The Easiest Way To Upgrade Micheladas At Your Next Barbecue

Instead of pouring batches of pre-made Bloody Mary cocktails or haphazardly setting out coolers of beer, you should try Micheladas, a light, fresh alternative you can serve at your next outdoor soirée. We spoke to Ashleigh Phelps, brand director at Dos Equis, for tips on how to go about making impressive drinks for weekend backyard barbecues. "Micheladas and BBQ bites make the perfect pairing," Phelps encouraged. "Once you have your base Michelada, you can dress it with your go-to BBQ rubs or follow the most popular dressings from Texas: Lime and salt or Chamoy!" 

Light beer is the traditional choice when making Micheladas, but there's no hard and fast rule against making the cocktail with darker beers for hoppier or maltier experiences. The flavors of the beer combined with juices from tomato and lime, soy and hot sauce, and a touch of chili powder flavor play well with smoky dishes taken hot off your grill. Instead of simply dumping the beverage into a glass and calling it a day, you can present super-garnished Micheladas served in Tajin-lined glasses topped with skewers of pierced shrimp, jalapeño slices, pineapple cubes, and celery sticks. This refreshingly effervescent cocktail can cool palates while the impressive presentation will surely land on your friends' social feeds.

When preparing Micheladas at parties, you can set up DIY drink stations with a variety of accouterments to put flavors into the hands of guests. Jot down a few recommendations for party attendees to try — beer, tomato juice, and lime mixed with savory soy or Worcestershire sauces, sweet agave syrup, or fresh watermelon juice – and provide prepared garnishes for guests to go wild. Sprigs of cilantro, dried mango, basil leaves, and seasonal berries can all land comfortably into beer-based concoctions. 

Alternately, you can encourage guests to turn the beer cocktail into an earthier sipper with peach syrup and muddled tomatillos for a Michelada that can easily be served at a Cinco De Mayo barbecue. And when it comes to heat levels, you can adjust them to a drinker's spice tolerance by adjusting ratios of hot sauce and chili or omitting spicy ingredients entirely to focus on fruit and herbal inclusions.

For a finishing touch, line glass rims with DIY everything bagel seasoning to turn drinks into a brunch-themed beverage, or top glasses with citrus wheels or slices of cucumber for a fresher taste. Sweeten up servings with brown sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon. With a recipe this easy, delicious, and customizable, you may find yourself mixing beer with various juices even when no guests are present. These drinks look as professional as they taste.