Looks like Dos Equis is on a tear. For the longest time, this megabrewer from Monterrey, Mexico and now part of the Heineken Empire, was well known really for three things. Those three things are Dos Equis Amber, Dos Equis Special Lager, and The Most Interesting Man in the World who doesn’t always drink beer but when he does seems to prefer number two on this list.

Lately, though, Dos Equis has been experimenting with new products, a lager-margarita combination called Dosarita and a spiced herb beer called Dos Equis Azul. Azul is Spanish for blue and refers to the fact that Dos Equis Azul is brewed with blue agave, a plant similar in appearance to (but not in the family of) the cactus. Blue agave is often used as the base fermentable in tequila.

Dos Equis Azul is described on the label as “Beer brewed with spice, blue agave nectar and caramel color added.” The back of the label explains the following:

Dos Equis Azul is created by brewing a signature lager with golden wheat and blended with blue agave nectar for a refreshing authentically smooth finish”.

Dos Equis Azul has an alcohol content of 5.7% by volume. I got a bottle of this beer as a free sample to evaluate for review purposes. As is my custom, I made a donation in excess of the retail value of the samples to my favorite charity. In a recent press release, Heineken announced that Dos Equis Azul will be featured in the 2014 “Beers of Mexico Fiesta Pack”, which will also include Sol, Tecate and Dos Equis Lager. As fate would have it, I saw one of these 12-packs at Target yesterday for $13.49.

Dos Equis Azul pours to a pale golden color with a moderate creamy head and a distinctly vegetal nose. Taking a sip, the beer has a light pilsner crispness underneath, with subtle pilsner malt flavor and a lightening tartness from the wheat. Then the lightly vegetal, slightly sweet flavor of the agave cuts through (but not cloyingly so). It’s more than balanced in the finish by a gentle, herbal grassy hop bitterness.

I found Dos Equis Azul to be quite enjoyable indeed, and the vegetal agave makes for a tasty complement to the light bodied maltiness of the brew. Hops, of course, are the classic seasoning in beer, but other spices, fruits, vegetables and herbs are often used as well. Why not agave? It works well here, and makes for an interesting drinking experience indeed.

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