Authentic Mexican Drinks for Cinco de Mayo

While margaritas are delicious, they can't really be considered an authentic Mexican cocktail. It was created on accident. Here are some tasty drinks for your Cinco de Mayo.

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Paloma

Kosher salt
1 grapefruit wedge
¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup mescal or tequila
¼ cup club soda

Pour some kosher salt on a plate. Rub half of rim of a highball glass with grapefruit wedge; dip rim of glass in salt. Combine grapefruit juice, lime juice, and sugar in glass; stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in mescal, add ice, and top off with club soda. Garnish with grapefruit wedge.

Pulque

8.0 lbs. (3.6 kg) agave nectar
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale)
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast

Dissolve the agave nectar into the water, much as when making a mead. Heat for as long as it takes to dissolve nectar, but do not boil. After cooling wort, add the yeast (and bacteria, if using. See below). Ferment at 65 °F (18 °C). Fermentation time may vary. Best if served shortly after fermenting. If bottling, let cure in bottles for a few days, then keep refrigerated.

Michelada

1 32-oz. bottle chilled Clamato (about 4 cups)
1 32-oz. bottle or 3 12-oz. bottles chilled Mexican lager
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
1 tsp. Maggi Seasoning
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Lime wedges (for serving)

Mix Clamato, lager, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and Maggi Seasoning in a large pitcher.

Mix salt and chili powder on a small plate. Rub rims of pint glasses with lime wedges and dip in salt mixture. Fill glasses with ice, add Michelada mixture, and garnish with lime wedges.

Tejuino

Boil the same kind of corn masa used to make tortillas with water and sugar. Transfer that mixture to a container, cover the top with cheesecloth so it can breathe. After two to three days you have Tejuino.