The Mexican Michelada
A beer cocktail out to conquer the world.
Reno is a beer town, but can it become a michelada one? I was skeptical, but not anymore.
The ice-cold beer, lime juice, salt, and tomato juice (plus other possible ingredients) cocktail often is compared to a bloody mary and hailed as a hangover cure. But drinking cold tomato juice — plain or with splashes of seafood broth, as is common in most micheladas — doesn’t appeal to everyone.
The origin story of the michelada is as varied as the ingredients. Some believe the beer cocktail was born in the 1960s at Club Deportivo Potosino in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, after a tennis player, Michel Ésper, asked for a beer mixed with lime, salt, and chile pepper. Whether he ordered the drink because he was recovering from the night before or just needed a refreshing beverage after his match may be disputed for ages.
Others believe the drink was named on behalf of Mexican General Augusto Michel, who enjoyed consuming a similar cocktail combination. Some folks simply believe that the michelada comes from a conjunction of the words for “my cold beer,” because in Mexico, “chela” is slang for a light blond beer, hence “my blond beer” becomes “mi chelada.”
Whatever its origin or ingredients, the michelada is taking over the country, including Northern Nevada.
Where To Try One
I’ve developed a new appreciation for micheladas, thanks to Miches Vatos at the Reno Public Market. I now know what I want each and every time I ask for one — and this is important because each one is prepared based on a house recipe, which means it can sometimes be personalized to taste.
Miches Vatos offers four different types of micheladas, with an additional option, the Botanera, that includes a ceviche platter on top (yummy!). The drinks with the broadest appeal likely will be the guava and mango varieties as they are fruit-juice-based and include a secret mix that elevates this cocktail.
Miches Vatos also serves a classic michelada recipe (with Clamato) and the Cubana, which lacks the tomato and seafood broth and instead doubles down on a secret chile sauce created by owner Ricardo Bravo-Ruiz. Each michelada is served with a rim of blended tamarind concentrate and Tajín. Tajín is a Mexican seasoning of chile peppers, lime, and salt.
For your benefit, I tried all four micheladas with both Pacifico and Modelo Negra beers. In fact, if not for this tasting, I probably would continue to have an unfavorable opinion about this beverage. But each concoction at Miches Vatos was so deliciously different that I began to imagine how I could spend an entire day drinking micheladas, starting with the juicy blond lagers and then shifting to darker, spicier ones by nighttime.
If you go to a restaurant to order a michelada, keep in mind that the bar may use a premade house blend, which may be spicier than you like or contain more tomato or seafood broth. Ask in advance; perhaps they’ll let you have a taste. You may be able to squeeze more lime juice into it or add more hot sauce or even tomato juice to adjust it to your preference.
Micheladas can be for everyone, but everyone will like a different version — and that’s OK. The important lesson, for me anyway, is that just like the origins of this humble drink, enjoying a michelada is about discovering that you can experiment with this beer cocktail to make it your own, and that’s always a recipe for success.
RESOURCES
Start your michelada journey in Reno at these local Latino bars and eateries. Looking for something to munch on? Ceviche is a popular side platter!
Bertha Miranda’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina
336 Mill St., Reno
775-786-9697 · Berthamirandas.com
La Condesa
1642 S. Wells Ave., Reno
775-409-3000 · Lacondesaeatery.com
Find La Condesa Eatery on Facebook
Miches Vatos
Inside the Reno Public Market, 299 E. Plumb Lane, Reno
Find Miches Vatos on Facebook
Ingredients
- 1 Mexican blond or lager beer Modelo Especial, Pacifico, Victoria, Tecaté, Dos Equis, or Modelo Negra preferred
- 1, 11.5- ounce can Clamato concentrated tomato juice with sugar, spices, dried clam broth, and MSG
- Worcestershire sauce
- Maggi seasoning sauce
- Tapatío hot sauce or other preferred hot sauce
- Several limes cut into quarters
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Tajín seasoning and/or tamarind powder to rim glass
Instructions
- Fill saucer containing a blend of Tajín seasoning and/or tamarind powder. Use a lime wedge to wet rim of a tall pint glass or beer mug (16 ounces), then place glass upside down on saucer to rim glass with seasoning.
- Add whole can of Clamato, salt, pepper, some Tajín, several drops of Worcestershire and Maggi seasoning sauces, and your choice of hot sauce. (Bravo-Ruiz likes Tapatío, but other recipes use Tabasco, for a more vinegary taste, or Valentina.) Ingredients can be added in different amounts depending on your preference (some recipes even call for drops of Angostura bitters). Stir and keep tasting until it’s just right for you.
- Pour in beer (Bravo-Ruiz prefers Modelo Negra because it adds more flavor, he says) and top off with some ice, making sure to keep the bottle around to top off the michelada as you consume it. Add more salt and lime to taste.
