Cool off during a hot summer day with a riff on the classic Mexican michelada beer cocktail recipe: a michelada cubana. Spicier and more savory than the classic michelada, this one’s hot but also surprisingly refreshing!
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What is a michelada cubana?
Don’t let the name fool you: the michelada cubana isn’t actually Cuban. Just like the normal michelada, this is a Mexican drink. It’s just one of the many varieties that have popped up over the years, like other versions such as:
A traditional michelada is a beer cocktail made with your beer of choice (usually something light), tomato juice, hot sauce, and condiments like Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce. It’s served icy cold.
I know this ingredient combo sounds odd to those who’ve never tried a michelada, but the savory ingredients are actually perfect to replenish the salts your body loses on a hot day (if you squint hard enough, it’s almost a sports drink).
Today’s michelada cubana adheres to the traditional michelada concept of mixing beer with savory and spicy ingredients, but skips the tomato juice. The focus of this drink is more on the spice than anything else! 🔥
What do you need for a michelada cubana?
A michelada cubana has less ingredients than a traditional michelada. You’re likely to have all this stuff in the house:
- Beer: any beer works, but I prefer a light lager or something like Corona or Sol.
- Lime juice: bottled is OK, fresh is better.
- Worcestershire sauce: also known as “salsa inglesa” or “English sauce” in your local Mexican supermarket.
- Maggi seasoning: this potent flavor enhancer adds a serious umami kick.
- Hot sauce: I use Tabasco, which is the classic choice and has a nice tangy kick. You can use your personal favorite, though.
I rimmed the glasses for our micheladas cubanas with my homemade chili lime seasoning, although plain salt also works perfectly fine.
You can further decorate the glasses with lime and cucumber slices like I did, or go crazy with anything from spicy gummy candy to shrimp skewers. A michelada is like a Bloody Mary: in terms of garnish, anything goes!
Preparing your micheladas
Once you’ve got all your ingredients on hand, putting your micheladas cubanas together is a breeze.
Here’s how you mix these beer cocktails:
- Place a layer of chili lime seasoning or salt on a shallow dish.
- Grab a few pint glasses and use a lime wedge to wet the rims.
- Dip in the seasoning to coat the rims.
- Add however much ice you like to the glasses.
- Add all the seasonings: lime juice, tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, Maggi.
- Pop open your beer of choice and fill the glasses to the top. Stir using a long spoon or cocktail stirrer.
- Decorate with anything from lime slices to cocktail umbrellas!
- Enjoy responsibly: this recipe has more alcohol than a traditional michelada because the beer is not diluted with tomato juice.
Michelada Cubana For Summer
Equipment
- 1 pint glass
- 1 long stirring spoon
- 1 shallow dish
Ingredients
For the rim
- 1/2 tbsp chili lime seasoning or salt see notes
- 1 lemon slice
For the michelada
- 1 beer any lager, blond, white etc. – 24 oz
- 2 tbsp lime juice about 1 lime
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Maggi liquid seasoning
- 1/2 tbsp Tabasco …or more! Up to you.
- (crushed) ice
Instructions
- Place some chili lime seasoning or salt on a shallow dish. Wet the rims of the glasses using a slice of lime and dip to coat.
- Place however much ice you like in the pint glasses and pour in the lime juice, Maggi seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco.
- Pour in the beer and stir to mix the ingredients.
- Add any garnishes you like. A simple slice of lime works well. Cheers!
