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It’s Maggic!

They’re spicy. They’re salty. They’re tart and cold and bubbly. Micheladas are a delicious drink with a slightly confusing history. The variations, the flavors, and what is Maggi Sauce anyway? In the end, we’re not sure it matters —  we love Bloody Marys; we love beer. Why not put them together?

In Mexico, great Micheladas contain a mix of Maggi liquid seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, and some sort of hot sauce, served in a glass with ice and a salted rim.

Most sources date the invention of the Michelada to the 1940-50s. The most likely story? Chela is Latin-American slang for light beer (also slang for a blonde haired, blue-eyed woman).  Chelada is most likely a contraction of chela helada, meaning “iced beer.” Thus, “michelada” simply means “my iced beer.”

Whatever the story, whatever the recipe, we want one right now. Here’s our take, and it makes eight servings. Let’s party, friends!

INGREDIENTS
1 32-oz. bottle Tomato juice (about 4 cups)
1 32-oz. bottle or 3 12-oz. bottles chilled beer (Landshark will work well)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. Maggi Seasoning
2 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder

MAKE IT
Mix the tomato juice, beer, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and Maggi Seasoning in a large pitcher. Mix salt and chili powder on a small plate. Rub rims of pint glasses with lime wedges and dip in chili-salt mixture. Fill glasses with ice, add Michelada mixture, and garnish with lime wedges.