Michelada (Mexican Beer Cocktail)
Crisp, refreshing, tart, and slightly spicy! This version of a Michelada (Mexican Beer Cocktail) has a few simple ingredients. No tomato juice, no Clamato juice mix, and no Bloody Mary mix.
It's fresh and delicious!
For those who are not familiar with michelada, it is a popular beer cocktail in Mexico, Southern California, and parts of Texas. While the origin story is muddled and murky (like many cocktail histories), the drink is from Mexico and contains just a handful of ingredients: beer, lime, salt, and hot sauce.
Along the way, the michelada acquired other add-ins like tomato juice, Clamato (clam juice/tomato juice combo), Worcestershire sauce, Maggi seasoning, chamoy, or soy sauce. Some versions wind up being basically a Bloody Mary cocktail with beer, while others are downright disgusting, Frankenstein-like drinks.
In my local grocery store, there's a pre-mixed "michelada-to-go" for sale (just add beer!). While I've never tried it, in reading the ingredients, I saw it sticks to the simple lime/salt/chile formula.
I also prefer the lime/salt/chili trifecta, but with fresh ingredients. This drink pairs perfectly with Birria Tacos, Chicken Verde Tacos, or Baja Seafood Bake with Mango Salsa.
And of course with chips and Dill Pickle Salsa!
Lessons Learned
- Mexican beers like Corona, Dos Equis, Modelo, Pacifica, and Tecate are all excellent choices for a michelada. If you can't get these where you live, choose a light lager that is available (I've even done it with Stella Artois and it was delish).
- This is a customizable drinkie, so add more lime juice if you want it tangier or more hot sauce if you want it spicier.
- Mexican hot sauces like Cholula, Tapatio, and Valentina are good options. Some people like Tabasco, but I find it too thin and vinegary for my taste. My favorite for a michelada is Valentina.
Hat Tips
This recipe is my own, but many thanks to Reddit's spicy Mexican beer fans thread for all the information and recipe ideas shared there.
Michelada (Mexican Beer Cocktail)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
Description
Crisp, refreshing, tangy, and spicy! Michelada (Mexican Beer Cocktail) is a fun drink made with just a handful of ingredients. No tomato juice, no Clamato, and no Bloody Mary mix.
Ingredients
- Tajin (or chili-salt seasoning)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Mexican hot sauce (Cholula, Tapatio, or Valentina)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 12 ounces cold Mexican beer (Corona, Dos Equis, Modelo, Pacifico, or Tecate)
- Ice (optional, but nice on a hot day)
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Rub the rim of a tall glass with the cut side of a lime and dip in Tajin to coat rim.
- Tip the lime juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire into the glass. Pour in the beer and stir with a long spoon. Add ice if you want the drink to be extra cold (but be aware as the ice melts it will slightly dilute the flavor so you may want to add more hot sauce or Worcestershire).
Leave a Reply