Michelada Cocktail Recipe

Normally we don't try to improve upon perfect things, such as cold beers. The Michelada, a kind of cerveza preparada or beer cocktail, is an exception to that rule. Its American cousin, the shandy, is pretty excellent as well. Not to be confused with a chelada, which is simply beer with lime and salt, the Michelada contains your favorite combination of any (or all) of the following:

• Mexican beer
• Tomato juice (Clamato is commonly used for that delicious mollusk-in-a-bottle flavor)
• Lime
• Salt
• Worcestershire sauce
• Teriyaki sauce
• Soy sauce
• Hot sauce or chilis
• Other spices 

And while some brands do sell pre-mixed Micheladas in cans, it's hard to recommend them once you master the following technique: Open beer, open tomato juice, pour both in a salt-rimmed glass and squeeze in some lime. Or, open beer, open tomato juice, drink some of the beer and fill the gap with tomato and lime juice. OR, open beer, open tomato juice and pour together directly into your salt-rimmed mouth, garnishing with a lime wedge. Really, however you like.