The Michelada Is A Savory Tomato Cocktail You Need To Keep On Your Radar

When it comes to tomato-based cocktails, you can traditionally find them at brunch. The Bloody Mary is the drink that usually comes to mind when thinking of tomatoes, but she's not the only star of the show. The Michelada is another cocktail that relies heavily on tomato juice, but it partners up with a Mexican-style beer instead of vodka. Like the Bloody Mary, the Michelada is a drink that's endlessly customizable, depending on taste and occasion.

The Michelada is a great brunch partner because it is flexible; it pairs well with savory favorites like omelets, and offers a counter to sweet dishes like pancakes and French toast. The drink offers some fizz thanks to the beer's carbonation, giving the cocktail some lightness. For those who aren't a fan of vodka, it presents an opportunity to get a Bloody Mary-adjacent experience. The Michelada is often overlooked, but we think it's a cocktail worth adding to your repertoire — and menu.

The Michelada is often dismissed as simply being a Mexican variation of the Bloody Mary. That is shortchanging the cocktail, which has a rich history on its own — and one that surprisingly doesn't include tomatoes. The drink may be served with tomato juice by default these days, but the original recipe does not include it all.

There is some variation in the origin of the Michelada. According to The Dallas Morning News, a man named Michel Esper Jorge sidled up to a bar with a hangover and got a beer along with a glass of ice and lime juice. Jorge added his own condiments to the drink, and when asked what it was, called it a "Michelada," mixing his own name with the Spanish "helada," which translates to frost.

As for those condiments? The traditional recipe calls for a Mexican beer and lime juice to be combined with Maggi sauce, spices, ice, and a dash of hot sauce. The drink's red hue, which is usually attributed to tomato, traditionally comes from the red of the hot sauce and the dark color of the Maggi sauce.

The traditional recipe for a Michelada may not have included tomato juice, but the two quickly paired up. The Michelada is a beer cocktail that's endlessly open to customization and two of the earliest variations were those that included tomato juice or clamato (a mixture of tomato concentrate and clam broth). They both offer a savory, salty pairing for the beer and the lime and luckily, there are so many more ways to add some excitement to the drink.

Regardless of whether you're going to go the traditional Maggi sauce route, or lean on tomato juice as a base, a spicy, salted rim is one way to add some additional dimension to your cocktail. Olives, pickles, and onions are a nice accent on a toothpick. And, much like the trend of the loaded Bloody Mary, the Michelada can set the stage for heavy hitters like fried shrimp and chicken tenders. If your focus is more on what is in the glass and not what's balanced precariously on it, soy sauce (which is similar to Maggi sauce,) is a way to add even more depth to your final beverage. However you dress it up, the Michelada should be on the guest list at your next brunch — you (and your guests) won't regret it.