughout the film and famously orders a “Caucasian” (a.k.a. a White Russian) with a “Corona back” at a bar.

Corona beer has also been referenced in numerous songs over the years, including “Kokomo” by the Beach Boys, “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere” by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett, and “Drink in My Hand” by Eric Church. The beer is now available in 150 countries. In Mexico and among the Latino population, the beer is also poured as part of a very popular cocktail called the Michelada. With equal parts salt and cayenne pepper added to a plate or shallow bowl, rub a lime wedge along half the rim of the pint glass and then dip the rim into the salt-cayenne mixture. Add some more lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and black pepper into the glass. Fill that with Corona beer and garnish with a lime wedge. This very aromatic drink is a refresher for tropical climes.

One of the most distinctive characteristics of Corona beer is its flavor notes of lime and salt. Many people enjoy drinking Corona with a wedge of lime, which adds a citrusy tang to the beer and helps balance out the salty taste. The lime and salt notes in Corona are a nod to the beer’s Mexican heritage, where it is often served with lime and salt.

Given how light it is on the palate, the beer is perfect with the Indian barbecue menu, vegetarian and nonvegetarian. A well-roasted chicken tangdi or a fatty offering of fried Kashmiri mutton ribs can be best enjoyed with an ice-cold Corona. In vegetarian food, it goes rather well with tandoori paneer, especially if you pair it with the Punjabi favorite of spiced soya chaap, with the cold beer neatly offsetting the spices.

While everything else may have suffered from the eponymous virus, the brand of beer got an unlikely boost. The sales have soared post the coronavirus ravage. It is a sort of a revenge cheers; drinking a Corona probably makes the drinker happy that he survived the terrifying virus. The beer now has an India connection; it is brewed in the country, and that has led to a big cut in the prices, with a can of 500 ml going for just 200 rupees. So here’s cheers to making it in India.