Very glad to see an active mexican lager thread. I'd like to share a recent brew I did that is somewhat similar to what others have posted:
OG 1.042, FG 1.008 for 4.5% ABV. I was shooting for 1.046, think the grain wasn't milled sufficiently so my efficiency dropped by a significant amount.
It was a simple mash bill, 50% 2-row, 25% Vienna, and 25% flaked maize. Single infusion BIAB mash at 145F. I boiled for half an hour, and threw in a half oz each of motueka and ekuanot with 10 mins left. Dropped the temp to 175 and threw another half oz each and whirlpooled for 15 mins. Two weeks at 52-55 (ramped it up slowly) with WLP940. Water profile started from RO, 50ppm Ca, 30ppm SO4, 60ppm Cl. In the future I will at least double the Cl in the water.
Overall this was a fantastic beer. It tasted like modelo with a lime wedge already added. My original intent was to brew something like Pacifico, a little maltier than this, and then had the idea to try the lime flavor with that hop profile. The hopping worked for that intent, and it was unique and very quaffable, not too bitter (17IBU calc'd), but I think I would like to try it again in a more typical style with maybe an ounce of tettnanger at 60 mins. As an addendum, WLP940 rocks my socks and I've started using it for all sorts of styles, well mostly just american pilsners and light lagers, but it is pretty versatile and a great arrow in your quiver. I really can't say enough good about that yeast it is just so clean, fast and reliable. It does have a subtle characteristic to it that is very appropriate for most clean crisp lagers.
If you want something a little drier like Corona or Sol (maybe Modelo fits here too) I would keep the flaked maize in the 20% range. This wasn't too dry, and I think I will keep it in this range in the future. My only gripe is coming in short with the maltiness. I didn't want a true vienna lager, or negra modelo levels of malt, but just a touch more (eg pacifico). I came in slightly under that, and it was still a fantastic beer well within the style guide (minus the lime flavor). In the future I might swap the percentages of vienna and 2-row and see what I end up with. Alternatively, I might swap the 2-row for pilsner, but the pilsner my LHBS stocks is sort of underwhelming.
