Corona Cero 0.0%

Even apart from the absence of alcohol, Corona Cero (0.0%) is a very different beast from the iconic beer brand’s most famous pale lager, the hugely popular Corona Extra (4.5%). It is a touch darker in colour, a mite deeper in malty flavour and is altogether lacking in the lightning-strike of bubbling crispness that has long made the Corona brand synonymous with lime slices, fun in the sun and a guarantee of instant thirst-quench on sweltering days. As for the head, from the bottle we sampled (with ten months still left on the Best Before date) it disappeared within seconds of pouring. Brewed in Belgium for distribution in the UK, there’s a sweetness to it, too, that simply doesn’t match brand expectations of bite, although this can be lessened to some extent by the addition of that traditional slice of lime. On the plus side, it slips down easily enough when chilled, and the stylish bottle has the look of something that really does belong on ice behind an Acapulco beach bar. Salud!