A ‘Bloody Mary’ for Cinco de Mayo – Grape Crush

Manly types in the American South might accuse this suggestion of violating a drinker’s law of nature, but on Cinco de Mayo this year, try the Michelada, a traditional Mexican cocktail that blends the zing of tomatoes with the effervescence of beer. Yes, instead of a margarita in all its fruit-filled glory, sample this refreshing, hearty beverage for a taste of something authentic.

“It’s like a Bloody Mary with a beer,” says Saul Rubio, owner of La Carreta’s in Baton Rouge and Hammond. “It’s really good.”

A traditional Mexican cocktail, the Michelada can be as varied as the Bloody Mary, but its essential components are a spicy, Worcestershire-spiked tomato juice base combined with a beer that’s usually served on the side and poured in. The degree of heat is adjusted with more or less Tabasco sauce.

Cinco de Mayo, or the Fifth of May, marks not Mexican independence, but the Mexican army’s defeat of French forces in 1862. Like St. Patrick’s Day, it is celebrated to a larger degree in the United States than in its country of origin. Cinco de Mayo has become a symbol of immigrant pride and culture stateside, along with a great excuse for Americans of all stripes to drink lots of Mexican beer, shoot tequila and suck down margaritas.

If those habits are feeling stale, the spicy Michelada is the perfect foil for salty chips, cheesy Tex-Mex cuisine and warm weather. But if you’re still committed to the margarita this Cinco, La Carreta’s offers a $100 version, so priced because of its grande size and the addition of high-end, aged tequila.