The Perfect Mexican Michelada Recipe - Foodie And Wine (2024)

This Mexican Michelada recipe is loaded with the classics: beer, lime juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, and tomato juice (optional). It’s the perfect beer co*cktail for your Cinco de Mayo party or thirst quencher on a hot summer day.

What Is A Michelada

The Michelada, also called a Bloody Beer, is a popular Mexican drink with simple, yet varying ingredients depending on the region.

It’s often compared to the Bloody Mary, as both are touted as hangover cures, popular at brunch, and tomato-based (unless you’re using the tomato-less version).

The big difference between a Michelada and Bloody Mary? The booze! One uses Mexican beer and the other vodka.

Without Tomato Juice

In many regions, the Michelada does not contain tomato juice. Ingredients include beer, hot sauce, lime juice, Worcestershire Sauce, and salt, served in a salt-rimmed glass. It’s the spicy version of a Chelada.

With Tomato Juice

In other regions, tomato juice (or Clamato) is included. This version of the has tomato juice, beer, hot sauce, lime juice, Worcestershire Sauce, and salt.

Which route makes for the best Michelada recipe? Both! It’s whichever version you prefer. There is no right or wrong choice.

I personally keep the tomato juice for when we’re knocking back a Bloody Maria or Bloody Caesar.

Michelada Mix

Here are the ingredients needed to mix up this killer drink:

• Light Mexican Beer
• Lime Juice – fresh is best.But sub-in bottled lime juice if that’s what you have on hand.
• Worcestershire Sauce – adds a ton of complex flavor and saltiness in a small package.
• Hot Sauce – The hot sauce makes the drink! Tabasco is traditional, but we often use Tapatio or even Cholula.
• Tomato Juice – when making the version with tomato juice, we recommend V8 or any plain tomato juice. You can also opt for Clamato.

This drink is very adaptable so make sure you play with the ratios to get it just right. We can never have enough spice so usually double the hot sauce. Just don’t “skip” any of the ingredients. They’re all important to the final product.

Michelada Beer

What’s the best beer for Michealda? This recipe should be made with a light Mexican beer, such as Corona, Modelo, Pacífico, Sol or Tecate. It is a Mexican-themed recipe after all.

Don’t replace it with a non-Mexican beer. What ever beer you’d use in a Beermosa, you can use in this recipe.

How To Make A Michelada

Rim the Glass – Add Tajin to a wide, shallow dish to cover the bottom. Rub the rim of the glass with water or lime juice from the squeezed lime. Dip the glass into the chili salt to create a chili-salt rimmed glass.

Make the Michelada Mix – Add the lime juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce and a pinch of salt to the glass.

Make The Drink – Fill the glass with ice and top with beer. The pressure from adding the beer should mix the ingredients so you don’t have to manually stir. You want to keep the bubbles intact!

Mixologist Tips

• To ensure the drink stays ice cold, place the Michelada cup in the freezer for 10-15 minutes prior to use.
• Clamato Michelada – swap out the tomato juice and use Clamato instead.
• Gently tip the glass when pouring the beer in to keep it as carbonated as possible.
• Mix it up by making a Mango Michelada with a Chamoy rimmed glass.

Serving Suggestions

Here are some serving tips to consider when making. This isn’t just a brunch co*cktail, y’all!

• Serve with Carne Asada, Pollo Asado and Mexican Shrimp co*cktail.
• Take it up a notch by garnishing with a lime wedge, celery stalk, shrimp or green olives. Any Bloody Mary garnish will work here.
• This refreshing drink is a great option to serve at your summer pool party or graduation party, alongside the Mexican Candy Shot.

Beer and Tomato Juice

If you’re into beer and tomato juice drinks, also check out the Red Beer (Red Eye). It’s just tomato juice and beer! No spices, not hot sauce, just the tomato juice and beer.

Depending on how much you have to drink this Cinco de Mayo, consider having the ingredients on hand to make this recipe on Seis de Mayo as Latin America believes it’s a hangover cure. Only one way to find out for sure!

Cheers!

This recipe was originally posted in May 2018, but has been updated with new photos and additional text.