Michelada
Average
Spicy & Herb
3 Minutes
Highball Glass
Ingredients
The Michelada is a beer cocktail made with beer, lime juice, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce served in a glass rimmed with salt, chili and lime.
Micheladas are a guaranteed hit on hot days, at backyard BBQs, or as the ideal pairing with Mexican dishes like tacos and ceviche. Salud!
How To Make a michelada cocktail
Bar tools you’ll need
Jigger
Knife
Bar Spoon
Citrus Elbow
How to Mix
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Pour Mexican salt, chili and lime seasoning onto a plate.
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Cut a lime in half, then slice it into wedges. Save a lime wedge for garnishing.
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Use a lime wedge to rim your glass, then dip the rim into the chili lime seasoning.
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Fill your glass with ice cubes.
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Use a citrus elbow (or citrus press) to juice your limes.
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Use a jigger (or measuring instrument) to measure and pour the lime juice into the glass.
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Measure and add tomato sauce.
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Add a teaspoon of hot sauce, followed by soy sauce.
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Slowly pour in a beer, all the way to the top of the glass.
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Use a bar spoon to gently stir.
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Garnish with a lime wedge.
What is a Michelada Cocktail?
A Michelada is a popular savory beer cocktail from Mexico that combines beer, lime juice, and a variety of sauces and spices. It’s typically served in a glass with a rim that can be seasoned with anything from salt, lime and chili to cayenne powder or celery salt.
What Does a Michelada Cocktail Taste Like?
A Michelada cocktail is a mix of savory, tangy, and spicy flavors. It combines crisp beer, savory tomato sauce, zesty lime juice and sauces like hot sauce, adding depth and a spicy, salty rim for extra bite.
The History of the Michelada Cocktail
The origins of the Michelada cocktail are somewhat unclear. However, consensus is that it likely emerged in the mid-20th century when serving beer with lime and salt became popular in Mexico.
One popular story tells of a man named Michel, who in the 1960s asked for his beer with lime, salt, ice, and a straw in a cup called “chabela,” resembling a beer lemonade (limonada). Club members started requesting “Michel’s lemonade,” which allegedly led to the cocktail being named Michelada. As time went on, various sauces were added to the original recipe.
Another popular tale about the drink’s origins revolves around the term “chela,” slang for a cold beer in Mexico, with “mi chela helada” meaning “my ice-cold beer.”
Tips for Making the Perfect Michelada Cocktail
- Choose a vinegar-based hot sauce
When you’re choosing a hot sauce for your Michelada, we recommend using a vinegar-based hot sauce. The vinegar base works perfectly with the tomato sauce. - Use fresh squeezed lime juice
To ensure the acidity of the lime really comes through in the drink, we strongly suggest using fresh squeezed lime juice – not store-bought bottled stuff. - Choose a Mexican beer
Mexican beer stands out for its light, crisp character, making it ideal for hot climates and spicy cuisine. Many Mexican lagers are known for their crisp and clean taste.They often incorporate corn or maize in the brewing process, lending a subtle sweetness and smoothness that sets them apart from beers brewed elsewhere. So, be sure to use a Mexican lager in your Michelada for that authentic experience.
Variations of a Michelada Cocktail
- Michelada with Tomato and Clam Juice
An extremely popular variation of a Michelada uses tomato juice with dried clam broth instead of regular tomato juice. Clam tomato juice adds a salty, savory, umami quality to the drink. - Michelada with Worchester Sauce
While we prefer to use soy sauce in our Michelada recipe, many people like to use Worchester Sauce. Adding soy sauce to a Michelada gives it a smooth, salty umami flavor, while Worcestershire sauce brings a tangy, savory twist with hints of vinegar, molasses, and spices. - Virgin Michelada
Follow the recipe on this page but swap the beer for a non-alcoholic beer and you’ve got yourself a delicious and refreshing Virgin Michelada. - Add celery salt and black pepper
There are many variations of Michelada, but one popular recipe uses a pinch of celery salt and black pepper. Celery salt adds a savory, herbal note enhancing the drink’s complexity, while black pepper provides another level of spiciness. See which you prefer! - Michelada with Beer and Pepper-Flavored Vodka
For an episode of Absolut Drinks with Rico, Absolut Global Brand Ambassador Ricardo ‘Rico’ Dynan made an incredible version of the Michelada with beer and pepper-flavored vodka. “Hot, spicy, sweet. Beer and vodka – I don’t know what else you could want from life – it’s the summer drink you want to drink!” shares Ricardo ‘Rico’ Dynan, Absolut Global Brand Ambassador. Try it for yourself!
Watch Rico make a Michelada cocktail with beer and vodka!
Serving and Garnish Ideas for a Michelada
- Serve your Michelada in a Collins glass or highball glass filled with ice cubes. Both are the perfect size for the tomato juice, lime juice, and beer, even if you don’t pour the entire beer at once.
- However, being that the Michelada is a beer cocktail, you could also serve your drink in a tankard or Pilsner glass.
- We recommend rimming your glassware with Mexican salt, chili and lime seasoning. It adds a spicy bite that perfectly complements the drink’s flavors. However, you could simply rim your glass with flaky salt too for a subtler, savory touch.
- Garnish your Michelada with a lime wedge, which accentuates the lime notes in the drink and adds a fresh, zesty finish.
Michelada FAQ
A pale Mexican lager, which contains malted barley, hops, yeast, and corn.
To make a Michelada cocktail, aim for a 3:1 ratio of beer to tomato mixture. Use a 300 ml (12 oz) bottle or can of beer. Typically, not all the beer fits in the glass initially, so you’ll need to top it up as you sip.
No. While they’re similar, the main difference is that a Michelada uses beer, whereas a Bloody Mary uses vodka. Micheladas also feature Mexican flavors like lime juice, hot sauce, and often a salted or chili-powdered rim. Garnishes differ too, with a Bloody Mary typically garnished with a celery stick and a lemon wedge.
A Chelada is another popular Mexican beer cocktail made with Mexican lager, fresh lime juice, and a salt-rimmed glass. Michelada is a tomato-based alternative and contains beer, lime juice as well soy sauce (or Worcestershire sauce), hot sauce and a salted, chili and lime seasoned rim.
Everything that’s in an alcoholic Michelada but it uses an alcohol-free beer instead of an alcoholic beer.
