The Michelada: Ka-Ching!!

Cashing In On the Michelada

E.M.

Hey E.M.,

if you do another year end list of things LTH-ers liked before it was trendy, I do hope you'll mention the michelada.

I'm not impressed. Chile beers have been around for decades; my impression is that this is just another chile beer gussied up in margarita dressing.

I was planning on a witbier for my next batch, but if there's interest I'll do a chile beer instead (I do have a nice crop of Anchos in my backyard ...)

Nothing to be impressed about. Micheladas have been around for a long while, and they are a good thing to do with weak, cold beer. I had one in Mexico about ten years ago and have been ordering them in Chicago (at Mexican-Mexican restaurants) ever since. No one ever made a big deal about it. In Acapulco a bartender claimed that a "regular" michelada is beer with a good dose of salt and lime over ice. A "michelada Cubana" adds hot sauce, Worchestershire sauce and whatever else the guy comes up with including, possibly, sangrita (the pomegranate and chile-based tequila chaser that many assume is based on tomato but should not be).

I have heard that micheladas are a true Tex-Mex invention concocted on oil rigs in the 50's or 60's, which sounds plausible. I know a lot of Southerners who put salt in their beer on a hot day.

I know they are GWiv approved, too.

I was at Islas las Marias on Clark for lunch Saturday. The next table were Mexicans who arrived with Mexican beer and clamato juice to mix their own.

Regards,

The D.I.Y. Michelada @ Chicagoist

E.M.

Hello,

Where can one find a good Michelada in Chicago and/or burbs?

Thanks

For a more gourmet, upscale version, Big Star has a good Michelada with Tecate & their homemade salsa. $4.

Big Star
1531 North Damen Avenue
Chicago, IL 60622-1906
(773) 235-4039
http://www.bigstarchicago.com/