Michelada – A Beautiful Mess

A Michelada is a savory Mexican cocktail that uses beer, lime, and spices for a drink that’s similar to a Bloody Mary but with a twist. While some may choose to serve this as a brunch cocktail, it can be enjoyed any time of day or alongside your favorite Mexican food (and preferably with a beach within view!).

The origins of the drink aren’t agreed on, but it most likely goes back to the middle of the 20th century when Mexican beer started to be served with lime and salt.

Related: Classic Bloody Mary, Rosemary Bloody Maria, Sriracha Bloody Mary, Basil Bloody Mary, Frozen Bloody Mary

What’s the difference between a Michelada and a Bloody Mary?

While the drinks have similar flavor profiles heavy on tomato juice and spices, the Michelada has beer as its alcohol and a Bloody Mary uses vodka for the main spirit.

What’s the best beer to use for Michelada? 

You’ll want a light Mexican beer for this drink, so anything like Corona, Sol, Modelo, or Tecate will work just fine. Experiment with different beers to find your personal favorite!

Ingredients

• Beer: Choose your favorite light beer to add some lift and bubbles to this cocktail.
• Clamato or Tomato Juice: While both are a popular choice for this savory drink, Clamato juice is the more traditional choice and has clam juice added to the tomato juice so it adds another layer of flavor to the cocktail (it also makes the consistency a little thinner).
• Lime: Lime juice gives a tartness and a fresh edge that helps cut through the savory tomato and spices and using fresh lime will give you the best results.
• Worcestershire: Yep, the same stuff you have in your cooking cabinet will add a spicy edge to your drink.
• Soy Sauce: Just a dash of soy brings some umami flavor and adds some salt to the drink.
• Tobasco: Start on the lower end if you are wary of spice but feel free to add until it hits your perfect spice level. And if you have a different hot sauce that’s your favorite, like Tapatio, or Cholula, give that a try instead!
• Tajin (optional): People traditionally decorate the top rim of the glass with Tajin, but you can leave it off if it’s harder for you to find and you can use chili powder in a pinch.

Garnish your Michelada the same way you would a Bloody Mary with your choice of olives, pickles, shrimp, lime wedges, etc.

While there’s no standard glass to serve a Michelada in, try these beer mugs or a tumbler for yours.

Directions

To make the rim, place enough Tajin in a bowl or plate to cover the rim. Run a lime wedge around the edge of the glass to wet the rim, and stick the wet rim into the Tajin so it sticks to the wet edge (you can also buy this which is helpful!).

For the Michelada, fill your glass with ice and add the soy sauce, Worcestershire, and Tobasco. Squeeze in your fresh lime and then add your tomato or Clamato juice.

Top with your light beer, give a light stir, and enjoy!

Tips for Making

• Play with the amount of beer you add to the drink, more will make it lighter and more fizzy while less will give it a more savory punch. 
• In a pinch, you can use Bloody Mary mix if you don’t have tomato or Clamato juice.
• Add some margarita salt in with your Tajin seasoning to make a salty spicy rim.

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