Michelada
An ice-cold Mexican beer cocktail with tart lime, savoury salt and a hint of chilli to wake the taste buds on a hot afternoon.
Ingredients
- Lager, cold Mexican lager350 ml
- Lime juice, freshly squeezed30 ml
- Tomato juice, or Clamato120 ml
- Ice5 cubes
- Chili, chilli powder or Tajín, for the rim5 ml
- Worcestershire sauce15 ml
- Tabasco, hot sauce, to taste; start lower if you are wary of the heat10 ml
- Salt, for the rim5 ml
- Lime, to garnish (optional)1 wedge
Method
- Mix the salt and chilli powder on a small plate.
- Moisten the rim of a tall glass with a lime wedge and dip it in the salt and chilli mix.
- Fill the glass with ice cubes.
- Add the lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and tomato or Clamato juice.
- Pour in the cold lager gently and stir lightly to combine.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and serve at once.
About this drink
The Michelada comes from Mexico, where beer, lime and spicy sauces have long been a favourite combination for brunch and hangover cures. The name is thought to come from 'mi chela helada', 'my cold beer', and the drink has grown from a simple mix of beer and lime into the savoury, Clamato-spiced version known today. It is one of the best examples of how the logic of Mexican street food (salt, acidity, heat) works as well in a glass as on a plate.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between a Michelada and a Bloody Mary?
Beer instead of vodka: the same idea of tomato juice, hot sauce and spices, but the Michelada is lighter in alcohol and more refreshing, meant as a brunch or morning-after drink.
Why is the rim of a Michelada glass salted and spiced?
The spicy salt rim adds an extra layer of flavour to every sip and amplifies the drink's salty, tart character. Skip it if you prefer a cleaner beer flavour.
