Muy Chido Mexican Lager became a new seasonal this year for Cascade Lakes Brewing and Brewmaster Ryan Schmiege said it was a good change for the company this spring.
“Craft Mexican Lagers have been enjoying a new appreciation recently so we decided that was a fun direction,” he said. The brewery discussed wanting a new beer to replace Sunup, a Pale Wheat Ale, to offer consumers for the summer and Muy Chido became the one to come from R&D over the winter.
“Sunup was an excellent summer crusher,” Schmiege said. “We simply wanted to do something different.”
At 5.1% ABV and 19 IBU, this beer was made to be easy-drinking as a malt-bodied Lager which can be added to the brewery’s portfolio that has distribution in their home state of Oregon along with five surrounding states.
“It’s another arrow in the quiver,” Schmiege said of the importance of adding such a brand to the sales sheet. “Any new tool that any of us can get our hands on aids our work.
“My sales team now has another style to leverage with buyers, slip into openings, and impress with.”
The beer debuted at the end of April with Cinco de Mayo celebrations the target and will be a staple for this summer. Schmiege said they wanted a clean, refreshing, quaffable beer for the spring and summer.
“We also wanted to be true to the tradition of the style that follows its roots back to the Vienna Lager,” he said.
READ MORE: Brewer Magazine Q&A: Ryan Schmiege, Cascade Lakes Brewery
For the development of the brand, he said they brewed several renditions on the brewery’s small R&D system through the winter where they worked at tweaking and dialing in the right malt and hop combo.
“The malt combination is dynamic, subtly complex, and nuanced,” he said. “Muy Chido is also lagered for no less than five weeks.”
And, he added, it is the perfect Mexican Lager for a Michelada, which can be another sales point to on-prem bars and restaurants.
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