michelada

{{Short description|Mexican drink made with beer, lime juice, assorted sauces, and spices}}

{{use dmy dates |date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox cocktail

| iba =

| name = Michelada

| image = Michelada 2.jpg

| caption = Michelada in a salt-rimmed glass

| type =

| flaming =

| beer = yes

| served = In a chilled, salt-rimmed glass

| garnish = Lime

| drinkware = pint

| ingredients =

| prep =

| notes =

}}A michelada ({{IPA|es|mitʃeˈlaða}}) is a Mexican drink made with beer, lime juice, assorted sauces (often chili-based), spices, and chili peppers. It is served in a chilled, salt-rimmed glass. There are numerous variations of this beverage throughout Mexico.{{cite web |author=Maggie Savarino |url=http://www.seattleweekly.com/2009-07-15/food/michelada-is-your-standby-beer-only-better/ |title=Search & Distill: Michelada Is Your Standby Beer, Only Better - Page 1 - Food - Seattle |publisher=Seattle Weekly |date=2009-07-15 |access-date=2011-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104140640/http://www.seattleweekly.com/2009-07-15/food/michelada-is-your-standby-beer-only-better/ |archive-date=2011-01-04 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3469/is_51_56/ai_n16030172/?tag=content;col1 |title=Mexican companies pushing spicy beer mixes in US market |date=2005-12-19 |website=FindArticles.com |publisher=Business Journals, Inc. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125095530/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3469/is_51_56/ai_n16030172/?tag=content;col1 |archive-date=2011-11-25 |access-date=2011-01-25}}

File:Michelada mexicana.jpg

File:Michelada Cocktail.jpg

In Mexico City, the most common form is prepared with beer, lime, salt, and particular hot sauces or chile slices. There are several other optional ingredients, such as Maggi sauce, soy sauce, Tajín, Worcestershire sauce, chamoy powder, serrano peppers, or clamato.{{Cite web|title=Micheladas Are the Summery Beer Cocktail You Should Be Drinking|url=https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/how-to-make-a-michelada-recipe |first=Kat |last=Thompson |date=May 28, 2020 |access-date=2021-06-17|website=Thrillist|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Magazine|first=Sauce|title=Drink this michelada from Nixta|url=https://www.saucemagazine.com/a/59287/drink-this-michelada-from-nixta|access-date=2021-06-17|website=Sauce Magazine - Drink this michelada from Nixta|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Merker|first=Kate|date=2021-03-29|title=Spicy Michelada|url=https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/a35915758/spicy-michelada-recipe/|access-date=2021-06-17|website=Country Living|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2018-10-30|title=It's Time to Rethink Micheladas, a Complex Mexican Icon|url=https://vinepair.com/articles/perfect-michelada-ingredients-recipe/|access-date=2021-06-17|website=VinePair|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last1=Femmel|first1=Kevin|last2=Elizarraras|first2=Jessica|title=Micheladas Get Crafty: The Hangover Cure Evolves in San Antonio's Food Scene |url=https://www.sacurrent.com/san-antonio-guides/micheladas-get-crafty-the-hangover-cure-evolves-in-san-antonios-food-scene-6492826 |date=October 17, 2017 |access-date=2021-06-17 |website=San Antonio Current |language=en}}

==Origin==

There are two popular versions of the origin and etymology of the michelada.

One involves a man named Michel Ésper at Club Deportivo Potosino in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. In the 1960s, Ésper began to ask for his beer with lime, salt, ice, and a straw, in a cup called "chabela", as if it were a beer lemonade (limonada).{{Cite web|title=Low Proof: The Savory South Of The Border Flavors Of The Michelada|url=https://chicagoist.com/2014/07/01/low_proof_the_savory_south_of_the_b.php|date=2014-07-01|access-date=2023-01-06|website=The Chicagoist|archive-date=2018-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180531124917/https://chicagoist.com/2014/07/01/low_proof_the_savory_south_of_the_b.php|url-status=live}} Members of the club started asking for beer as "Michel's lemonade", with the name shortening over time to Michelada. As time went by, other sauces were added to the original recipe. Today, it contains the same ingredients as a chelada, but contains ice and chili powder on the rim.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-apr-27-tm-entertaining17-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |title=Soul on Ice |first=Carolynn |last=Carreno |date=2003-04-27 |access-date=2011-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230105085631/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-apr-27-tm-entertaining17-story.html |archive-date=2023-01-05 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.mexico.mx/en/articles/micheladas-beer-mexican-flavor|title=Micheladas: Beer with a Mexican Flavor |website=mexico.mx |access-date=15 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005123/https://www.mexico.mx/en/articles/micheladas-beer-mexican-flavor |date=June 3, 2016 |archive-date=7 February 2018|url-status=dead}}

Another etymology states that michelada is a portmanteau of mi chela helada. The word chela is a popular term for a cold beer in Mexico; therefore the phrase mi chela helada means "my ice-cold beer".{{cite web |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/michelada/ |title=Michelada |first=Courtney |last=Bond |website=Texas Monthly |date=May 2014 |access-date=August 6, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://mambochelada.com/what-is-a-michelada/ |title=What is a Michelada? |website=mambochelada.com |access-date=August 6, 2019}}