This Popular Festive Beer Is Back — But Not For Long

Beer isn’t a Christmas thing, necessarily – it’s more of an “any festivity you care to name” thing. Sometimes, said festivity might just be the end of a working week. But it’s definitely true that there’s a long tradition of winter solstice, Yuletide, and Christmas beers. In the 900s, for example, Norwegian farm owners were mandated by law to brew beer every winter, and would face fines if they didn’t. Talk about enforced fun. 

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That tradition continues to this day: Each year, we see new and returning Christmas beers hit the market, some of which are absolutely delicious. Last year, Modelo entered the fray in the United States with its own winter lager – and it was such a hit that it’s bringing it back for another spin. Let’s discuss.

Modelo Noche Especial Lager

Parade recently reported that Modelo Noche Especial Lager would be released once more this year in the US, following a successful first run in 2025 (although some customers may be more familiar with it, as the brand first released it in Mexico in 2018). This limited-edition amber lager is slightly darker than you might be used to, but it has a full, malty flavor with caramel notes and an underpinning of hops. It has a 5.7% ABV, slightly higher than Modelo Especial (which comes in at 4.4%). 

Modelo Noche Especial takes its name from Noche Buena, the traditional Christmas Eve celebration held in many Spanish-speaking countries. Noche Buena celebrations also frequently feature a beer of the same name, a dark-brown, hoppy beverage that, for many, indicates the start of Christmas. Modelo Noche Especial, meanwhile, is very much its own creation.

Customer-Approved

Modelo lovers and more casual beer enthusiasts alike will likely welcome the news of this drink’s return. When it was first released in the US last year, it racked up a fair few fans quickly, with people remarking on its pleasing complexity and the deeper, richer flavor notes going on in it. The beer has a creaminess to it and an indication of sweetness through its caramel and chocolate notes, but it’s not cloying; instead, it’s an easygoing, quality beer, with a dryness that keeps it drinkable.

Naturally, though, you’ll probably want to move relatively quickly here. Modelo Noche Especial is a limited-edition beer, and once the festive season starts wrapping up, it’ll be gone. It’s available now at major retailers that stock Modelo products, in six- and 24-packs. Quench that thirst.