How to Make a Molechelada Beer Cocktail

Kindred Spirits by | October 29, 2018

With beers like a gin-inspired spruce tip ale and a ginger and lemongrass wheat, Georgia’s Second Self Beer Company has pushed the creative envelope since opening in Atlanta in 2014. For its seasonal Mole Porter, the brewery adds cinnamon, cloves, cacao nibs, and three types of chilies to a Robust Porter recipe to create a drink reminiscent of the famed Oaxacan sauce. And while the Mole Porter is certainly full of flavor on its own, co-founder Jason Santamaria had the idea to add it to a Michelada, a beer cocktail he first encountered while living in San Diego. “It was what I wanted a Bloody Mary to be—just the right balance of tomato, spice, acid, and alcohol. Since then, I tried different beers in Micheladas and tended to like them with darker beers. It gave the drink a little more body and malt sweetness. When we first made Mole Porter in 2014, that became my go-to for the cocktail. The spice brings out the dried chilies and cinnamon, while the cocoa in the beer helps create a new twist on a classic.”

1 bar spoon full of chili powder salt mixture (2 parts chili powder, 1 part salt)
1/4 oz fresh lime juice
dash Creole Bitters (1/2 vile)
6–8 dashes Cholula hot sauce
Second Self Mole Porter (or another mole-inspired beer like Due South’s Mexican Standoff or Copper Kettle’s Mexican Chocolate Stout)

Fill a small cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add all of the ingredients, shake to combine, and pour into a pint glass. Top with a liberal pour of Mole Porter and garnish with a lime wedge.