The Do-It-Yourself Michelada
By Chuck Sudo in Food on Oct 13, 2005 8:37PM
If you've ever ordered a Corona, Tecate, Modelo, or any other beer with salt and lime you've made a basic michelada without even realizing it. South of the Rio Grande michelada recipes are as available and varied as bloody mary spices here. In the michelada salt and lime are paired with spices and ice to make a brew with some kick. In yet another effort to regain its lost share in the increasingly competitive spirits game breweries and beer distributors are planning to make the michelada a popular concoction among casual drinkers.
We've been tracking the news reports and discussions among beer snobs about attempts by Mexican breweries to market pre-made michelada mixes for beer north of the border. Cynics claim that it's another attempt to make bad beer taste good, and you can count Chicagoist among the members of that camp. Others see it as an opportunity for breweries to capitalize on the spending power of younger drinkers by marketing hip, trendy beers directly to them. It's a hit-or-miss proposition: remember Red Dog, Tequiza, or B-to-the-E?
We figured why spend money buying michelada mix when you can make one with stuff that's languishing unused in your pantry? Here are the ingredients you need:
- beer
- 1 lime
- hot sauce (Chicagoist used Cholula for this recipe)
-salt and pepper
-chile powder or other seasonings
- ice
Chill a glass. Rim it with salt. Add spices and ice. Pour the beer in. Stir lightly to mix ingredients.
The michelada was not unpleasant. It had some medium heat on the palate and we particularly liked the way the lime and hot sauce complemented each other. Then again we like spicy things- foods, music, women. Our miscue with this beverage is that we used Bohemia as the base beer. Bohemia is one of a handful of Mexican beers with character and flavor. The spices we added completely masked the flavor of the beer. Michelada spices are made specifically for flavorless beer like Corona.
If the major breweries want to regain their loss in the market, Chicagoist offers a humble, alliterative, and unsolicited suggestion: brew better beer.