(courtesy of Ricardo Bravo-Ruiz, owner, Miches Vatos in Reno. Serves 1)
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
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.
