A Drink For the Morning After

A goblet of lager doctored up with ingredients that range from chicken bouillon to Maggi sauce might sound to some, well, wrong. But the michelada is one of the most popular drinks in Mexico. Revered by some as a hangover cure, the beer-based cocktail is most often made with lime, hot sauce, worcestershire, tomato (or Clamato) juice, and served over ice. Like any storied libation, there are endless riffs that vary by region and bartender. Dimas Diaz, bar manager at El Alma in Austin, makes his with homemade tomato water. “It brings a farm-to-table feel,” he says. “Instead of a bottled bloody mary mix, I wanted to use all fresh, natural ingredients to lock in that potent, sun-ripened tomato flavor. Our version of it is delicious and refreshing any time of the year.”