Tasty Michelada: Original Mexican Beer Cocktail
Tara A. Spears
With the Mexican spring break, semana santa, nearly here, many travelers are dreaming about enjoying Micheladas on the beach. This beer cocktail embodies the zest for life that symbolizes Mexican fiestas and relaxing on the beach. While there are several legends as to who invented this drink originally, all sources agree that michelada is a beer mixed with lime juice and spicy sauces like Worchester sauce, picante sauce or soy sauce (or a mixture of these). The name is derived from the Mexican slang for beer, ‘chelada’, so michelada translated to mi-chela-helada, meaning “my cold beer”.
All photos are provided the Jaltemba Bay master of the Michelada, Chef Julio Parra of Julio’s Steakhouse in downtown La Penita. He offers the traditional and ‘super’ versions that are amazing creations! Experience the real flavor of Mexico with a Michelada.
There are as many versions of the Michelada as there are bartenders, but most agree that you need to start with a blonde beer. In addition to the beer, the main ingredient of the Michelada is the natural and freshly squeezed lime juice. Most supplemental ingredients in this cocktail are condiments such as Tabasco, Habanera or Worcestershire sauce as flavor enhancers. And, as a final finish, Michelada becomes sparkling with a pinch of spicy powder and salt on the rim. 
In many areas of Mexico if you ask for a michelada you’ll get the classic version which has an iced glass with salt around the rim, beer mixed with lime juice to form an adult ‘lemonada’. Regional variations exist in the precise wording but, generally speaking, if you ask for a michelada, you’ll get a salt-rimmed glass with just lime juice. When you ask for michelada preparada, you’ll get a salt-rimmed glass with the lime juice and spicy sauces. In some areas it is the custom for your beer bottle will be brought to the table separately, giving you an opportunity to check the contents of the glass and change your mind before the precious nectar is introduced to the glass.
In the Jaltemba Bay beach area, the Michelada is a tasty snack with a kick. As you study the following photos, the super micheladas has shrimp and other edible tidbits to heighten the pleasure.
As the popularity grew, more ingredients were added to the recipe, making Michelada a tasty cocktail/ snack. Some people believe that drinking micheladas to be a good remedy against hangover! Because it is served very cold, it’s refreshing and perfect for hot days. A step up from the ordinary, many drinkers prefer the originality of this quirky beer cocktail.
Today, Michelada has become one of the most popular and consumed drinks in Mexico. For the foreign visitors, Michelada has become an exotic symbol of their fun Mexican beach vacation. Grab a super Michelada from Julios and watch the sunset over the island on the La Penita malecon. Great memory!
