It’s that time of year again. The frost is on the ground, the Thanksgiving turkey is picked clean, and the winter holidays are approaching. If you’re heading to Mexico for some hot steamy fun, cool off with one of the many beer cocktails that are making waves south of the border. Bring a few recipes home and use them with your favorite local craft beer to remember your sunny vacation.

Before we swim over to the poolside bar, it helps to know a few things about Mexican mixed drinks, especially ones that include “chela”, a nickname that Mexicans have given to everyone’s favorite frosty beverage.

If you’re heading to Mexico for some hot steamy fun in the sun, make sure to try one of the many beer cocktails that are making waves south of the border. Bring a few recipes home and use your favorite local craft beer to remember your vacation.

Before we head to the bar, it helps to know a few things about Mexican mixed drinks, in particular ones that include beer.

Let’s start with some of the more surprising and exotic ingredients with this handy glossary.

Salsa. This is not the chunky variety that you use as a dip back home. In Mexico, salsa just means “sauce” and it can be any number of dips or toppings. Ketchup, Worchester sauce, salsa maggy, and Valentina are all examples of “salsa.”

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La Ramona

A distinctive drink that’s often served in a large, bowl-like glass with the open beer bottle used as a garnish. Tequila, beer, clamato, salsa inglesa, salsa maggy, (petroleo) limone, tahini, orange juice.

La Ramona is a distinctive drink that’s often served in a large, bowl-like glass with an open beer bottle used as a garnish. It includes tequila and beer, Clamato juice, Worcestershire sauce, lime, and tahini.

Gummi Chela

Candy is dandy, liquor is quicker, and together they’re better. Limone, clamato, sal, mango gummies with red sauce, preferably dark beer. If you’re in the mood for something sweeter, try a Gummi Chela.

We’re not sure who had to the idea to combine dark beer, Clamato juice, and gummy bears with spicy red sauce and a rim of tangy salt, but kudos to that creative mind.

West Coast Michaleda

This one is more popular on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, where tourists from the northwestern US and Canada’s Lower Mainland tend to congregate. Coasties from the north like their seafood and beer, so why not combine them into one big happy glass? This drink that eats like a meal includes fried or peeled shrimp, pan drippings, other “chela” fixens. Dark beer is recommended but it’s not a requirement.

The West Coast Michelada was invented on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, where tourists from the northwestern US and Canada’s Lower Mainland tend to congregate. Visitors from the north like their seafood and beer, so why not combine them into one big happy glass? This drink that eats like a meal starts with a dark beer and includes fried or peeled shrimp, pan drippings, and other typical “chela” garnishes like lime, spicy red sauce, and salt.

Michelada de Sabores

Boilermakers. That means you get a shot glass either on the side of actually dropped into an oversized mug of beer. A frosty beverage with lemon, salt, and almost any flavor of alcohol but in particular tequila or mescal.

Pina Colada Chelada

Take away the sweet coconut milk and rum and replace it with beer, and you have this creative take on an old favorite. It might need a different name at that point, but there has yet to be a Beer Cocktail Committee ruling on what exactly this dink might be.

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