Do you Michelada? Salud to 3 tasty recipes and free beer

Did you know that July 12 is National Michelada Day? To celebrate this classic Mexican drink, here are three cocktail recipes and a free beer.

Do you michelada? The Mexican cocktail has seen a surge in popularity. If you haven’t tried this refreshing beverage, would free beer entice you to raise a glass and say salud?

If you have never had this Mexican cocktail, the drink is relatively straight forward. The beverage blends beer, lime juice, tomato juice and peppers.

For a frame of reference, the beverage is similar to a shandy, which blends beer and lemonade. But, this Mexican version brings big, bold flavor. While there are many variations of this beverage, the basic idea remains the same.

Looking back at the history of this beverage, the exact origin isn’t clear. Still, the beverage has grown in popularity. From canned versions to individualized creations, the Michelada has found its place on cocktail menus, store shelves and at summer parties.

Mixing up one of these cocktails is quite easy. There are just a handful of ingredients and it is really customizable.

Here’s how to make the Authentic Michelada.

"Ingredients:4 oz. Clamato® Original1 Key lime or ReaLime® (to taste)1 dash Worcestershire sauce2 dashes habanero pepper sauce1 12-oz. bottle of beerIce1 lime wheelTajín® (or assorted spices)Instructions:Run lime across rim of mug.Dip mug in Tajín to coat evenly.Add ice.Add lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and habanero pepper sauce.Fill with Clamato and beer.Garnish with a lime wheel."

In this recipe, the Tajin seasoning is key. The slow, building heat from this spice is delicious. If you don’t have this spice in the house, go buy some now.

Like many other popular beverages, it has its own food holiday. National Michelada Day is July 12. While this occasion is a great reason to try one, Clamato has a better reason, free beer.

Clamato is offering free beer to consumers. Since this cocktail requires beer, Clamato will reimburse consumers up to $6.50 via the Ibotta app.

To qualify for this free beer offer, Clamato says “for every purchase of one 64 oz, two 32-oz or 1-liter bottles of Clamato and a 6-pack or larger or beer” consumers can get $6.50 via the Ibotta app. The offer is valid through July 31. Would you try one for free beer?

After enjoying this offer, why not shake up another cocktail. To break away from the traditional, FoodSided recommends these three variations, Tropical Michelada, Spicy Michela or the Pineapple Michelada.

Tropical Michelada, photo provided by Clamato

The Tropical version adds orange juice to the cocktail. With that flavor base, a wheat beer, like a Blue Moon, would highlight the orange flavors in the cocktail.

Also, with the sugar rim, this version does have a sweeter edge. We recommend adding a little ground clove to the sugar for a slightly more robust flavor.

Spicy Michelada, photo provided by Clamato

The Spicy version definitely brings the heat. With hot sauce, jalapenos and spicy Clamato, this version is far from tame.

We modified the spicy version to add a bit more smoky flavors. With some chipotle peppers and serrano peppers, the heat offered a little more build and linger. Basically, with this spicy version, you control the level. So go as big or as bold as you can handle.

Pineapple Michelada, photo provided by Clamato

Lastly, the pineapple version has a very unique ingredient, chamoy. It is salty, sweet, sour and definitely spicy. The pickled fruit can be a liquid or a paste.

We recommend that you try this ingredient before putting a bunch in your cocktail. The flavor definitely offers a big punch.

Whether you enjoy micheladas all the time or have never tried one before, this summer and this Clamato deal is a great excuse to take a sip. These recipes show how varied the Mexican cocktail can be.

Why not join FoodSided in raising one. Tag us with #FoodSided and we will send a salud your way.