What It Means To 'Dress' Your Beer

If this is your first time encountering the phrase "dressing your beer," you might immediately picture a can of beer all dolled up in a miniature gown. As cute as that sounds, dressing a beer is more about adding flavorful mixers and seasonings than tiny costumes. As Swathi Rao, director of brand marketing for Modelo Chelada, explains: "'Dressing a beer' or 'cerveza preparada' is the broader Mexican tradition of enhancing beer with mixers and garnishes."

Most commonly, dressed beers take the form of a chelada, which "traditionally consist of a Mexican beer base, like a Modelo Especial, customized with juices, spices, and garnishes to create a personalized drink that can range from spicy and savory to tart and sweet," Rao says. Sometimes, the term chelada is used interchangeably with michelada, though the former only requires lime juice and beer, while the latter typically involves Clamato juice and/or Worcestershire sauce.

Your options are practically limitless when dressing beer, though there are a few classic ingredients we recommend having on hand. Lime and salt are a great place to start. If you like bold, tangy flavor, Tajín (chili-lime seasoning) and chamoy (sauce made from pickled fruits and chilis) are two must-have Mexican ingredients that pair beautifully with beer. When rimming your glass or can, just remember to start with a liquid ingredient that your dry toppings can adhere to. Ultimately, "there's no wrong way to dress a beer," Rao says. "The beauty lies in experimenting and bringing your own sabor!"

While dressing your beer is all about personalization, it never hurts to take a hint from the experts. Along with Swathi Rao of Modelo Chelada, Chowhound spoke with Logan Jensen, vice president of brand marketing at Modelo, and Maddy Zingle, senior director of brand marketing at Victoria, for their advice on the best flavor combinations to try.

Different types of beer have different strengths to highlight with your dressing, and most popular Mexican beers are lagers (as opposed to ales). When it comes to a lager, like Modelo Especial, Jensen says "the smooth taste is the perfect canvas for a chamoy rim topped with chili-lime seasoning and garnished with lime. It's a classic and crowd-pleasing combo." Zingle concurred, telling Chowhound, "Vienna-style lagers pair so perfectly with the authentic Mexican flavors of chamoy and tamarind that we created our own Vicky Chamoy product." They suggest adding a chamoy candy or fruit garnish to take the flavor up a notch.

With a darker beer, like Modelo Negra, Jensen recommends dressing the drink with an intense, smoky mole poblano rim. Mole poblano is considered the national dish of Mexico, which makes it a great choice to pair with a complex, beloved Mexican beer. "The rich flavors of the mole pair perfectly with the caramel malt notes in Modelo Negra," Jensen says. "You can also add a smoky finish by adding grilled fruit as a garnish."

Citrus fruits, especially lime, are such a natural choice to pair with lagers that many Mexican beers are automatically served with a lime wedge. But they're certainly not the only type of fruit that can add a unique, zingy flavor twist to your favorite beer. Logan Jensen tells us that Modelo Especial is the perfect canvas for fruits that go beyond standard citrus: "If you want to lean into tropical flavors, try adding a slice of mango or guava. You could also add fresh passion fruit for a tart kick." Other, more experimental garnishes Jensen recommends include sliced cucumber sprinkled with chili-lime seasoning and even more substantial savory ingredients, "like shrimp cocktail, bacon wrapped jalapeños, olives, and more."

Dressing a beer starts with identifying your ideal flavor profile — is it sweet? Spicy? Refreshing? For a sweet rim, Swathi Rao likes spreading strawberry jam or pureé and adding a dash of all-important chili-lime seasoning. The combination "adds an extra layer of sweet and subtly spicy flavor." For those beer drinkers not afraid to bring the heat, Rao advises you "pair with a chamoy rim, chili-lime seasoning, and a jalapeño garnish to add a tart but fiery kick. If you really want to get adventurous, crush hot chips and sprinkle them on the rim of a Modelo for a bold and crunchy garnish." For even more heat, try adding hot sauce to the rim or directly into the beer.