Discovering the Origins of Corona Beer in Leon

Corona is one of the most famous beers in the world. Wherever you travel, you can order one. Most people know that Corona -or Coronita as we know it in Spain- comes from Mexico. However, not many know that its history started in my Spanish hometown: Leon. On this post we are going back in time to learn about the origin and some interesting facts about this world-famous brewery.

Read the Complete Guide to Visiting Leon

Who invented Corona beer?
In Leon, there's a museum that remembers and honors all those locals who emigrated to Mexico in the early 20th century. The Museum, called Museo de la Emigración Leonesa, belongs to CEPA Foundation, created by the nephews of Don Pablo Diez, the founder of Grupo Modelo which created the beers Modelo, Corona and Negra Modelo.

Pable Diez left Spain in 1905. With the help he got from the Dominican Friars he sailed out to Mexico. After working in several jobs, he started his own business. Apart from being a businessman, Pablo Diez founded seminars, sanctuaries, and hospitals in Spain and did an astounding philanthropic work in  Mexico, creating for instance Sanatorio Español, the Red Cross's central hospital in Mexico City and the Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia (National Institute of Cancer Research).

Museo de la Emigración Leonesa is located in Casona de los Perez, a mansion in the city center of Leon which is worth visiting just because of its decor and spectacular woodwork. It was the place chosen by the descendants of the creator of Corona to show us the hard work and determination of those who left their hometown to find a better future.

What's the difference between Corona and Coronita? 
In Spain, Corona is known as Coronita because it's a smaller bottle than the one you can find in other countries. In Spanish we add the diminutive suffix -ita or -ito to the end of words to refer to a smaller version of it. However, that's not the only reason why we call it Coronita. It was actually a trademark dispute that didn't allow the use of the name Corona in Spain until 2016 when it was sorted out.

Why do they put lemon or lime in Corona?
There are different theories. Some think it's because it cleans the tip of the bottle, kills germs and others say it's to enhance (or mask) the beer’s flavor.

I hope you found this post about the origin of Corona interesting and that you learnt something new. The museum opened last year in June so it was my first time visiting and I learnt a lot too. I'm so glad that they are using mansions like this as museums. It's a way to see a hidden gem that otherwise would be closed and probably run-down.

The museum is open every day except for Mondays. Admission is 5€.
Address: Avenue Suero de Quiñones 8, Leon.
Phone: +34 673 85 38 63

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