Tequila, Mexico’s iconic distilled spirit

Tequila is Mexico’s national drink and one of the icons synonymous with the country.  The ‘Tequila’ marque is now protected world-wide and production of the drink is tightly regulated: only a handful of Mexican states have production rights, and the best Tequilas emanate from Blue Agave grown in the rich volcanic soils situated in the state of Jalisco.

Tequila is made by harvesting the hearts (known in Spanish as piñas) of the Blue Agave (ah-gah-veh) plant, slowly baking them in large ovens, and then pressing the pulp into a sweet liquid that is passed through a prescribed distillation process.  Afterwards, the Tequila is transferred into specially-prepared wood barrels and left to age.  The precise process, barrel type and aging time determines the Tequila’s classification, and strict labeling regulations enable buyers to know what type they are paying for.

The highest quality Tequilas are made from 100% agave, whereas less expensive varieties use a mixture of agave and sugar cane.  Tequila can be enjoyed straight or mixed into a variety of cocktails, the most of popular of which is the Margarita.   You can find tequila cocktail recipes on the Mexican Bar here on Mexperience.

Mezcal, Tequila’s smoky cousin

Mezcal is distilled using a similar production process to tequila but the tastes and nuances of the final blend are distinct.  Mezcal, once a semi-obscure cousin to tequila, has recently gained widespread popularity and so the Mexican government acted to regulate its production, helping to improve the quality of mass-produced varieties and thus giving confidence to the wider market.

As with Tequila, Mezcal is produced by baking the hearts (piñas) of the agave; but unlike Tequila, which is made exclusively from Blue Agave, Mezcal may be produced from nearly 30 different varieties of agave.  Most Mezcal is produced using the espadín agave, although distillers also blend different varieties of the plant with the intention of creating unique flavors.

The drink undergoes an aging process and, like Tequila, an aged Mezcal feels more robust and often smoother on the palate than the younger alternatives.  The best Mezcal —like the best Tequila— is made from 100% agave; and like Tequila, less expensive varieties use cane sugars and contain other flavorings.

Mezcal has a distinctively smoky flavor which for many is an acquired taste.  Purists assert that Mezcal ought to be taken straight and doesn’t lend itself to being mixed in cocktails, although there are plenty of Mezcal cocktail recipes to try out.

Traditionally, Mezcal is taken straight with a pinch of sal de gusano: a condiment made by grinding together dried larvae, chiles, and salt.  Mezcal may also contain a ‘worm’ (larvae) at the base of the bottle—this is a ploy concerned only with the product’s marketing and does not alter the taste.  Tequila never has a ‘worm’ in the bottle.

Pulque, an ancient fermented beverage

Pulque is an ancient beverage dating back to Mesoamerican times.  Like chocolate in that era it was an élite beverage employed in ritualistic ceremonies and was later used by indigenous tribes as a form of medicinal tonic.

While Pulque is also made from the agave succulent (distinct agave and maguey varieties exist), the plant is not baked and distilled; instead, the plant’s sap is fermented.

The sap is extracted by cutting a cavity into the heart of the agave, and the sweet liquid that comes out is called aguamiel (honey water).  Once extracted, the sap is fermented to create a milky-colored and viscous beverage which creates a slight foam when it’s poured.

Its taste is often likened to fermented oatmeal with a yeast undertone.  Pulque can be taken straight, but is more often served as a long drink —termed ‘curado‘ in Spanish— prepared by blending the fermented sap with any combination of fruit pulps, nuts and spices, or sweeteners.  Connoisseurs assert that the blend should only be taken when fresh and that you should ask the vendor whether the batch you are being served was prepared today.

Pulque is a low-alcohol beverage (typically 2-6%), whereas Tequila and Mezcal distillations typically contain around 40% alcohol.  Beware: notwithstanding its low alcohol content, Pulque can creep-up on you, and a long afternoon whiled away taking this ancient beverage with your companions can leave your head clear and your legs confused when you eventually stand-up to walk.

Learn more about Mexican drinks and beverages

Mexperience publishes guides and articles to help you discover Mexico’s drinks and beverages including beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.

• The Mexican Bar—discover Mexico’s alcoholic drinks & cocktails
• Discover and explore Mexican beers
• Mexico gave chocolate to the world
• Mexico grows fine coffees
• Learn more about drinks and beverages in Mexico

Spanish concessions to brew beer

The first official concession to brew European-style beers was issued by the Spanish authorities in the middle of the 16th century; however, despite the brewers’ attempts to expand the business by growing more crops locally to increase the supply of barley at a lower price, heavy regulation and high taxation imposed by Spain on locally-produced beers and wines stymied the industry’s growth.

Beer production following independence

After Mexico’s war of independence, beer production began to flourish in Mexico, and during the latter part of the 19th century an influx of German immigrants brought additional knowledge and expertise to the field which caused the local market to diversify and improve its products.

By the turn of the 20th century, beer had become big business in Mexico, helped also by prohibition in the United States at that time, which gave rise to a brisk and profitable trade of beer and other alcoholic beverages along Mexico’s border towns and cities.

Revolution and consolidation

By the end of the Mexican Revolution, there were more than thirty-five breweries operating in Mexico, and a period of consolidation that began in the 1920s brought about the beer market we see here today: independent breweries were absorbed into one of the “big-two” breweries, Grupo Modelo and Cerveceria Cuautehmoc-Moctezuma, which emerged as the dominant players of the Mexican beer market.

Successful beers produced by the acquired regional breweries were mass-produced and distributed nationally, and less successful beers disappeared from the market altogether.  Smaller breweries that were not bought-out were forced to close as they could not compete with the economies-of-scale brought about through consolidation.

Two breweries dominate the market

The two big Mexican breweries, which by the turn of the 21st century controlled over 90% of the Mexican beer market, were subsequently acquired by international conglomerates.  Cerveceria Cuautehmoc-Moctezuma, whose brands include Sol, Bohemia, Tecate, and Carta Blanca, was sold to Heineken in 2010; Grupo Modelo, which sells Corona, Modelo, and Pacifico brands among others, was acquired by Anheuser-Busch in 2013.

Mexican Corona beer is a light lager sold world-wide and has become an iconic brand.  Other, darker and craft Mexican beers can sometimes be found in the premium brews section of higher-end supermarkets and trendy restaurants across the US, Canada and Europe.

The colossal marketing budgets and the extensive distribution networks controlled by these two breweries ensure that their big-brand names are placed at the forefront of buyers’ choices across the country.

A re-emergence of independent craft beer breweries

However, changing consumer habits are fueling a boom in artisanal beer across Mexico, and independent brewers have been making a noticeable comeback recently with small-batch craft beer and ale labels appearing regionally in local stores, restaurants, and bars.

Contemporary beer culture in Mexico

The majority of beers sold in Mexico today are lagers, pilsners, Vienna-style light and dark beers, as well as Munich dark beers.  Beer in Mexico is served cold, or taken as a Michelada: beer with lime juice, or lime juice mixed with a variety of spicy sauces like Worcester, Tabasco, and soy.

The beverage is still regularly supplied using returnable bottles, although recyclable cans and bottles are becoming increasingly common.  If you are visiting Mexico and purchase beer from a local store, choose the cans or recyclable bottles with the words “No Retornable” printed on the label, which don’t require a deposit and can be recycled after use.

When you’re living in Mexico, it’s worth building up a small stock of returnable bottles which you can take back to the store when you want refills.  Over time, if you build-up a good rapport with your local independent shopkeeper, they might waive the deposit if you’re passing-by or forget to take your returnable bottles on that occasion.

Most Mexican beer bottle sizes are 325ml, although some brands of beer are also available in larger 925ml, 940ml, and full 1-liter sizes.

In Mexican slang Spanish, the larger bottles are called caguamas (sea turtles) or if you’re in north-eastern Mexico you might hear them referred to as ballenas (whales); in Mazatlán, ballenas refer specifically to the Pacifico brand of beer sold in the larger-sized bottles.

Learn more about Mexican drinks and beverages

Mexperience publishes guides and articles to help you discover Mexico’s drinks and beverages including beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.

• Discover and explore Mexican beers
• The Mexican Bar—discover Mexico’s alcoholic drinks & cocktails
• Mexico gave chocolate to the world
• Mexico grows fine coffees
• Learn more about drinks and beverages in Mexico

Distribution is essential

The market presence of the two big brewers is due in no small part to their vast distribution networks which get their brands to appear in front of buying customers at major supermarkets, tienditas, restaurants, and bars across the country.

Notwithstanding this reach, independent brewers have been making a noticeable comeback in recent times with small-batch craft beer and ale labels appearing regionally in local stores, restaurants and bars.

The artisan (sometimes called ‘craft’) beer market continues to experience robust growth as more discerning consumers, perhaps fatigued by the run of mass-produced beverages, seek out variety and subtlety in the flavor of their brews—and a higher quality beverage.

Mexico is one of the world’s top producers of beer, (and brands like Corona and Sol sell millions of bottles globally) so it’s not surprising that the current popular demand for artisan beer has engulfed Mexico, too.  Acermex, the Mexican brewers’ association, estimates that there are now over 600 independent breweries in Mexico.

Restaurants and bars offering more choice

Bars and restaurants —especially those in fashionable urban enclaves— keen to offer customers distinctive leisure experiences are taking notice of the small breweries and are making additional efforts to stock a range of artisan beers for the clientele to buy.  An indication of the popularity of these drinks can be seen by the number of articles regularly featured on various websites that write about food and culture with recommendations for places to try craft beers in Mexico City—and it’s interesting to note that more restaurants and bars outside the capital are also stocking craft beers alongside the big brands.

Big breweries responding to the demand

The artisan beer market represents only a tiny fraction of the total beer market in Mexico, although the changing trends have not gone unnoticed by the two big breweries, who have begun to introduce new ‘premium’ beers to complement their existing marques.

For example, Grupo Modelo has introduced “Ambar,” a Vienna-style premium beer, and “Trigo,” a light wheat-based beer (sometimes referred to as ‘white beer’). They claim the large-scale processes used to create these beers produce a quality product as good as those crafted by the independent breweries in smaller batches.

An enterprising Mexican company is capitalizing on the renaissance of craft Mexican beers and ales, using online commerce to offer an enormous selection of independently-produced Mexican brands which can be ordered online, as well as being a distributor for the artisan breweries.  A comprehensive list of breweries and their beers is available on the website.

Ask your waiter about Mexican craft beers

The next time you’re visiting Mexico or taking refreshment out at your local bar or restaurant, take a second look at the beverages menu and browse the list of beers—you might be pleasantly surprised to discover that there’s something other than the usual assortment of beers and ales on offer.  If nothing new is listed on the menu, ask the waiter, or glance at the bottles in the fridge to see what might be available.

Learn more about Mexican drinks and beverages

Mexperience publishes guides and articles to help you discover Mexico’s drinks and beverages including beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.

• Discover and explore Mexican beers
• The Mexican Bar—discover Mexico’s alcoholic drinks & cocktails
• Mexico gave chocolate to the world
• Mexico grows fine coffees
• Learn more about drinks and beverages in Mexico

Although it is a liqueur, it is extremely versatile and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways and thus lends itself to a wide choice of occasions.

About Kahlua

Pronounced “Kah-loo-aah”, the beverage is a dark, but soft and semi-sweet liqueur with a coffee base. Kahlua is blended in Mexico and exported world-wide. You can buy Kahlua in most supermarkets and liquor stores in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australasia. Look for the product’s signature dark colored bottle with the bright yellow and red label.

Kahlua Cocktail Recipes – Different Ways to Enjoy Kahlua

Black Russian

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 2 Parts Vodka

Method: Pour ingredients into a short glass, stir gently and serve immediately.

[Top]

White Russian

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 1 Part Vodka, 1 Part Cream or Milk, ice cubes

Method: Pour the Kahlua and Vodka over ice, into short glass. Top with cream or full cream milk. Serve.

[Top]

Kahlua Mudslide

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 1 Part Irish Cream Liqueur, 2 Parts Vodka, 2 Parts Milk or Cream, ice cubes.

Method: Pour the Kahlua, Irish Cream and Vodka over a short glass with ice. Top with Cream or full-cream milk. Serve.

[Top]

Sombrero

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 2 or 3 Parts Cream or Milk

Method: Pour the Kahlua and Cream or full cream milk into a short glass (ice optional) and stir.

[Top]

Kahlua Cognac

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 1 Part Cognac

Method: Pour the two ingredients into a brandy or cognac glass and enjoy. Great as an after dinner liqueur.

[Top]

Kahlua Cream Soda

Ingredients: 2 Parts Kahlua, 1.5 Parts whipping cream, 4 Parts Soda Water

Method: Pour Kahlua and whipping cream into a cocktail mixer and shake thoroughly. Strain mixture into a tall glass and then add soda water. Best consumed with a straw!

[Top]

Kahlua Hot Chocolate

Ingredients: 1 Part Kahlua, 5 Parts Hot Chocolate, 1 TbSp of whipped cream

Method: Pour hot chocolate drink (made with milk or water) onto the Kahlua in a glass or mug. Top with whipped cream and serve.

[Top]

Kahlua Coffee

Ingredients: Kahlua, Coffee

Method: Liven up your after dinner coffee with Kahlua! Prepare your coffee to taste (with or without milk). If you normally take sugar, leave it out, and pour some Kahlua in the cup or mug to taste. Enjoy!

[Top]

Kahlua on the Rocks

Ingredients: Kahlua, ice cubes

Method: Pour the Kahlua into a short glass filled with ice. Drink straight, enjoy!

[Top]

Kahlua Cockroach

Ingredients: 1 Part of Kahlua, 1.5 Parts Tequila.

Method: This drink combines the two great Mexican classics of Tequila and Kahlua. Pour the Tequila and Kahlua into a glass, and (optionally) set on fire with a lighter. If you light it, pop a straw in the glass and drink! Otherwise this can be enjoyed slowly, on its own or as an after dinner liqueur. The Tequila thins the texture of the Kahlua and gives it a little “bite” – excellent!

[Top]

Learn more about Mexican drinks and beverages

Mexperience publishes guides and articles to help you discover Mexico’s drinks and beverages including beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.

• The Mexican Bar—discover Mexico’s alcoholic drinks & cocktails
• Discover and explore Mexican beers
• Mexico gave chocolate to the world
• Mexico grows fine coffees
• Learn more about drinks and beverages in Mexico

A large range and variety of beers are brewed in Mexico, and some of them are top selling beers in markets other than Mexico, including the USA, Canada, Europe and Australasia.

History of Mexican Beer

This guide shares insights into the story of the Mexican beer industry and and introduces you to all of Mexico’s contemporary beer products from the country’s two main brewers.

Mesoamerican Period

Even before the Europeans arrived, ancient civilizations had been fermenting plants and corn grains to produce alcoholic beverages in Mexico. Pulque, still sold today, is made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant and creates a thick, milky, and quite potent mixture. In Aztec times, the drink was sacred and taken only by the elite. Following the Spanish conquest, pulque became a secularized beverage and its consumption expanded.

Spanish Taxes

The Spaniards were the first to introduce barley and wheat based beers to Mexico although production was limited in the early days, in part due to the lack of available grains. The first official concession to brew European-style beers was issued by the Spanish authorities in the middle of the 16th century; however, despite the brewers’ attempts to expand the business by growing more crops locally to increase the supply of barley at a lower price, heavy regulation and very high taxation imposed by Spain on locally-produced beers and wines (thus forcing Mexicans to buy imported beverages from European traders) stymied the industry’s growth.

The Rise of Mexican Beer Production

After Mexico’s War of Independence, and the absence of European regulation and taxes, beer production began to flourish in Mexico. In the latter part of the 19th century, an influx of German immigrants brought additional knowledge and expertise to the field which caused the local market to diversify and improve its products. By the early 20th century, beer had become big business in Mexico, helped also by prohibition in the United States, which gave rise to a brisk and profitable trade of beer and other alcoholic beverages along Mexico’s border towns and cities.

Present-day Beer Brewing in Mexico

By the time the Mexican Revolution was over, there were more than thirty-five breweries operating in Mexico.  Consolidation of the industry began in the early 1920s and kick-started a process that brought about the beer market we see today.  During the consolidation, smaller breweries were absorbed into the one of the “big-two” breweries, Grupo Modelo or Cerveceria Cuautehmoc-Moctezuma, which emerged as the dominant players of the Mexican beer market.  Successful beers were mass produced and distributed regionally or nationally, and less successful beers disappeared from the market altogether. Smaller breweries that were not bought-out were forced to close as they could not compete with the inefficiencies of scale brought about through consolidation.

The “Big Two” Beer Breweries in Mexico

The “big two” corporations managing the Mexican market today are Cerveceria Modelo (Grupo Modelo) and Cerveceria Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma (FEMSA). Between them, they supply over 90% of all beer in Mexico and the country has overtaken the Netherlands as world leader in total beer production—helped by significant growth in exports to the neighboring U.S. beverage markets.

Today, domestic sales of beer exceed six billion U.S. dollars; exports account for some 2.2 billion U.S. dollars. The major brewers operate seventeen brewing plants in eleven states and support over ninety barley-producing centers across the country. They also run and manage one of the country’s most extensive and sophisticated retail distribution networks, which deliver their branded beers nation-wide—even to remotely located small towns and villages. More than 90,000 people in Mexico are employed directly by the big brewers and a further 800,000 indirectly.

Micro breweries in Mexico

Small, independent micro brewers are not very common in Mexico, and nowhere near as proliferate as they are in places like the U.S. and Europe, where small-scale, often regional, breweries are carving out lucrative niches. However, some micro brewers do trade in Mexico including Cerveceria San Angel and Cerveceria Santa Fe Beer Factory in Mexico City, Pepe and Joe’s in Mazatlan and Beer Lounge in Guadalajara. These micro brewers tend to produce ales instead of lagers and pilsners preferred by the big-two. Better quality local bars and bistros in Mexico are also beginning to stock local and artisan ales which is helping the micro-breweries to get known and noticed.

Types of Mexican Beer

The majority of beers in Mexico are lagers, pilsners, Vienna-style light and dark beers, as well as Munich dark beers. Local micro breweries produce a small range of ales—your best chance of tasting the local ales is to visit a decent bar or bistro.

Beers produced by the major breweries sold in Mexico are either available nationally or regionally. Over 90% of the beers sold in Mexico are produced by the “big two” brewers, and a description of their principal products and brands is summarized below.

Grupo Modelo’s Principal Beers

Corona Extra is a light lager pilsner beer and is the top-selling Mexican beer abroad, currently exported to 159 counties. It is the largest selling non-domestic beer in the U.S. and the U.K. This light, lager beer has a very mild flavor, coupled with touch of hop bitterness. Some 4.5 billion liters of Corona are produced each year.

Corona Light was introduced in 1989 and is Grupo Modelo’s first low calorie beer. The brewer asserts that the beverage maintains its traditional taste but has 30% less calories than Corona Extra.

Negra Modelo is popularly known in Mexico as the “cream of the beers” and is a dark beer, very smooth and described as a “Munich-dunkel (dark)” type beer by the brewer. This was one Modelo’s original beers, and when launched sold only on draft; today, very little beer is sold on draft in Mexico and Negra Modelo is now available nation-wide in bottles.

Modelo Especial was the first brand produced by the Modelo brewer in 1925 and remains a firm favorite with Mexican consumers (second best selling beer). Modelo Especial is a lager beer (described as a Pilsner lager by the brewer) but has a slightly richer and fuller taste than Corona. A lower calorie ‘light’ version was launched in 1994.

Victoria is described as a Pilsner-Vienna type beer. This fine brew has been in production since 1865, and in 1935 the brand was brought under the wing of the Modelo group from the original brewer, Cerveceria Toluca y Mexico. The beer has a unique amber color and is a remarkable and very tasty blend of a light pilsner and a dark beer.

Leon and Montejo beers were originally brewed in Merida, Yucatan. Leon has been in production for over a hundred years; Montejo has been in production since 1960. Leon is a Munich, dark amber, and full-bodied beer, whereas Montejo is a pilsner with a light taste and aroma. Originally available only in the Yucatan region of Mexico, the brewer was taken over by Modelo in the late 1970’s and these two beers are now available across most regions of Mexico.

Pacifico This light refreshing pilsner type beer was originally brewed in Mazatlan and is Grupo Modelo’s leading brand in the north-eastern region of Mexico. It has also been exported to the U.S. since 1985. A “light” version of this beer was launched in 2008.

Barrilito which literally means “little barrel” is a light beer. Barrilito’s refreshing taste and aroma put it in the pilsner category.

Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma’s Principal Beers

Sol is a light, tasty, lager beer. Originally produced for the working classes, recent marketing studies showed that young people identified with the brand so Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc re-launched the product in 1993 after a long hiatus. Today Sol is also exported to Asia, Europe and South America.

Tecate was originally brewed in the state of Baja California, at a brewery in the town of Tecate. In 1954, Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc took over the regional brewer and made this medium lager with a sharp, strong taste available nationwide. Tecate was the first beer to be sold in cans in Mexico and won gold medals in Geneva, Paris and Madrid. The brand can often be seen promoted at major sporting events here, making it one of the most well-recognized beer brands in Mexico.

Tecate Light, a low-calorie version of Tecate, made its debut in 1992 and was the first low-calorie beer to be introduced to the Mexican market. The brewer asserts that the beverage asserts the traditional Tecate flavor but with fewer calories.

Ambar Dos Equis (XX), and Dos Equis (XX) the Ambar version was first produced by a German brewer in 1897, and marketed under the name ‘Siglo XX’, in commemoration of the new (20th) century. Originally a vienna-style dark beer, XX was Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc’s best-selling brand throughout the 1940’s and 1950’s. Today, it is the best selling non-domestic dark beer in the U.S. and in 1996 XX was awarded Gold Prize in the “European Style Pilsner” category at the World Beer Cup. Dos Equis (XX) is a light lager beer, based on the ambar version, and is very popular in Mexico and the United States.

Bohemia competes with Modelo Especial and is a light, rich lager beer. It is one of Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc’s (and Mexico’s) oldest brands and has won international recognition as one of the world’s finest beers. Bohemia imparts a significant hops flavor and, notwithstanding its clarity, is quite a dense beer. The brewer also launched a dark version of this beer Bohemia Obscura. In 2009, Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc introduced Bohemia Weizen, a version of this beer made using wheat, Mount Hood hops, coriander and orange peel and has the distinction of being the first wheat-based beer to be produced by a major brewery in Mexico.

Noche Buena If you are in Mexico between October and December, look out for this beer that is only sold during the festive season. Translated it means “Christmas Eve” and is a dark, rich beer with a strong flavor. Many people who know this beer look forward to its seasonal availability each year.

Indio is a smooth, dark, beer that has been produced since 1905. Its original name was Cuauhtemoc (after the Aztec Emperor) but customers would ask for the beer “with the Indian” so the brewery changed the name to Indio, and it retains the same image on the label. The brewer asserts that this beer’s popularity is due to it being refreshing in warm weather and warming in cooler climates; ideal, then, for Mexico’s varied climate types.

Sol 2 was launched in 2007 and is a medium bodied light beer with a stronger taste than its cousin, Sol. The bottle’s design and images were chosen by consumers throughout the country, after a campaign undertaken by the brewery.

Sol Cero is the first non-alcoholic beer produced in Mexico. The brewer asserts that the beverage maintains its flavor but with less carbohydrates and no alcohol.

Sol Limon y Sal is produced for those who enjoy drinking beer with lime juice and salt and this pre-prepared Sol version of the beer comes “ready mixed” with those ingredients.

Sol Cero Limon y Sal This is the non-alcoholic version of the Sol Limon y Sal.

Superior is a light beer that has been a favorite among Mexican beer drinkers for over fifty years and, as the name suggests, was brewed as a premium product. The brew is making something of comeback after some long while in relative obscurity; helped perhaps by its golden medal at Le Monde Selection in Brussels, Belgium.

Carta Blanca technically a pilsner beer, is one of Mexico’s oldest beer brands, that was first brewed by Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc in 1890. It has won several international awards for its taste and quality.

Michelada – Drinking Beer the Mexican Way

A michelada is a beer mixed with lime juice, or lime juice and spicy sauces like Worcester sauce, picante sauce, or soy sauce (or a mixture of these). The name is derived from the Mexican slang for beer, ‘chelada‘, so michelada translated to mi-chela-helada, meaning “my cold beer”.

If you ask for a michelada you’ll get an iced glass with salt around the rim, at the base of which will be lime juice alone, or lime juice and a selection of sauces. Regional variations exist in the precise wording but, generally speaking, if you ask for a michelada, you’ll get a salt-rimmed glass with just lime juice; if you ask for michelada preparada, you’ll get a salt-rimmed glass with the lime juice and the sauces. In either event, your beer bottle will be brought to the table separately, giving you an opportunity to check the contents of the glass and change your mind before the precious nectar is introduced to the glass.

Learn more about Mexican drinks and beverages

Mexperience publishes guides and articles to help you discover Mexico’s drinks and beverages including beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.

• Discover and explore Mexican beers
• The Mexican Bar—discover Mexico’s alcoholic drinks & cocktails
• Mexico gave chocolate to the world
• Mexico grows fine coffees
• Learn more about drinks and beverages in Mexico

The spirit is distilled in just a small handful of locations in Mexico; it is tightly regulated to ensure quality and enjoyed by Mexicans and exported worldwide.

How Tequila is made

Tequila is distilled from the Blue Agave (ah-gah-veh) plant. As the story goes, back in the days of the Conquest, wine and brandy were in short supply, so the Spanish ordered that the Agave be processed and distilled to create alcohol. The plant is grown primarily in the state of Jalisco, with additional plantations also present in Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit and Tamaulipas, although all tequila production takes place in the state of Jalisco. Tequila can be enjoyed straight or with a wide variety of mixers – see below for cocktail recipes.

See also: The difference between Tequila, Mezcal and Pulque

Tequila Cocktail Recipes – Different Ways to Enjoy Tequila

Tequila Sunrise

Ingredients: 1.75 Parts Tequila, 0.5 Parts Grenadine, 2 Ice Cubes, Crushed ice, fresh Orange Juice.

Method: Place the Tequila and orange juice in a cocktail mixer with all the crushed ice and shake thoroughly. Pour mixture into a glass with the ice cubes already in it. Slowly add the grenadine, allowing for it to rise. Stir well before drinking for best taste.

[Top]

Tequila Bull

Ingredients: Tequila, half a glass of light beer, lemonade (not diet).

Method: Pour the tequila, cold, light beer and a small amount of cold lemonade into your favorite glass, and enjoy. Very refreshing on a hot day!

[Top]

Tequila Turncoat

Ingredients: Tequila, Cola drink, mineral water, lime, 2 ice cubes.

Method: Pour the tequila into a glass over the ice, add the juice of half a lime and a splash of mineral water. Fill to taste with the Cola drink, stir and enjoy!

[Top]

Tequila Sour

Ingredients: Tequila, Lemon Juice, Natural Syrup, slice of lime, red cherry.

Method: Place 2 parts Tequila in cocktail mixer along with 0.5 parts of lemon juice and 2 Tb Sp of natural syrup. Shake well. Pour into a short glass, and garnish with a slice of lime and a red cherry.

[Top]

Tequila Cockroach

Ingredients: 1.5 Parts Tequila to 1 Part of Kahlúa.

Method: This drink combines the two great Mexican classics of Tequila and Kahlúa. Pour the tequila and Kahlúa into a glass, and (optionally) set on fire with a lighter for additional effect. When the flame has gone, this can be enjoyed slowly, on its own or as an after dinner liqueur.

[Top]

Tequila Giraffe

Ingredients: Tequila, grapefruit juice, 2 ice cubes.

Method: Pour the Tequila into a tall glass and followed by the two ice cubes. Swirl the two around in the glass for a time (note: do not stir), and then add grapefruit juice to taste.

[Top]

The Margarita

Ingredients: Tequila, Cointreau, Fresh Lime (or Lemon could be used) Juice, a lime, crushed ice and salt.

Method: An American favorite, the margarita is the most commercial and most popular of all tequila mixes. The original Margarita is made with lime juice, and although lemon juice can be used as a substitute, most connoisseurs agree that lime juice is the best choice. Before you intend to serve this drink, place some glasses in the freezer and allow them to frost over. Moisten the rim of the glass with the juice from the lime, turn up-side-down and place gently on a bed of salt (for the classic ‘salted rim’). Place the tequila, Cointreau, lime/lemon juice and crushed ice into a cocktail mixer and shake well. Pour your mix into the glass. while avoiding the salted rim. Serve immediately.

[Top]

Tequila & Cola

Ingredients: Tequila, fresh lime juice (squeezed from 1 average-sized lime), cola drink, ice cubes.

Method: Pour the Tequila into a tall glass, followed by the fresh lime juice. Place the ice on top and swirl in the glass. Now add cola drink to taste.

[Top]

Tequila & Vermouth

Ingredients: 2 Part Tequila, 1 Part Triple Sec, 1 Part Dry Vermouth, Lime, crushed ice.

Method: Pour the tequila, triple sec and dry vermouth into a cocktail mixer. Squeeze in the juice from a lime, and add the crushed ice. Shake vigorously. Ideally served in a champagne glass, garnished with a slice of lime on the side.

[Top]

Tequila Fizz

Ingredients: 5 Parts Tequila, 3 Parts fresh lemon juice, natural maple syrup, egg white, lime, 2 ice cubes.

Method: Pour tequila, lemon juice, 2 Tbsp of natural maple syrup, egg white (1 egg), and the juice of the lime and the 2 ice cubes into a cocktail mixer and shake very well. Pour the mix into a tall glass, and garnish with a slice of lime.

[Top]

Sweet Tequila

Ingredients: Tequila, Aniseed (e.g. Pernot)

Method: Mix tequila and aniseed gently and pour into a cognac glass to enjoy.

[Top]

Tequila Submarine

Ingredients: Tequila, Light Beer (a Mexican light beer is best)

Method: Ensure that the beer is ICE COLD. Place the Tequila in a medium glass, tilt and pour the beer in very slowly. Serve immediately.

[Top]

Pineapple & Tequila

Ingredients: 1.25 Parts Tequila, 2 parts Pineapple Juice, 1 Part lemon Juice (fresh if possible), 0.25 Parts Grenadine, crushed ice.

Method: Pour all ingredients into a cocktail mixer. Shake very well, and serve in tall glass.

[Top]

Dry Tequila

Ingredients: Tequila, Dry Vermouth, Grenadine, 2 ice cubes.

Method: Pour the Tequila, Vermouth and Grenadine into a glass and stir. Add the two ice cubes; garnish with lime or orange slice. Serve immediately.

[Top]

Tequila Tonic

Ingredients: Tequila, Quinine (Indian Tonic Water), 1 ice cube, the peel of 1 lime

Method: Wash a lime thoroughly, and finely grate the outside. Mix the Tequila and Quinine in a glass with the ice. Now introduce the lime peel and stir well.

[Top]

Tequila Cocktail

Ingredients: 4 Parts Tequila, Juice from a lime (fresh), 2 Parts Grenadine, 2 ice cubes, a slice of lime.

Method: Pour the Tequila, Grenadine into a cocktail mixer.  Squeeze the juice from 1 lime into the mix. Add the ice cubes. Shake thoroughly. Pour mixture into a cocktail glass (leave the ice cubes behind). Garnish the rim with a slice of lime and serve immediately

[Top]

Turbo Tequila

Ingredients: Tequila, Vodka, and a fresh fruit juice (or tropical fruit juice mix) of your preference, ice

Method: Pour the Tequila, Vodka and some fruit juice (to taste / dilute) into a cocktail mixer; add the crushed ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a tall glass; serve immediately.

[Top]

Tequila Slammer / “Moppets”

Ingredients: Tequila, Fizzy Lemonade or Champagne.

Method: Probably the most famous of all “slamming” drinks, this is the tequila classic! For best results, you should buy the lemonade in cans, to ensure maximum fizz. Pour some tequila and lemonade into a tequila shot glass, leaving about a fifth of the glass unfilled. Cover the top of the glass with your bare palm, (or a cloth serviette under your palm). Raise the glass above the table, “slam” the glass down (not too hard else you’ll break it!). This action will mix the two ingredients, and create a massive fizz in the glass. The art now is to drink the entire contents of the shot glass, in one gulp!

Use of Champagne makes a good alternative to lemonade, and is known as the “Slammer Royale”

You can also practice the salt and lime routine with this, if you want to. See Tequila Straight, below…

[Top]

Tequila Straight

Ingredients: Tequila, Lime, Salt (tomato juice optional)

Method: For straight Tequila, it’s best to choose the gold-colored tequila, instead of the clear. It has a smoother, more mellow and richer taste when enjoyed on its own. The tequila should be served in a small tequila shot glass… A fresh lime, sliced into quarters and sea salt should be on the table. You can also have a tequila shot glass filled with tomato juice if you like. This is how you drink it: Lick the back of your hand, the area just above the thumb. Pour some salt on the wet area, so it sticks. Lick the salt off your hand, and immediately follow through with a drink of the Tequila (all of it, or just some – your choice) – then bite in a lime quarter, which you will have grasped between your finger and thumb on the same hand with the salt. If you have tomato juice on the table, now is the time to enjoy some of it, before you repeat the process!

[Top]

Tequila Furnace

Ingredients: Tequila, Tabasco sauce, lime, salt.

Method: Pour tequila into a shot glass. Add between 3 and 6 drops of Tabasco sauce and gently stir. Lick some salt off your hand (see Tequila Straight – above) – down the tequila and bit the lime. Now prepare to breath fire! (Not for the feint throated!).

[Top]

Learn more about Mexican drinks and beverages

Mexperience publishes guides and articles to help you discover Mexico’s drinks and beverages including beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.

• The Mexican Bar—discover Mexico’s alcoholic drinks & cocktails
• Discover and explore Mexican beers
• Mexico gave chocolate to the world
• Mexico grows fine coffees
• Learn more about drinks and beverages in Mexico

Today, Mexico is producer and exporter of fine tequilas, the best of which are distilled from the Blue Agave which grows so well here; and Mexican beers are exported to markets-world wide.  Our Bar section introduces you to some Mexican beverages and shares recipes for drinks and cocktails.