The michelada just might be my all-time favorite low-alcohol sipper, thanks to its savory nature. While restaurants and bars serve gussied-up ver- sions of this classic Mexican libation, the bare-bones basics call for a Mexican beer, tomato juice, spices (ideally the blend Tajín Clásico, which is a combo of salt, chiles, and lime), and a choice of sauces, like Worcestershire, soy, or even teriyaki—sometimes mixed together, other times added separately, depending on who is building the drink. It ends up tasting sort of like a bloody Mary, but with a more mellow beer base instead of a vodka spike. Personally, I like extra spice and acid in mine (bring on the fresh lime juice!), and a pinch of salt mixed into the cocktail serves to accentuate its flavors for an extra- bright-tasting drink.
As is the case with most any recipe, the following is really a set of guidelines—if you like more or less spice, and more or less acid, feel free to adjust the measurements to suit your palate. And you’ll find an assortment of creative variations below.
Classic Michelada
MAKES 1
Ingredients
-
- Coarse salt (see note)
- 2 lime wedges
- 2 ounces tomato juice (canned, bottled, or fresh)
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- ½ ounce hot sauce
- ¼ ounce Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon Tajín Clásico
- 1 bottle (12 ounces) pale lager, such as Corona Extra, chilled
Instructions
- Place about ¼ cup salt on a small plate. Rub the rim of a Collins or pint glass (or a 16-ounce Solo cup—no need to get fancy) with one of the lime wedges to moisten it, then dip the rim in the salt to coat.
- Combine the tomato juice, lime juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Tajín, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and mix.
- Fill the prepared glass about three-quarters full with ice cubes and add the tomato juice mixture. Top with beer and garnish with the remaining lime wedge.
NOTE: While a coarse salt rim is traditional, Tajín Clásico is another easy and flavorful option.
5 Simple Variations
1. SEASIDE MICHELADA
Combine 2 ounces clam juice + ¼ ounce hot sauce + ¼ ounce Worcestershire sauce + ½ ounce fresh lime juice + ½ teaspoon Tajín. Top with a pale lager. Garnish with a cooked shrimp.
2. MICHELADA NEGRA
Use a dark Mexican beer, such as Negra Modelo, in place of the pale lager.
3. MAKE-DO MICHELADA
Combine ½ ounce hot sauce + ½ ounce fresh lime juice. Top with pale lager; season to taste with salt and pepper or ½ teaspoon Tajín if you have it.
4. THAI MICHELADA
Switch out the hot sauce for 1 teaspoon or more of Sriracha in its place. Garnish with a fresh chile + Thai basil.
5. SALSA MICHELADA
In place of tomato juice, puree 2 tablespoons of salsa; use that as your tomato avoring.
Topanga Canyon Julep
MAKES 1
If you’re a derby-wearing, mint-loving julep drinker— or even if you don’t care for hats but favor light drinks with fresh flavors—you will appreciate this. It’s an anise-forward, low-proof julep with white vermouth in place of the traditional bourbon. It’s herbal and fresh, and tastes like a more sophisticated take on the classic.
The recipe calls for Meletti Anisette, an anise-flavored Italian digestif, but if you can’t find that, try adding Pernod Pastis in its place.
Ingredients
- Pinch chopped fresh
mint leaves - ½ teaspoon Herbes de
Provence Syrup (recipe follows) - ½ ounce Meletti Anisette
- ½ ounce white verjus
- 2 dashes lemon bitters
- 2 ounces dry white vermouth, such as Dolin Dry
- Mint sprig and lemon twist, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the chopped mint leaves, herbes de
Provence syrup, and Meletti Anisette in a mixing
glass and muddle together. - Fill a julep cup or highball glass with crushed
ice. Pour the mint mixture into the glass (do not strain
it), add the verjus, lemon bitters, and vermouth, and stir
to combine. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and lemon
twist and serve with a straw.
NOTE: Verjus (aka verjuice) is a crisp, acidic, nonalcoholic juice made
from pressing unripened grapes; like wine, it’s available in white and
red. You can buy it at a liquor store or online.
Herbes de Provence Syrup
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoons herbes de Provence
- ½ tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
COMBINE THE HERBES DE PROVENCE, sage, sugar, and water in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reduces by half, 15 minutes. Carefully strain the hot syrup into a heatproof jar, discarding the solids. Let cool before using. Herbes de Provence Syrup will keep, covered and refrigerated, for about 2 weeks.
For more cocktail recipes check out the book!
About the Book:
When the occasion calls for a drink, but not for getting drunk, mix up a batch of day drinks—low-alcohol cocktails that are festive, mouthwateringly delicious, and light on the booze.
From brunch with friends to bridal showers and barbecues, from tailgates to snow days to afternoons hanging out on the beach, just about any daytime social occasion is greatly improved by a drink. And these 50 creative cocktails are just the thing. Using beer, wine, sake, sherry, and vermouth, plus a variety of amari and other flavorful liqueurs like St-Germain, Campari, and Aperol, the cocktails (and mocktails!) of Day Drinking are easy to make and easy on the alcohol content. Here are light drinks for hot days, warm drinks for cool days, and an abundance of classic—and reimagined—low-proof spritzers, sangrias, micheladas, and so much more.
Buy the Book
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1 Comment
Stacy McGrath
September 9, 2019 at 11:47 pmWho could of guessed there were so many different variations. I’ve just been ordering mine online. My current go to is this nice Lava Michelada Mix. It uses all natural ingredients and has 0 preservatives. Here’s a link for anyone interested: https://drinklava.com/shop/lava-authentic-michelada-mix-buy-online-near-me/