Corona and Desperados are two delicious beers that most people drink in the summer. But behind these beers are interesting facts and a noteworthy history. Did you already know these 11 facts?

1. Corona is from Mexico and Desperados from France

It is often thought that both beers come from South America, but that is not true. Corona, or officially Corona Extra, is a beer from Mexican brewery Grupo Modelo and was first brewed in 1925. Desperados, on the other hand, was first brewed in 1995 by Brasserie Fischer in northern France. Not much later, the brand was taken over by Heineken. Crazy really, because Tequila is clearly from Mexico. So you could call it a fusion beer. Would they say the last 'S' of Desperados in France? Desperado?

2. A Corona is brewed with Corn

Corona contains relatively little barley and hops. They opted for cheaper raw materials that could be found in abundance near Mexico City: namely corn. These turn into alcohol during fermentation, but give a milder taste.

3. Desperado literally means "Desperate"

We think it's a remarkable name. But if you interpret the word a little less literally, a Desperado is also seen as a bandit, as an outlaw. That sounds a bit tougher.

4. You can drink Corona and Desperados from the bottle

Beer experts usually agree: beer from transparent glass is less tasty than beer from colored glass or cans and also has a shorter shelf life. We do not think this attitude is entirely justified. Corona was marketed as a go-to drink beer for outdoors. Then you're not going to bring a glass, are you? This also applies to Desperados: a beer that was marketed for young people who also don't bother about having matching glasses. Quickly open a beer in the sun and drink it. We think: as long as the glass is transparent, you can drink it from the bottle.

5. There is more alcohol in Desperados than in Corona

Corona has about 4.6% alcohol (which is normal for lagers) and a Desperados has 5.9%. So you can get drunk faster from Desperados than from Corona. There are also alcohol-free variants on the market, read more about this under point 9.

6. The lemon in Corona was originally added to repel flies

Okay, handy! This is how to handle the lemon: squeeze the lemon and push it into the bottle (further down than just the neck). This gives the beer an even fresher taste. You can also keep your thumb on the bottle and shake the beer lightly. Or you take a bite of the lemon before taking a sip. That's for the real daredevils.

7. Mexico was mad at Heineken for this

"Either they take the word tequila off the bottle, or they put real tequila in it," said a spokesperson for a Mexican tequila producer. Heineken responded that they have added 75% tequila in their aroma and do not want to disclose their recipe in full. The judge ruled that tequila is an essential component of the beer and therefore Heineken may continue to produce and sell it.

8. There are more than 10 types of Desperados

If you thought Desperados was always the same, you're wrong. The beer brand has more than ten varieties on the market, including cactus, guarana and mint. Corona has slightly fewer variants, but we think the 'Coronita,' Corona's little brother, sounds the cutest.

9. Both Corona and Desperados are also available without alcohol

Desperados Virgin has been brewed in Zoeterwolde since 2021. Corona will only come with non-alcoholic beer for the first time in 2022. It launched Corona Sunbrew in Canada, whose name has now been changed to Corona Cero.

10. Alcohol-free Corona and Desperados contain fewer calories than the alcohol-free version

If we look at Corona, a bottle of Cero contains 56 calories, while its brother Corona Extra contains about 150 calories. The Desperados Virgin is also a healthier option with its 100 calories compared to the regular version (185 calories). If you want to lose kilos, but still drink good beer, it is best to go for the non-alcoholic beers.

11. And most Untappd check-ins go to....

Corona! This beer was uniquely checked in on Untappd more than three times as much as Desperados. With its 3.24 stars, Desperados scores slightly higher than Corona's 3.11.

Hopefully we were able to teach you something that you didn't already know. OnderNulPuntVijf has recently added Corona Cero to its range. You have also come to the right place for other tasty non-alcoholic beers. CHEERS!