Best Michelada Beer Cocktail

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PREP TIME 5 min

Cocktail Type

Spritz

Great for

Summer

Difficulty

Easy

Ice cold Michelada at the beach

What is a Michelada beer cocktail, we hear you ask. It’s quite simply one of the most thirst-quenching drinks your heart could desire on a hot summer’s day. This popular Mexican beer drink is similar to a Bloody Mary but the vodka is swapped with beer, typically a light Mexican beer like a Corono or Sol Cerveza – and the tomato juice is replaced with Worcester sauce. It’s the perfect light and zesty sip for a BBQ, especially if you’re the one who’s working at the grill.

 

QUICK TIPS

01

Make sure your beer is ice cold! A light Mexican lager is ideal.

02

Pop your beer glass in the freezer for at least an hour.

03

Add 6 ounces of clamato juice for a more umami cocktail experience.

INGREDIENTS

MAKE FOR

1 Person

For the salted rim

1
Pinch salt
1
Pinch cayenne pepper
1
Lime wedge

For the cocktail

1
Bottle Mexican lager, chilled
0.5 Oz

15 Ml

0.5 Parts

Lime juice, freshly squeezed
2
Dashes Worcestershire sauce
2
Dashes hot sauce
1
Pinch celery salt
1
Pinch black pepper
Wedge of lime to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

01

Mix the rim ingredients on a saucer. Rub the lime around the rim of the beer glass and then dip into the spicy salt

02

Pour all the remaining ingredients into the glass, tilt the glass and pour in the beer

03

Taste for seasoning and garnish with a lime wedge

Pro tips for the best Michelada Beer cocktail

  • Chill beer glasses in freezer at least 1 hour before serving.
  • For the best result rim the glass with a salt and cayenne pepper
  • Adjust your seasoning to taste. You might prefer extra seasoning or more hot sauce.

Best food pairings for a Michelada

An ice-cold beer cocktail can sure get the appetite going, so it’s good to have a few options at the ready. Tacos are a fantastic pairing with a Michelada beer cocktail or other Mexican cocktails, as is slow-cooked chipotle shredded pork, especially for a Cinco de Mayo party. Spicy tuna or white fish ceviche with a good measure of fresh lime juice is also a stellar combination. A Michelada cocktail is also one of the best brunch cocktails, which you can serve with a fry-up of hash browns, eggs, bacon, or Huevos Rancheros.

Read next: The Best Cocktail and Appetizer Pairings

The story of the Michelada beer cocktail

Michelada, loosely translated in Spanish, means “my cold beer”; the “Mi” is my, “chela” is slang for a pint of beer, and “ada” is from helada which means cold.

The origins of this drink are unclear but a Mexican beer cocktail Michelada became popular in Mexico in the 1940s, when thirsty beer enthusiasts would ice a cold light lager, pour it over ice, add a dash of spicy clamato (Mexican tomato juice), and finish with a good squeeze of lemon and hot sauce. That’s the traditional way, but Mexico City locals prefer a light lager served with a shot of lime in an iced pint glass with a salted rim.

You might also like: How to Throw the Best Mexican Themed Party, Ever

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Wondering how to serve this beer cocktail, the answer is cold! The glass and the beer call for a chilled pour into a large, iced beer glass from the refrigerator or freezer with a salted rim.

Although some folks do pour this cocktail with a darker ale, we prefer to stick to tradition with a light lager.

Although both of these cocktails have similar flavor profiles, a Bloody Mary is stirred up with vodka whereas a Michelada is mixed with beer.