Where is Modelo Especial brewed?
The UK supply of Modelo Especial is split between imported stock and stock brewed in Britain. Check the small print on the pack.
| Format | UK strength |
|---|---|
| 355ml bottle | 4.5% |
| 620ml bottle | Not established |
| 4 x 440ml can | Not established |
Partly verified
At least one of those three claims rests on a secondary source or an inference, a disagreement between sources is still open, or a split supply has a format that has not been read.
The split supply is verified by The Grocer reporting Budweiser Brewing Group's own format-by-format breakdown, which explicitly names Magor, and the imported 355ml bottle is verified from the Asda listing, which prints Country of Origin Mexico and the Cervecería Modelo address. Not verified: the strength of the UK-brewed 620ml bottle and 4 x 440ml can from a pack, and the Mexican-market strength.
The small print on the base of a current can or bottle, giving the producer name and address, would settle this.
In short
The UK supply of Modelo Especial is split: some of what reaches the shelf is imported and some is brewed here. By format, the record says 355ml bottle: imported; 620ml bottle: brewed in Britain; 4 x 440ml can: brewed in Britain. The can in your hand could be either, so check the producer address in the small print. The UK version is 4.5%; the home-market strength is not established. Ownership of the brand is split by territory: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (Grupo Modelo; US rights held separately by Constellation Brands).
It depends which one you pick up
The bottles, cans and draught version of this beer do not all come from the same place, or are not all the same strength. This is what the record says per format.
| Format | Supply | Label text |
|---|---|---|
| 355ml bottle | Imported | Country of Origin: Mexico. Produced by: Cervecería Modelo, S. de R.L. de C.V., 11320 CDMX, Mexico. |
| 620ml bottle | Brewed in Britain | Not captured |
| 4 x 440ml can | Brewed in Britain | Not captured |
Who has brewed it here
| Years | Brewer | Site | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 to now | Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I; part imported, part brewed at Magor | Magor, South Wales and Mexico | thegrocer.co.uk |
What changed
- 5 September 2026:
origin_abvwas 4.4, now not established (source) - 5 September 2026:
format_detailwas not established, now {"uk_supply_by_format":{"355ml bottle":"imported","620ml bottle":"brewed_in_uk","4 x 440ml can":"brewed_in_uk"},"uk_abv_by_format":{"355ml bottle":4.5,"620ml bottle":null,"4 x 440ml can":null},"uk_label_origin_text_by_format":{"355ml bottle":"Country of Origin: Mexico. Produced by: Cervecería Modelo, S. de R.L. de C.V., 11320 CDMX, Mexico.","620ml bottle":null,"4 x 440ml can":null}} (source) - 5 September 2026:
uk_label_origin_textwas not established, now "4 x 355ml bottle: Country of Origin: Mexico. Produced by: Cervecería Modelo, S. de R.L. de C.V., Lago Alberto No. 156, Col. Anáhuac, 11320 CDMX, Mexico." (source)
Questions people ask
Where is Modelo Especial brewed?
The UK supply is split between imported stock and stock brewed in Britain. The British share is brewed at Magor, Monmouthshire, South Wales. The imported share comes from Grupo Modelo breweries in Mexico.
Is Modelo Especial brewed in the UK?
Partly. Some UK stock is brewed in Britain and some is imported, so it depends which pack you pick up.
Is Modelo Especial really Mexican?
Only partly. Some UK stock is brewed in Mexico and some in Britain.
Who owns Modelo Especial?
Modelo Especial is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (Grupo Modelo; US rights held separately by Constellation Brands), headquartered in Leuven, Belgium. In the UK the brand is handled by Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I under licence.
What strength is Modelo Especial in the UK?
Modelo Especial is 4.5% ABV in the UK.
What does the Modelo Especial label say about where it is brewed?
The UK label text on record reads: "4 x 355ml bottle: Country of Origin: Mexico. Produced by: Cervecería Modelo, S. de R.L. de C.V., Lago Alberto No. 156, Col. Anáhuac, 11320 CDMX, Mexico."
See also
Every beer sold as Mexico · What else is brewed at Magor, Monmouthshire · Every brand owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV
Sources
- The Grocer (thegrocer.co.uk), 2025: 355ml glass bottles imported from Mexico; 620ml glass bottles and 4x440ml cans brewed at BBG's Magor brewery in Wales; low-key grocery launch in late 2024
- The Beerhive (thebeerhive.co.uk), 5 September 2026: 355ml UK stock described as brewed in Mexico and imported, 4.4% ABV (secondary source)
- Westmeath Whiskey World (blog) (westmeathwhiskeyworld.wordpress.com), 30 April 2026: 620ml format listed at 4.5% (secondary source, lead only)
- Asda (asda.com), 5 September 2026: Modelo Especial Mexican Lager Beer Bottles 4 x 355ml: alcohol by volume 4.5; Country of Origin Mexico; manufacturer 'Produced by: Cervecería Modelo, S. de R.L. de C.V., Lago Alberto No. 156, Col. Anáhuac, 11320 CDMX, Mexico.' A separate 620ml bottle appeared in the same search.