It\u2019s rare to meet a Texan with an identity problem; these folks are loud and proud to let the world know exactly where they\u2019re from. But the lineage of the Lone Star State\u2019s quirky beer-over-ice concoction is a different story. The Michelada\u2014pronounced mee-cha-lah<\/i>-dah\u2014struggles with a murky past. Perhaps it was invented by a revolutionary general named Don Augusto Michel or came about when the Tecate Brewery encouraged drinkers to rub a lime and sprinkle salt on its newly introduced beer cans to diminish the tinny taste. Even though Michelada<\/i> loosely translates as \u201cmy cold beer,\u201d maybe the name does refer to the days when the drink was made with Michelob. However, despite its questionable background, there\u2019s no mistaking the Michelada\u2019s link to Tex-Mex border culture. When the food is spicy and the sun is hot, it makes sense to keep your beer cold.<\/p>\n
Unsure of its origins, the Michelada does what it can to fit in. Travel north and the mix includes tomato juice, according to Sarah Fisher, bar manager of the Hotel San Jos\u00e9 in Austin, where the Michelada is typically a lighter drink with a tart edge. But even when you settle on a style, it\u2019s tricky to pinpoint the proportions. \u201cWe don\u2019t measure the ingredients. You have to feel the Michelada\u2014make it by touch,\u201d Fisher says. \u201cThe mix is delicate, so tinkering with even one ingredient alters how the flavors interact. More Tabasco and your beer goes from picante to downright mean; the amounts of soy sauce and Worcestershire give the drink a savory richness. Make enough of them and you\u2019ll be able to tell if you have the right mix by the color and how the ingredients blend.\u201d But there\u2019s one constant: The Hotel San Jos\u00e9 Michelada is always topped off with south-of-the-border beer. First-timers might want to start with a lighter beer, such as Modelo Especial. For a step up in flavor, Fisher recommends either Pilsener of El Salvador or Xingu, a Brazilian black lager with a rich, \u201croasty\u201d flavor, medium body, and a clean, malty finish. \u201cWe serve it on the side, giving each drinker the freedom to pour the beer into the mix exactly as he likes it,\u201d Fisher says. \u201cThat\u2019s very Texas.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Getting to the bottom of a mysterious Texas concoction<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":34175,"template":"","categories":[2392,1780,2391],"tags":[29495,47,48,302,50,251,29545],"authors":[1825],"issue":[2369],"recipe-type":[2506],"class_list":["post-81","recipe","type-recipe","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drinks","category-food-and-drink","category-recipes","tag-beer","tag-cocktails","tag-drinks","tag-hot-sauce","tag-recipes","tag-texas","tag-worcestershire-sauce","authors-francine-maroukian","issue-november-2008","location-texas","recipe-type-cocktails"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n