Easy Chelada With Mexican Beer

By
Bryce Eddings
Bryce Eddings
As a freelance writer, lecturer, and homebrewer, Bryce Eddings has been writing about beer and brewing for online and print publications since 2005.
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Updated on 04/7/21
Easy Chelada With Mexican Beer

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
188 Calories
0g Fat
25g Carbs
2g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 188
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 598mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 38mg 188%
Calcium 45mg 3%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 235mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The combination of Mexican beer with lime has long been a favorite. If you are ready to step beyond stuffing your Corona bottle with a lime wedge, then you have to give this easy chelada recipe a try. It has all of the same great flavors, but it is more of a properly mixed drink than a dressed-up beer.

This simple and refreshing drink was provided by Crown Imports. They handle the U.S. imports for Grupo Modelo whose beers include popular Mexican brands such as​ Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, and Pacifico. Any of these brands would be a good choice for making an authentic Mexican chelada, though any light lager style of beer will do. Why not try a locally brewed beer?

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Easy Chelada With Mexican Beer ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Rub lime juice on the rim of a large, tall glass and salt the rim or use Tajin.

    rub lime on the rim of the glass and coat with Tajinon

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Fill with ice and add the lime juice.

    glass with ice and lime juice

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Top off with the beer.

    Easy Chelada With Mexican Beer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Garnish with the lime wedge. Enjoy.

    Easy Chelada With Mexican Beer garnished with lime wedge

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Odds are that you will not empty the bottle, so reserve what is left and keep adding as you drink it, or just make a second chelada.
  • Mexican beers are an obvious choice for cheladas, Micheladas, and similar beer drinks that have a south of the border flair. However, they are not the only option. Choose your favorite lager; this recipe is simple enough so it is easy to experiment with until you find your personal favorite. You may be surprised at how many beers work well with a hint of lime and a little salt.
  • By "light" lager, we mean a beer that is light in both color and flavor, not necessarily a low-calorie beer.
  • Fresh lime juice is going to produce a better-tasting drink. Many of the bottled lime juices available (even those that claim to be "pure") are too sweet or too sour and will ruin an otherwise refreshing drink. Do not use a lime cordial or any "lime juice" that has been sweetened.
  • Once you have chosen your beer and stocked up on fresh lime, the next decision is the salt. Some drinkers enjoy a little salt in their beer, some prefer it on the rim and still, others prefer to skip it completely.
  • If you are on the fence about salt, there is an easy solution: only add salt to half of the glass rim. This gives you the option to drink from the salted rim or the unsalted rim. Maybe you will find that you like switching back and forth mid-drink, but a partially rimmed glass at least gives you the option and won't spoil the entire drink if you find you do not like the salt. Try adding some tajin to the salt for an extra kick.

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