A review of Cerveza Delray from Brew Detroit – Detroit, Michigan
Mexican Lagers, for a long time this was a style of beer that I was hesitant to try.  It seemed that the style really had two flavor profiles to offer, either salty lime water with fizz or clear bottled fizzy Corona with a lime jammed in it,oh and more fizz.  In the last year or two my tastes have changed, I transitioned from a guy who wanted to obliterate my palate with hops every chance I could and have now discovered the wonderful refined world of craft lagers. Like any other style of beer as you pick up new things you’ll find good bad and everything in between, and then one day you get lucky and stumble upon an absolute gem. Brew Detroit has been brewing and canning since 2014 and have consistently cranked out legit beer since opening. The first beer that I remember discovering of theirs was Cornorman which is an excellent Irish Red and a very respectable beer, but when I discovered Cerveza Delray it not only blew my mind but also furthered my own narrative as to what kind of beer I actually want to seek out and enjoy drinking.

Cerveza Delray pours a clear golden straw color and has a nice, almost fluffy, head that dissipates fairly quickly but leaves a beautiful lacing on the glass. You get a nice aroma of both floral notes and maltyness with just a hint of corn on the nose. Just off of those two aspects of the beer you’re getting a lager that is extremely approachable and likely an easy sell if for those who might be gun shy on craft beer.  This brew is lightly carbonated and has a slightly creamy mouthfeel while still remaining true to what one would expect out of a lager. A semi sweet citrusy biscuit flavor follows the nose of the beer flawlessly, hints of corn and an herbal/grassy earthiness back the flavor profile up creating a very friendly easy to drink beverage. As you would expect from a lager, the body of the beer is on the lighter side and the beer itself is crisp and refreshing, truly a no brainer for the hotter months of summer but an easy beer to grab on a Saturday afternoon to accompany a camping trip or tailgate party. I can’t think of a single food offering that wouldn’t be improved by pairing it with Cerveza Delray. Burgers, pizza, tacos, hot dogs, Chinese food, Thai, salad, bbq, and even sweets would all be excellent pairing options for Cerveza Delray, clearly when report cards came out it earned an “A” in the field of plays well with others.

Wolverine State was the brewery that taught me that lagers could be amazing, and Drafting Table convinced me that lagers can be well executed by someone other than Wolverine State. Brew Detroit’s Cerveza Delray is the beer that cemented me firmly into the depths of lager fandom.  I love that Cerveza Delray is a beer that I can enjoy when it’s hot and humid out but not immediately feel like I need to be wheeled into Willy Wonka’s juicing room. I also like that if I decide to have a few Delrays I don’t wake up the next morning feeling like I got hit by a truck. Cerveza Delray is one of my favorite beers to give to people just discovering craft beer, the best part about sharing Cerveza Delray is that both craft beer rookies and veterans alike come away from the beer truly enjoying it. I still love my barrel aged stouts and hop bombs too, but it’s even more impressive to make a beer that is consistently amazing and drinkable. There are a lot of really good things happening in Detroit, we have new restaurants breweries and taprooms popping up all over downtown to support the new stadiums and upcoming economy. Brew Detroit not only deserves, but also commands your attention, and with a beer as solid as Cerveza Delray in their portfolio popping in for a brew the next time you’re downtown is definitely a trip worth your time.