The Most Eccentric Alcoholic Drinks To Try in Mexico

Whether it’s mezcal with a worm, or spicy michelada, Mexico isn’t short of unique looking and tasting alcoholic beverages. Here’s a rundown of some the most eccentric drinks you can find on your next trip to Mexico.

A much beloved and delicious Mexican beverage, micheladas are made in a huge variety of ways. They typically contain icy beer with lime juice, Maggi seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce, all served in a glass tumbler with a salted rim. However, micheladas are also offered with a culinary twist. The rim of the glass can be decorated with boiling crab shrimp and cucumber, making it more a meal than a beer cocktail. For added firepower, a tequila shot is sometimes added to the spicy mix.

The sour and frothy pre-Hispanic drink pulque has made something of a comeback in recent years, thanks to a young, urban crowd looking for an alternative to beer. Yet pulque earns its place on this list because its viscous texture takes some getting used to. The white beverage has been consumed in Mexico for at least 2,000 years, making it the very elderly ancestor to tequila and mezcal. The drink has a much lower alcohol content (usually between 2% and 8%) and is made by fermenting—instead of distilling—the sap of the agave, the spiky plant that forms the basis of so many of Mexico’s alcoholic drinks.