How to Make a Michelada with Chile de Árbol Hot Sauce
A michelada is a cold Mexican beer turned into something more: fresh lime, a salted rim, a few savory sauces, and a hit of hot sauce, all over ice. It's the classic drink for carne asadas, taco nights, and hot afternoons, and it takes about three minutes to make. Here's our go-to version with El Guero 2 Chile de Árbol Hot Salsa, plus ways to adjust it and a non-alcoholic option.
Micheladas contain alcohol. Please enjoy them only if you are 21 or older, and drink responsibly.
Michelada, chelada, or michelada with tomato?
Ask five people what goes in a michelada and you'll get five answers. Recipes change from region to region and from family to family:
- Chelada: beer, lime juice, and salt. The simplest version.
- Michelada: beer and lime with hot sauce and savory sauces such as Worcestershire (salsa inglesa) and Maggi seasoning, with a salted or chile-salt rim.
- Michelada with tomato or tomato-clam juice: a thicker, more savory version popular in many places.
The recipe below is a classic michelada with an optional splash of tomato juice. Make it your own.
Michelada with chile de árbol hot sauce
Makes: 1 drink · Prep: 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 bottle or can (12 oz) Mexican lager, well chilled
- 1 1/2 oz (3 tablespoons) fresh lime juice, about 1 1/2 limes
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon El Guero 2 Chile de Árbol Hot Salsa
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon Maggi seasoning or soy sauce (optional)
- A pinch of black pepper
- 2 to 3 oz tomato juice or tomato-clam juice (optional)
- For the rim: a lime wedge and coarse salt or chile-lime seasoning
- Ice
Instructions
- Rim the glass. Run a lime wedge around the rim of a tall glass or beer mug. Spread salt or chile-lime seasoning on a small plate and dip the rim into it.
- Add ice. Fill the glass about halfway with ice.
- Build the base. Add the lime juice, El Guero 2, Worcestershire sauce, Maggi (if using), black pepper, and tomato juice (if using). Stir well.
- Top with beer. Tilt the glass and slowly pour in the cold beer so it doesn't foam over. Stir gently once.
- Taste and adjust. Add more lime for brightness, more El Guero 2 for heat, or a pinch more salt. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve right away, with the rest of the beer on the side for topping up.
How to adjust the heat
El Guero 2 is a spicy salsa made with chiles de árbol and garlic, so a little goes a long way in a drink. Start with 1/2 teaspoon, taste, and add a few drops at a time. The garlic and toasty chile flavor pair well with lime and the savory sauces. If your guests have different heat levels, make the base mild and put the bottle on the table so everyone can add their own.
Tips for the best michelada
- Everything cold. Chill the beer and even the glasses. A warm michelada goes flat fast.
- Fresh lime only. Bottled lime juice tastes dull next to fresh.
- Choose a light lager. A crisp Mexican-style lager lets the lime and chile come through. Darker beers work too, but they make a heavier drink.
- Don't skip the rim. The salty or chile-lime rim is part of every sip.
Make a pitcher for a party
For about six drinks, stir together 1 cup of fresh lime juice, 2 to 3 tablespoons of El Guero 2, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons of Maggi (optional), a few pinches of pepper, and up to 1 1/2 cups of tomato juice (optional) in a pitcher. Keep the mix in the fridge. When guests arrive, rim the glasses, add ice and about 1/3 cup of the mix, and top each one with a cold beer.
Non-alcoholic michelada
Swap the beer for a non-alcoholic beer, or for chilled sparkling water plus a splash of tomato juice. Everything else stays the same: lime, salted rim, savory sauces, and El Guero 2.
What to serve with micheladas
- Carne asada fresh off the grill
- Pollo asado street tacos
- Ceviche, shrimp cocktail, and other seafood. See what to put El Guero 2 on for more ideas.
- Chips, peanuts, and chicharrones with lime and a few drops of salsa
Get El Guero 2
El Guero 2 Chile de Árbol Hot Salsa is made in small batches in a San Diego catering kitchen. Order the 5 oz bottle online as a Single ($5.99), 3-Pack, 6-Pack, or 24-Pack, with free U.S. shipping on orders of $70 or more. In San Diego, find it at Liva Distributors in San Ysidro and Spring Valley. Addresses are on our Where to Buy page.
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