Basic Michelada Cocktail

With just a few ingredients, you can turn your standard beer into a flavorful, refreshing Michelada Cocktail!

Authentic Michelada Cocktail

If you’ve ever traveled to Mexico, you’ve likely had a Michelada cocktail or two. But did you know that this Mexican beer cocktail is actually extremely easy to make at home, with just a handful of ingredients?

This drink is the go-to for many Mexicans watching a sports game or enjoying a barbeque with friends. Read on to learn how to make your own Michelada!

What is a Michelada?

Michelada is a Mexican Beer Cocktail featuring beer, ice, lime juice, salt, and an assortment of sauces. These typically include Worcestershire sauce, a hot sauce (like Tabasco, Valentina, or Tapatio), and a seasoning sauce (like Maggi).

Michelada Recipe Variations

There are a few main variations to the michelada recipe.

The most common variation is the Michelada with Clamato. It includes all the ingredients mentioned above, but also has Clamato juice added to it. The Michelada with Clamato Juice is a very popular michelada variant.

There’s also the Michelada with Chamoy. This version has the interior of the glass coated with Chamoy sauce, and it also has the rim coated with Chamoy.

Additionally, there is a simpler version of the Michelada which is simply referred to as a “Chelada”. This one does not use savory sauces (Worcestershire, hot sauce, etc.), and only uses beer, ice, and lime juice. The rim of the glass is still coated with salt or a crushed pepper mix (Tajín).

These are the main variations, but on top of this any restaurant or cook can make their own changes. These include changing the sauces. For example, instead of Maggi sauce, some might use soy sauce (or both), and the brand of hot sauce used will be whichever the person prefers.

All across Mexico, you will encounter different methods of preparing Micheladas, changing from person to person and from restaurant to restaurant.

How do you serve a Michelada?

Micheladas are commonly served in a glass beer mug that has been frosted in the freezer. This ensures that the michelada stays cold for your refreshment. If you don’t have a glass beer mug, you can use a regular tall glass to make your michelada.

The glass mug used to serve the Michelada is usually rimmed with salt or a crushed pepper mix like Tajín. First, a wedge of lime is run over the rim to coat it in lime juice, then the rim is dipped into salt, a crushed pepper mix, or both. In the case of the Michelada with Chamoy, chamoy sauce is used to coat the rim of the glass instead of lime juice. It is then coated with the salt or Tajín, just like the regular michelada.

As far as toppings go, a Michelada will be fine by itself or with a simple wedge of lime on the rim of the glass. However, some people like to go all out with the toppings, and will add things like cucumber slices, celery stalks, skewers with fruits or vegetables, peeled shrimp, or peppers like jalapeños. The toppings can be either savory or sweet, as some people even use candy or popsicles! Just like with Bloody Marys, some people like being quite extravagant with their Michelada toppings.

Where did the Michelada beer cocktail come from?

Well, honestly... no one knows. Like with many cocktails, there are multiple origin stories explaining how and when the Michelada was created, but there’s no definitive answer as to which one is true. It all depends on who you ask!

One popular story centers around a man named Michel Ésper. He frequently ordered drinks at a sporting club in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and had the habit of ordering his beer on ice, with lime and salt added. Eventually, other patrons began to order the same, and referred to the drink as a “Michelada”, combining the name “Michel” and the word “Limonada” (“lemonade” in Spanish).

Another explanation for the name is that “Michelada” sounds like “Mi chela helada”, meaning “My ice cold chela”. “Chela” is a colloquial term for “beer” in Mexico, so “Mi chela helada” would mean “My ice cold beer".

Some people think that the the Michelada was created from the love that Mexicans have of adding lime to foods and drinks, and to coating the rim of their glasses with lime and salt when making cocktails.

This seems to be a likely theory since it’s definitely true that Mexicans add lime to EVERYTHING... so why not beer too?!

Why are Micheladas so refreshing?

Part of the reason a Michelada is so refreshing is the lime juice. It really breaks up the heaviness of the beer and adds a light fresh flavor to it.

Micheladas are also served over ice, and that makes them super cold and the perfect thing to cool you down on a hot day. It also helps that the glass is usually ice cold too!

Are Micheladas spicy?

Oftentimes, yes, but it depends on the ingredients. You can easily adjust the level of spiciness by adding or omitting some of the ingredients. Not a fan of spiciness? Omit the Tabasco and crushed pepper mix. Love it? Then add extra! Micheladas generally aren’t super spicy, they just have a small kick to them.

What foods go with Micheladas?

Micheladas can go with almost any savory food. They are typically enjoyed with Mexican foods and snacks, including Tacos, and Tostadas. They are also enjoyed when eating grilled steak, grilled shrimp, seafood cocktails, and other seafood dishes. If you are making Micheladas for a game, party, or barbeque, then they will go great with foods like nachos and chips with salsa!

What’s the best type of beer for a Michelada?

Micheladas are typically made using a light Mexican beer, often a lager. This is what I would recommend you use if it’s available in your area (any brand will do). Alternatively, some people also like using dark Mexican beers for their Micheladas. Nevertheless, you can use whatever type of beer you like, including craft beers and even non-alcoholic beer.

Here is the list of ingredients you will need to make a Michelada Cocktail:

You will find the amounts in the recipe card below.

• Lime wedges, one or two to moisten the rim, and one to decorate the glass.
• Salt (enough to coat the rim of the glass)
• Tajin Powder (or finely crushed Piquin Pepper
• Ice cubes, about 4 or 5 ice cubes per glass
• Lime juice, about 2 tablespoons. If you don't find limes you can substitute them with lemons.
• Tabasco Sauce, you can also use Cholula o Tapatio Sauce.
• Worcestershire sauce
• Maggi Sauce Seasoning
• Cold Mexican Lager Beers, make sure they are very cold.

You will need to tall beer glasses previously chill or frost in your freezer for at least 60 minutes.

How to make a michelada cocktail

• Rim the edges of two tall glasses or beer mugs with a lime wedge, then turn the glasses upside down to dip first into the salt and then into Tajín and coat the rims. You can also mix both, the salt and Tajin to make a single mixture.
• Add half a cup of ice cubes to each glass.

• Add the lime juice, Maggi Sauce, Tabasco Sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and mix with a spoon. You can also mix all these four ingredients in a small bowl and pour them evenly between each glass.
• Now, open your beers and slowly pour one beer into each glass. Make sure you tilt your glass at a 45 angle when pouring to prevent too much foam. Decorate with a wedge of lime and enjoy!

Buen Provecho!
Mely,

More recipes:
Peanut Torito Cocktail Recipe
Mexican Margarita Recipe

📖 Recipe

Michelada Cocktail

Mely Martínez

And for moments like those when you are sharing with your friends and having to fun nothing like an ice cold beer but this time a beer cocktail, a famous one in Mexico. Some references mention that Michelada was created from the love Mexicans have of adding lime to food and drinks.

5 from 9 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

0 mins

Total Time 5 mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 2 people

Calories 124 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 Lime wedges one to moisten the rim and one to decorate the glass.
• ▢ Salt enough to coat the rim of the glass
• ▢ 2 tsp. Tajin Powder (or finely crushed Piquin Pepper
• ▢ 1 cup Ice cubes about 4 or 5 ice cube sper glass
• ▢ 1 oz. lime juice about 2 tablespoons
• ▢ 1 tsp. Tabasco Sauce
• ▢ ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Maggi Sauce
• ▢ 2 Cold Mexican Lager Beers make sure they are very cold.

Instructions

 

• Rim the edges of two tall glasses or beer mugs with a lime wedge, then turn the glasses upside down to dip first into the salt and then into Tajín and coat the rims. You can also mix both, the salt and Tajin to make a single mixture.
• Add half a cup of ice cubes to each glass.
• Add the lime juice, Maggi Sauce, Tabasco Sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and mix with a spoon. You can also mix all these four ingredients in a small bowl and pour them evenly between each glass.
• Now, open your beers and slowly pour one beer into each glass. Make sure you tilt your glass at a 45 angle when pouring to prevent too much foam. Decorate with a wedge of lime and enjoy!

Notes

You will need two tall beer glasses previously chill or frost in your freezer for at least 60 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1MicheladaCalories: 124kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1277mgPotassium: 195mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 561IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg

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