Minerva Imperial Tequila Ale - Cervecería Minerva

yesyouam

New York

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Minerva ITA is a crystal clear golden ale with a white head that fades to a ring and leaves nice lacing. It has a faint wood and fruit aroma, maybe agave. There's a touch of pine in the nose. It has a soft medium body. The dry finish is a little astringent. It's pretty well balanced and dry. It has a wooden flavor, like oak. A leafy green bitterness brings in the finish. The wooden aftertaste might have a hint of tequila. This is the best Mexican beer I've had. Thanks, Christian and Ranferi.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 15:42:24 | More by yesyouam

visionaries

California

2.84/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

This was a bit of a let down, bought three bottles in Guadalajara, I expected somewhat of an explosion of flavors due to the tequila barrels but it tasted like any other mexican beer with a slight twist, overall an OK beer but nothing to get excited over.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 18:05:28 | More by visionaries

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%

05-04-2013 15:11:12 | More by BigBry

jazztoloc

Mexico

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

05-04-2013 02:23:57 | More by jazztoloc

AdrianMendez

Mexico

4.5/5  rDev +27.8%

03-11-2013 23:17:27 | More by AdrianMendez

KingSlayer

Mexico

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%

02-19-2013 02:27:39 | More by KingSlayer

waiting4lunch

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +13.6%

11-12-2012 01:57:27 | More by waiting4lunch

eugeniogp

Mexico

1/5  rDev -71.6%

10-10-2012 14:39:47 | More by eugeniogp

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.13/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Breaking a long reviewing fast with this one - most beer in Mexico is one of many similar styles and not terribly fun to review, and the more unusual beers are typically quite expensive. This was a decent price (Beer Box Condesa) and not "oscura o clara".

Pours orange and flat, slight bubbly head but not a lot. Mostly clear, the color is nice and robust, but just better than not much. Nose is faint, hoppier than most Minerva beers, but again, maybe just above average. Everything else comes in at or slightly below average - the flavor is interesting but not great, mouthfeel a bit bubbly for such a big style, and drinkability is nothing to write home about.

Initial flavor, to me, of sweet malt followed closely by the hops. Agave flavor is an astringency behind the typical flavors, but doesn't make this one stand out from the crowd. For the size of the body, this should be much hoppier; for the size of the alcohol punch it should be maltier. Much better than most Mexican beers and worth seeking out if you're visiting, but don't expect an American full-flavored strong ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 00:54:52 | More by BretSikkink

davidtarantino

Mexico

4.75/5  rDev +34.9%

07-14-2012 18:40:40 | More by davidtarantino

xnapshot

Mexico

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

05-18-2012 04:33:06 | More by xnapshot

leaddog

Alberta (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours an orange-amber hue with a finger width of foamy head.

Smell - Hops, caramalts, citrus fruit.

Taste - Hops step up to play first, followed with the malts. Not picking up much in the way of tequila flavour, but a little bit of an oak taste. Mostly hops and malts.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth finish.

Overall - A decent brew, but I don't quite feel it lives up to the "imperial" name. Would like to see a stronger hops presence, as well as a bit more tequila flavour - a little tweaking and this could be much improved. Happy to have tried this though.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 02:13:59 | More by leaddog

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

660ml bottle. A newish(?) style to augment my drug of choice - gracias, Mexico!

This beer pours a generally clear, dark golden yellow hue, with continually rising bubbles, and two fingers of foamy, creamy off-white head, which leaves some random reaching streak lacing about the glass.

It smells, well it smells like a freaking IPA, is what it smells like! Muddled citrus hops, bready caramel malt, and an underlying earthy character. The taste is bready, somewhat crackery malt, the caramel quite lessened, with the citrus hops holding steady, abetted by a nice leafy add-on, which grows increasingly vegetal, perhaps due to the tequila barrel treatment. Hard to really say, really, but the overall associated alcohol warming effect is rather negligible.

The carbonation is quite understated, above all, the body a plain-ish medium weight, and smooth, sure, but with a subtle swirling dervish of tequila booze. It finishes with a flourish of leafy, earthy hops, and slightly soused caramel malt, if you don't already know what I mean, mi amigo...

A nice sleight of shorthand with the marketing of this beer - 'ITA'. Hoppy like the North American reference that is so readily evident, but also quite south of the border as the name and origin implies. Once again, the non-bourbon, non-Scotch barrel really comes across as a non-starter, huh. If you are apt to disregard all this academic wankery, what you're left with is a pretty damned fine tipple, all relevant things considered.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 02:00:47 | More by biboergosum

vr6corrado

California

2.25/5  rDev -36.1%

03-28-2012 16:04:15 | More by vr6corrado

jaimenavarrog

Mexico

4/5  rDev +13.6%

01-22-2012 23:54:16 | More by jaimenavarrog

goochpunch

Texas

3.28/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours out a slightly hazed copper with a thin, receding head. Smell is citrusy hops, toasty malt, and if I REALLY TRY I can sorta pick up some tequila-ish aromas using my imagination. Flavor is of a pretty pedestrian IPA. I don't know, Mexican attempts at IPAs seem to be lacking some balls. Thin malts, slight bitterness, not very pronounced hoppy flavors. Even with the grand powers of my imagination, I still can't pick up any tequila or really oaky flavors. Maybe a hint of vanilla. Kind of metallic tinge in the finish (which I didn't get when I tried it on tap a year ago). Mouthfeel is thin and needs more bubbles. Overall this is OK. In the past 2-3 years Minerva has been trying to become more innovative, but their attempts kinda fall flat. This is more pale ale than IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 03:25:51 | More by goochpunch

Exiled

Texas

4/5  rDev +13.6%

11-25-2011 03:18:43 | More by Exiled

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to jjfoodie for sharing this bottle. Not really sure what to expect from this beer but I am looking forward to trying it.

The beer pours an orange color with a white head. The aroma is woody with quite a few floral notes. It smells slightly reminiscent of tequila.

The flavor is more complex than the aroma. At first I get a lot of floral notes as well as some oak notes and a little bit of tequila. As I drink more of the beer additional flavors start to come through. I get some citrus fruit, apples and pears, as well as some caramel and pecan notes. The alcohol is fairly well hidden.

Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

A very interesting beer and one that I am very glad I got to try.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 01:29:55 | More by Mora2000