CORONA EXTRA
Wells & Young’s
Mexico, 4.6% ABV
Light and refreshing, and served with a slice of lime in the bottle neck, Mexican lager Corona is a suitably pleasing summer tipple, effortlessly conjuring up images of sombreros, mariachis, tacos, piñatas, illegal US border crossings and Emiliano Zapata-style moustaches. ‘Corona’ means ‘crown’ in Spanish – although labelled ‘Corona Extra’, the ‘Extra’ bit is seldom used, or even noticed. But what’s with the lime? A pub bore might well try to convince you that it is intended to keep away flies, or to sanitise the bottle. Both explanations are myths. The truth is down to Corona’s clear glass bottle. Light makes hops-derived compounds degrade, which is why beer is traditionally stored in brown or green bottles. Clear bottles are cheaper to produce, but beer stored in clear bottles can produce a ‘skunky thiol’, which has a light but musty smell. The lime was originally inserted to mask the smell, and now adds a unique selling point to the brand. From skunky to funky courtesy of a simple slice of citrus. (Miller get around the ‘skunky’ problem in their clear bottles by adding an extra compound to their product – not nearly as interesting.) But what the hell is a ‘skunky thiol’? According to scientists at the University of North Carolina, who someone paid real money to study this question, it’s an analogue of a compound found in skunk glands. Suddenly that cold bottle of Corona doesn’t seem quite so refreshing. Ay, el estomago! PB
