The Story of How Corona Beer Came to Be

History of Corona. Ahhhh, Corona. The beer that brings up ideas of turquoise water, Caribbean sunsets, Jimmy Buffet, and Cinco De. Mayo. that golden color with that gorgeous white and black label, it can be seen everywhere. Can you remember a time when it wasn't part of the drink selection, most people no doubt do not.

Very few people know who actually brews Corona, most people are under the impression that Corona is the name of the company itself, but on the contrary; Corona is merely a brand the company puts out, just as Budweiser is a brand that Anheuser Busch puts out. The actual name of the company that produces Corona is called the Modelo Group or Groupo Modelo.(http://www.crownimportsllc.com/ourbrands/coronaextra.htm)

Grupo Modelo started in the mid 1800s as Cervecería Modelo. In 1925, they became one of the top suppliers in Mexico. The company really took off when Pablo Díez Fernández took it over. He created the Corona beer and he created the idea of marketing it world wide.(http://www.gmodelo.com.mx/index-1_en.asp?go=historia) But, there was a Jamaican brewery that was using it and had been using it for some time. Because that Jamaican company hadn't copyrighted it prior to the official want of copy writing it from the Modelo Group, the court allowed them to have it after a 50 year fight.

During this 50 years, many loyal Modelo Group fans illegaly exported the beer into various United States border towns, and many native Californians, Texans, New Mexicans, and most of the South West will no doubt remember the old short fat bottle style of the 60's and early 70's. In 1980, they changed the bottle style for marketing purposes, but also because of a new bottling style and machinery.((http://www.gmodelo.com.mx/index-1_en.asp?go=historia)) In the the early 80's, Corona was marketed and sold to the Us with such a vengeance, it's one of the most popular Mexican beers today, rivaling the great Anheiser Busch corporation. (http://www.corona.com/sales)

Today, the look, the taste, and the general appeal of Corona is a National American Staple. The commercials and marketing of the beer continues to stay head and shoulders above the competition, enticing the American public with the fanatasy and tranquility of the turquoise Caribbean Sea. And Corona has become the flag ship of the Modelo Group which has become one of the largest beer companies in Mexico with seven breweries located throughout the Mexican countryside, bottles and brews more than 12 brands of beer and imports another six to seven. In fact, they even put in a bid to buy the flailing Anheuser Busch Corp. when the deal was on the table.