Classic Michelada Recipe (2024)

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Mexican Beer co*cktail

There are many variations of the michelada, a Mexican beer co*cktail. I prepare the classic old-school version with Carta Blanca beer which I first tried in Monterrey, N.L. in the early 90’s. A warm weather drink that is cold, crisp, salty, savory, with a citrus finish. The savory flavors come from from Worcestershire sauce and Maggi Sauce which sound like odd additions to beer but trust me on this one. It’s delicious.

Classic Michelada Recipe (1)

A michelada is also known as a cerveza preparada or chelada. For authentic flavor, you must use Mexican lager beers which are light and crisp and always served ice-cold. In this classic version, the added ingredients enhance the beer but don’t overpower it.

What to Expect from this Recipe

Throughout Mexico, there are infinite variations of this drink, some simple and some over the top. This is a simpler classic version which allows the taste of the beer to shine through. You can drink a few of them over the course of an afternoon without feeling weighed down.

Make it Your Own

You can find many michelada recipes that add a splash of hot sauce and chili powder like Tajín to the rim of the glass.Others add a splash of Clamato, a tomato co*cktail juice, which makes it more like a Mexican Bloody Mary.

Ultimately, you decide how you like it prepared. Have fun trying the many possible combinations until you perfect your own michelada recipe.

With all the extras, micheladas prepared like this are great in their own way but for my tastes, I find that the flavor of the beer gets overpowered. And I love the taste of beer :) I don’t like to mess too much with a good thing.

Classic Michelada Recipe (2)

How to Make

Enjoy my michelada recipe. Choose your favorite Mexican lager and gather the remaining ingredients. You can add or subtract ingredients to get it exactly to your tastes.

Michelada Ingredients:

  • Mexican Lager Beer, Ice-Cold (Choose 1 from the list.)
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Maggi Sauce
  • Limes
  • Salt
  • Ice cubes

Mexican Lagers

  • Carta Blanca (My personal favorite for making micheladas.)
  • Tecate
  • Corona
  • Sol
  • Pacifico
  • Dos Equis (XX)
  • Modelo Especial
Classic Michelada Recipe (3)

Prep Your Glass

Choose your glass: A Pilsner glass or Weizen glass are the best choices for preparing micheladas.

To begin, squeeze the juice of half a lime into a small bowl.

Classic Michelada Recipe (4)

Then, dip the rim of the glass into the lime juice.

Classic Michelada Recipe (5)

Lastly, dip the rim of the glass in the salt.

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Now you are ready to prepare your drink!

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Pour Your Drink

Step 1: Add ice to your beer glass.

Classic Michelada Recipe (8)

Step 2: Add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce. It used sparingly so as not to overpower the flavor of the beer.

Classic Michelada Recipe (9)

Step 3: Add a few drops of Maggi sauce. It is also used sparingly to allow the flavor of the beer to come through.

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Step 4: Add the juice of ½ lime.

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Step 5: Pour your beer into your glass.

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Step 6: Enjoy! This is the best step :)

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Beer is best enjoyed in the company of others. Who are you going to share one with?

Provecho!

Classic Michelada Recipe (14)

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4.67 from 3 votes

Classic Michelada Recipe

The michelada is a classic Mexican beer co*cktail prepared with, Worcestershire sauce, Maggi sauce, and fresh squeezed lime juice. It’s cold, crisp, salty, savory, with a citrus finish.

Course Beverage

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Beer co*cktail Recipe, How to Make a Michelada, Michelada Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Calories 151kcal

Author Douglas Cullen

Equipment

  • small cutting board

  • small knife

  • small low-sided bowl

  • beer glass

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle Mexican lager beer 12 oz.
  • 5 drops Worcestershire sauce add or subtract to taste
  • 5 drops Maggi sauce add or subtract to taste
  • 1 tbsp. lime juice juice from about ½ a lime
  • 2 tbsp. salt to frost the rim of the glass
  • 3 ice cubes lg.

Instructions

Prep Your Glass

  • Squeeze the juice of half a lime into a small bowl.

  • Then, dip the rim of the glass into the lime juice.

  • Lastly, dip the rim of the glass in the salt.

Prepare Your Beer

  • Add 3 ice cubes to your beer glass.

  • Add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce.

  • Add a few drops of Maggi sauce.

  • Add the lime juice.

  • Pour your beer into your glass.

  • Enjoy!

Notes

Variations

  • You can add splash of hot-sauce and dip the rim of your glass in chile powder. We like San Luis or Valentina brands of hot-sauce.
  • Add a splash of Clamato (tomato co*cktail juice)

Nutrition

Serving: 12ozs. | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 513mg | Potassium: 92mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 14mg

More Mexican Drinks

  • Carajillo co*cktail
  • Hot Chocolate with Kahlua

More Beverages

  • Champurrado (Chocolate Atole)
  • Classic Mexican Margarita
  • Agua de Melon
  • Mangonada

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Classic Michelada Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make the perfect Pacific Standard michelada? ›

Set glass right side up and fill with lime juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Add a pinch or two of salt, fill glass with ice, and top with beer. Stir gently if you want to mix it up a bit. Serve with remaining beer, topping up as you drink.

What is the difference between a michelada and a chelada? ›

While both are Mexican beer co*cktails that are refreshing and perfect for a hot day, a michelada is complex and flavorful, whereas a chelada is a simpler version of the michelada. While the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, the difference between the chelada and a michelada is in the seasoning preparation.

What is the best beer to make a michelada with? ›

The best beer for a michelada is something light and refreshing, with a hint of salt and citrus. Mexican beers like Sol, Corona Extra or Light, Modelo (Light) or Tecate are all great choices. Light American beers, like Bud Light, also work well.

What is the flavor profile of a michelada? ›

It has a heavily fruity flavor from passion fruit with the floral heat of habanero. They de-seed the habaneros and cook them down to make a paste, then blend that with passion fruit. “It's carried over from Mexican cooking; each chile is nuanced and treated differently,” Small says.

What is the difference between a preparada and a michelada? ›

Michelada is the evolutionary pinnacle of 'cerveza preparada' — prepared beer — which is Mexican shorthand for a beer loaded with extras such as salt and lime.

What is the difference between a Bloody Mary and a michelada mix? ›

A michelada is often called a "Mexican Bloody Mary." It has tomato juice as the base, spices, a little hot sauce, and savory seasonings, but instead of vodka (like a Bloody Mary), we use a cold Mexican style beer. It's a refreshing, low-alcohol drink that's amazing for brunch or anytime of year!

What does michelada mean in Spanish? ›

from the Spanish language that combines “chela” (slang term for beer) with “ada” for “helada,” meaning cold, and “mi” for mine — my cold beer.

What does michelada mean in English? ›

In this instance, michelada translates to “my cold beer” derived from the following Spanish words: mi (my), chela (slang term for beer), and ada (from helada, a term for cold).

What's the difference between a red eye and a michelada? ›

Technically, a difference between what we call a Red Eye and a traditional Michelada are a few additional ingredients. Most people add lime juice to their Michelada, but some recipes call for soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce for an even stronger flavor, but those are largely considered optional.

What beer do most Mexicans drink? ›

Corona is the best-selling beer produced by Mexico, and the best-selling non-domestic beer in both the U.S., U.K and Australia. It is one of the five most-consumed beers in the world, available in more than 150 countries. It is a lager, and was created in 1925 to celebrate Cervecería Modelo's tenth anniversary.

What is the stick in a michelada? ›

Wet the rim of a 12oz glass with a lime wedge and dip in Tajin. Fill glass with ice and add 3oz. of Tomatillo Michelada Mix. Top with beer and garnish with a Mexican tamarind candy stick.

What beer do Mexicans actually drink? ›

The majority of beers in Mexico are lagers, pilsners, Vienna-style light and dark beers, as well as Munich dark beers.

What is it called when you put tomato juice in beer? ›

Call it a red beer, or a red eye, or a tomato beer, just don't call it a bloody mary. This is a very simple beer drink, and although it's similar to a bloody mary, and some people mistakenly call it that, it is clearly not.

What is the short name for michelada? ›

Another etymology states that michelada is a portmanteau of mi chela helada. The word chela is a popular term for a cold beer in Mexico; therefore the phrase mi chela helada means "my ice-cold beer".

Can you use any beer for michelada? ›

Micheladas originated in Mexico and now there are many different recipes. Dark beer, normally XX Cerveza is the norm in Mexico, but you can use any beer you like.

What is in the michelada cups? ›

What's in Our Authentic Michelada Mix? Don Chelada Select Michelada Mix Original Blend and Don Chelada Michelada Cups with Mega Moist Rims feature a flavor-packed blend of natural ingredients, including chili powder, lemon powder, sea salt, sugar, and pepper.

What is a michelada drink made of? ›

A michelada (Spanish pronunciation: [mitʃeˈlaða]) is a Mexican drink made with beer, lime juice, assorted sauces (often chili-based), spices, and chili peppers. It is served in a chilled, salt-rimmed glass.

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