National Michelada Day

Micheladas, cocktails—or beertails, as cocktails made with beer are known—that were first popular in Mexico and Central America, where there are many regional and local variations, and which are also now popular in the United States, are enjoyed today on National Michelada Day!

The likely origin of the name of the drink stems from a contraction of the phrase mi chela helada. Chela comes from a slang term for a blonde woman, and by extension, is a reference to light beer, while helada means iced. The contraction "chelada" means beer with ice. Mi is added in, and the resulting word translates to "my iced beer" or "my ice-cold beer" or "my cold beer."

In Mexico, a chelada is simply a light-bodied beer with fresh lime juice served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. These were common before micheladas began being poured and may have influenced their creation. A traditional Mexican michelada is made with a crisp, light-bodied beer, like a Mexican lager such as Modelo Especial, Tecate, Pacifico, or Corona, along with lime juice, and often with a hot, chili-based sauce (or even with chile slices), and is served over ice in a glass with a salted rim. Lime wedges or cucumber slices are common garnishes. However, there is also the Michelada Cubana, or simply Cubana, which is made by pouring beer over ice with lime juice and adding hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Maggi sauce, soy sauce, pequin chile powder, or cayenne pepper.

In the United States, micheladas are commonly made with beer, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce or Maggi, and hot sauce. Tomato juice, Bloody Mary mix, or Clamato are often used in the US version, making the cocktail similar to a Bloody Mary or Caesar, but these are not traditional michelada ingredients in Mexico. For example, if Clamato is added in Mexico, the drink becomes un Clamatito or Clamato con cerveza.

Nowadays, it's even easier to make micheladas quickly by mixing beer with mixes like Twang Reserve Michelada Cocktail Mix. Micheladas are also now sold premixed in cans and bottles. From the many variations of the drink found throughout Mexico, to the Americanized version, to micheladas made with a mix, and to micheladas from a can, there are endless ways to enjoy this beertail, and thus to celebrate National Michelada Day!

How to Observe National Michelada Day

• Make a traditional Mexican michelada.
• Have a michelada made with tomato juice.
• Order a michelada at a bar or a Mexican restaurant.
• Make a michelada with Twang Reserve Michelada Cocktail Mix or another mix.
• Enjoy some canned micheladas.

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