In a quest to perfect an (assumedly) tepid beer in Mexico, many years ago, an insightful individual came up with a solution: Cheladas. This beer concoction, which has its roots deeply etched in Mexico, offers a tantalizing interplay of salt and lime. Deriving its name from a combination of “chela” (beer) and “elada” (cold), Cheladas fall in the category of “cerveza preparada”, which loosely translates to prepared beer.

You might come across many versions of a Chelada, varying from simple to notoriously complex; however, the quintessential Chelada always clusters around lager beer, lime, and salt. The more distinguished sibling is the Michelada, known as a Mexican-style Bloody Mary, blended from tomato or clam juice, chili sauce, and hearty sauces such as Maggi or Worcestershire.

The custom of lining a beer with salt and lime emerged out of necessity than creativity. Back in the day, beer bottles in Mexico came with metal caps that could leave rusty remnants around the mouth of the bottle. Thus, beer drinkers would clean off these rusty marks using a lime, often squeezing some into the beer, setting the stage for traditional Mexican seasonings like salt and chili to make their entrance. This marked the genesis of the Michelada.

The origin story of the Michelada cocktail rings with controversy. One popular tale takes us back to the Mexican Revolution in 1910, where war heroes sought comfort in the local cantina situated in the central state of San Luis Potosi of Mexico. A celebrated general, Don Augusto Michel, ignited the initial spark for what we now know as the Michelada, by ordering a zesty beer concoction to keep his fellow soldiers battle-ready.

A conflicting anecdote begins at the Club Deportivo Potosino in San Luis Potosí during the 1970s, where a club member suffering from a hangover requested a pick-me-up beer with salt, lime, and chili. Owning to these dueling stories, Daniel Brooks, owner of Licha's Cantina and Chapulín in Austin, Texas, and native Mexico City citizen, finds the latter tale more probable since cold beverages were not as readily accessible during the revolutionary era.

The popularity of Cheladas has seen a sharp rise in the U.S., as its low alcohol content coupled with limitless versatility, appeals to the American crowd. The canned Chelada market is blossoming slowly. Heavyweights like Dos Equis, Miller Brewing, and Modelo have invoked interest by releasing various iterations.

Innovative market strategies have fueled Cheladas' success, with retail sales hitting nearly $913 million within the year spanning May 2023 and May 2024. Matt Saltzstein, vice president for Dos Equis, highlights the level of acceptance that Cheladas have achieved in the American market, particularly in states with heavier Mexican population like Texas, California, and Arizona.

Despite their humble origin, Cheladas demonstrate an impressive variety, especially in Mexico City where numerous Chelada kiosks are a common sight. Daniel Brooks shares his observations, stating that ordering a Michelada could present a different taste experience in northern Mexico compared to Mexico City or Jalisco.

Whether a craft of a hardened general or hangover remedy of a country club member, everyone agrees that the Cheladas are the perfect fix after a night of high spirits. As Brooks puts it – they're a return to life, tasted best when you're hungover, much like birria tacos and menudo.