Michelada is a Mexican beer-based cocktail made with beer, lime juice, assorted sauces, spices, and peppers. It is served in a chilled, salt-rimmed glass. There are numerous variations of this beverage throughout Mexico and Latin America.
Incidentally, some people in Mexico believe micheladas are a good remedy for hangovers. Of course, there’s been no scientific backing for this. While the beer, lime and salt are standard to the beverage, hot sauces vary from person to person based on one’s preference. Anything from Maggi barbeque sauce and Worcestershire sauce, to Nando’s Peri Peri goes in it.
The idea is to make it spicy and tangy at once. Adding a few slices of orange brings out a different dimension to the drink. There are a variety of Micheladas. A Clamato contains clam juice and tomato juice. A Chelada contains simply lime and originally sea salt, but often simply regular table salt. A Cubana contains Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, chili and salt.
a michelada is a drink that people even spar over how it got its name. The most bandied about explanation is that it’s a shortening of mi chela helada or “my cold beer.” What goes into a michelada fluctuates from region to region in Mexico — or even more microscopically, whose house in what neighborhood you’re in. But almost every michelada offers the same reward: When it’s blisteringly hot — and micheladas are typically thought of as a day drink or a morning-after hangover cure — is there anything more refreshing than a spicy beer cocktail with lots of ice cubes in a tall glass?
