8 Things You Should Know Before Drinking A Corona
The world may have been overtaken by craft beers and girls who "just want a Stella," but let us remind you: The lime-topped, clear-bottled, wish-I-was-on-a-beach Corona still exists, and it's just as mild and nostalgic as you remember. Thumb through your college-era Facebook photos to get you in the mindset, then read these eight fun facts about America's favorite Mexican beer.
1. You're probably calling it the wrong thing.
It's totally acceptable (and 100 percent less obnoxious) to order a Corona at the bar, but the beer's official name is Corona Extra. Go for the full name when you want to be a little, well, extra yourself.
2. Corona's label is a piece of art.
The yellow circle in the center represents the sun setting over the blue ocean - AKA the blue strip behind it. And the symbolism doesn't stop there: The creatures flanking the crown on top of the sun are called gryphons (they have a lion's body and an eagle's head), and are the designated guardians of every bottle.
3. Mexicans enjoyed the beer long before Americans ever tasted it.
Grupo Modelo, Corona's parent company, first brewed the beer as a pilsner in 1925. A couple decades later, Corona was the Mexican beer, and Americans took notice. However, it wasn't officially exported to the U.S. until the '80s.
4. Corona's stats are impressive.
The numbers speak for themselves, so here goes: When Corona Extra was introduced to the U.S. by Mexico in 1981, it became the fastest-growing beer in America's history. Now, it's the country's best-selling imported beer and the fifth most popular beer overall. And that's just the regular stuff. The light variety is the No. 1 imported light beer and the sixth best-selling beer overall.
5. No one knows why you put a lime on top.
The internet has obviously come up with its fair share of theories. Some say the wedge was initially used to keep flies from crawling in the mouth of the bottle while others say one clever bartender made a bet that he could start a trend of adding limes to a Corona, and it stuck. Another idea: The lime combats the "skunky" taste the beer gets from being exposed to light. Others say the likeliest answer is that it's all just a marketing ploy.
6. You won't find Corona in Spain.
You'll only get your hands on a Coronita, which - newsflash! - is the same thing. Legend has it, a Spanish winemaker already owned the trademark for "Coronas" in the country, so the beer brand had to get creative. (Corona also sells Coronitas in the states, which are smaller, 7-ounce bottles, often used in Bulldog Margaritas.)
7. 1987 was a bad year for the brand.
Two Nevada grocers pulled their entire stock of Corona from their shelves when they heard that Mexican brewery workers were peeing in the beers sold to the U.S. As it turns out, a local Heineken distributor started the rumor, but it took years for Corona to gain back its popularity.
8. It has a prominent role in the 'Fast & Furious' movie franchise.
At his house party in the first movie, Vin Diesel's character Dom makes it very clear that he's a Corona guy by telling Brian, Paul Walker's character, that he could have any brew he wanted, as long as it was a Corona. You'll find him sipping the Mexican beer throughout movies two through seven, too - and we're sure it'll get some screen time in the eighth installment, which hits theaters this April.
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