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This refreshing Michelada recipe is made with tomato juice, beer, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and hot sauce. It’s the perfect cocktail for brunch, or anytime you need to cool down with something with a little extra flavor!
A Note from Isabel
Say hello to the best Mexican beer cocktail – the Michelada! It’s light, refreshing, and made with a dash of hot sauce. My kind of drink.
I made and photographed this Michelada recipe when my husband was out of town, so naturally, I ended up drinking both glasses. Oops! I didn’t want to be wasteful and have to throw one away or anything. I was just doing the right thing if you think about it. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
If you’ve never heard of a Michelada before, you may be asking yourself…
What Is a Michelada?
A Michelada is a popular Mexican beer cocktail made from tomato juice, beer, spices, and hot sauce.
It’s a refreshing drink that’s often compared to the Bloody Mary cocktail because they’re both served at brunch, they’re touted as hangover cures, and they both have that tomato-y quality.
The Michelada, however, is mixed with Mexican beer instead of vodka.
What’s the Difference Between a Chelada and a Michelada?
A Michelada is a beer cocktail often mixed with tomato juice, hot sauce, lime juice, and other seasonings like Worcestershire sauce.
A chelada is a much simpler Mexican drink made from only beer, lime juice, and salt.
Michelada Drink Ingredients
- Tomato juice (or Clamato juice)
- Lime juice
- Worcestershire sauce
- Soy sauce
- Hot sauce (like Tabasco, Tapatio, or Cholula)
- Mexican lager beer
- Tajín seasoning (or chili powder if you don’t have any)
- Salt
Tomato Juice or Clamato Juice?
Many Michelada recipes call for tomato juice or Clamato juice, and some recipes don’t use any and opt for only hot sauce and other seasonings.
My personal preference is to use a spicy tomato juice or even a spicy bloody mary mix because it adds even more spice to the drink, and it doesn’t water down the flavor like Clamato juice.
That being said, the drink is traditionally made with Clamato juice which is a tomato juice cocktail made from tomato juice, spices, and clam juice.
What you decide to use is really up to you and what you prefer!
What Is the Best Beer for Micheladas?
Light and refreshing Mexican lagers like Corona Extra, Sol, Tecate, Pacifico, and Modelo Especial are the best beers to use when making Micheladas.
What Is the Best Hot Sauce for Micheladas?
Some good options are Tabasco, Tapatio, Cholula, or Louisiana-style hot sauce. It comes down to personal preference!
How to Make a Mexican Michelada
- Salt the rim: Run a lime wedge around the rim of a beer glass and dip it in salt and Tajín. Fill the glass halfway with ice cubes.
- Add seasonings: Add tomato or Clamato juice, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and hot sauce.
- Add beer: Top with your favorite Mexican beer. Stir, taste, and adjust seasonings if needed.
Mexican Michelada Recipe Tips
- Chill your glasses. If you have thick beer glasses or the kind with liquid inside the walls that you freeze, pop them in the freezer first. It keeps everything cold without needing a ton of ice. I still add ice to mine because it keeps it insanely cold, but that’s totally up to you.
- Use a spicy tomato juice. Spicy Hot V8 is my favorite for micheladas. It adds more kick and doesn’t get as watery as Clamato does, especially once you add ice. A spicy bloody mary mix works great too.
- Don’t skip the rim. Run a lime wedge around the glass and dip it in salt and Tajín. For a sweet and tangy kick, add a little chamoy to the rim along with the Tajín.
- Add the beer last. Put the juice and seasonings in the glass first, then top it off with beer. Pouring the beer in last mixes everything together, so you don’t really need to stir it.
- Taste and adjust. Everyone likes theirs a little different. I like mine extra spicy, so I always add a lot of hot sauce. Taste it and add more lime, hot sauce, or salt until it’s just right for you.
- Make a pitcher for a party. Mix the tomato juice, lime juice, and seasonings ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. When it’s time to serve, pour some into each glass and top it off with beer.
Michelada Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt (or any flaky sea salt)
- ¾ teaspoon Tajin seasoning (or chili powder)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- ice cubes
- ⅔ cup tomato juice (or Clamato juice)
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 4 drops worcestershire sauce
- 4 drops soy sauce
- 4 drops hot sauce
- 12 ounces Mexican lager beer
Instructions
- Mix together the salt and Tajin seasoning on a shallow plate. Run a lime wedge along the rim of two pint glasses, then dip the glasses into the salt mixture to coat the rim.
- Fill both glasses half full with ice cubes.
- Divide the tomato juice, lime juice, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and hot sauce evenly into each glass.
- Top both glasses evenly with beer, garnish with lime wedges, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking! I prefer my Michelada extra spicy, so I always add a lot of hot sauce.
- Plain tomato juice or any flavored variety will work. The Spicy Hot V8 tomato juice is my personal favorite for micheladas. You can also use Clamato juice. You can even use a spicy bloody mary mix!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this! I make a large batch to be added to beer as needed. Note that if you’re making for guests, make sure not to use Clamato juice if anyone has shellfish allergies, like myself.
Use to be called a “Red Eye” to help with a hang over in the morning back in the day.
I’ve just mixed my 2nd one – they’re delicious! Cheers!😊🍻
I was never really a beer drinker, but I learned to enjoy Micheladas when I lived in Los Angeles. So, imagine my surprise, on this incredibly hot and humid day in Hong Kong, when I searched for a recipe and stumbled across yours! I had all the ingredients to hand, although I used Asahi ‘Super Dry’ beer, and my partner and I enjoyed our refreshing drinks immensely. Thank you so much!
I/ve always made mine with Clamato juice, lime juice and either Modelo or Sol. Adding just the 4 drops each of Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce adds more depth to the michelada without overpowering it. Good suggestion.
Thanks for sharing, Phillip!