Stacey's Summer Cerveza

A friend of Stacey's introduced her to the "Michelada" and she raved about the light, refreshing, summer taste. I'm posting the recipes since it came with my case of beer! Stacey and Nick are off vacationing in Costa Rica (lucky dogs), but I thought the rest of us should try to stay cool in this sweltering heat. So, please try her brew and toast to their 10 year anniversary (well, almost 11 but the trip is to celebrate 10). Hopefully she can add some comments upon her return!

Her friend uses ice and a lighter beer, more like the "Chelada" below, but calls it "Michelada," so we need to do a little more research so as not to embarrass ourselves ordering it at a bar. According to one site the name came from ""mi chela helada," which is "my cold, light beer." It seems like the Chelada is used with the lighter beer and the Michelada is with a darker beer and some additional spice.

Although we not have to worry so much about getting it right, says an article in the Wall Street Journal (worth checking out):
"There is no one set list of ingredients for the drink. "As with most things in Mexico," says chef and author Roberto Santibañez, the Michelada is "a tradition in progress."... But it does have some basic contours that are widely, if not strictly, observed. At its most basic, the drink involves beer and lime juice in a salt-rimmed glass. But Micheladas now usually involve the addition of two families of flavors: something savory and something spicy. The tremendous variation in the drink comes from the many different savory and spicy sauces one can use, and the multiplicity of combinations possible."

According to Negra Modelo:
Born out of the scorching summer heat of Mexico, the refreshment of an icy cold Chelada is truly a Mexican legend. Just salt the rim of a glass, fill with ice, add lime juice and finish with Modelo Especial or Negra Modelo. To make a spicy Michelada just add hot sauce, or try your own set of ingredients and do your own thing.

Chelada
Makes 1 drink

coarse salt
juice of 1 large fresh lime
12 oz bottle Modelo Especial (or blond Mexican beer like Corona or Sol)
garnish: fresh lime wedge

Salt the rim of a large tall glass with the coarse salt. Fill the glass with ice and then add the lime juice. Top with beer- serve any extra beer on the side. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Michelada
Makes 1 drink

coarse salt
juice of 1 large fresh lime
dash to taste of Worcestershire, hot sauce soy sauce
12 oz bottle Negra Modelo (or dark beer; WSJ author likes Shiner Bock)
garnish: jalapeno slice and/or cucumber

Salt the rim of a large tall glass with the coarse salt. Fill the glass with ice and then add the lime juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and soy sauce as desired. Top with beer- serve any extra beer on the side. Garnish with jalapeno and/or cucumber.