Mexican Drink Recipes: Margaritas, Horchatas, Micheladas And More (Photos)

With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, what better time than now to learn about the world of Mexican beverages? Most people stop their exploration with Margaritas, while others are slightly more adventurous and make it to Micheladas or palomas; and if you've lived in a city with a substantial Mexican community, you've most likely tried some version of aguas frescas (non-alcoholic drinks) -- horchata, tamarindo and Jamaica being some of the more popular flavors.

But that's just the beginning of refreshing beverages to be had thanks to Mexico; there are still many more to explore. From milky, sweet horchatas -- a rice-based agua fresca -- to creamy masa-based drinks like atoles or champurrados, the realm of Mexican beverages is varied and unique. While you can make most of these drinks in your own kitchen, some are not quite as accessible (though they just might be worth a trip to Mexico). Click through the slideshow below to learn about the refreshments enjoyed south of the border.

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Comments

[thebarbecuemast]

05:24 AM on 05/04/2012

a great drink is horchata and jaimica. i love both you can get the flowers at a mexican grocery.
http://www.thebarbecuemaster.net/hisbiscus.html. its healthy and delicios in the heat of summer

[nadohawk]

11:54 PM on 05/03/2012

Horchata is not a Mexican milkshake, not at all. Also you forgot tamarindo even though you mentioned it in the body of the article. Just boil tamarind pods, making sure to strain the debris out and then add sugar. Or do as I do and get it in concentrate (since I lived far from Mexico for the previous five years and I had to do with second-quality ingredients).

Also the author mentioned a trip to Mexico...if you aren't prepared to potentially die, don't go to Mexico.

[mrh85]

02:54 PM on 05/02/2012

This article is ANNOYING!!! One, horchata is NOT a Mexican milkshake... not even close. Maybe a licuado would have been a better example.

Also, I'm Mexican and grew up on Mexican hot chocolate... never with whipped cream and sprinkles though.

In addition, Mexicans don't even celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Come back with a similar article around Sep. 16.

[Teri Knauer-Schafer]

10:34 AM on 05/02/2012

Fans you got to admit the Mexican people placed right can farm circles around anyone. The drinks and fun. Mexican men know how to flirt for a women. Most live proper in their marriages raising children. Wars and conflict has caused strange behaviors in people all over this blue planet. I think they are best on their own ground living with their kind. They come to help and get mixed up confused and torted.

[thebarbecuemast]

06:00 AM on 05/02/2012

Another great article with my favorite drinks! re
my two favorite drinks from spending much time in mexico with my hispanic girlfriend arr horchata and jaimica or hisbiscus drink.I love both but hisbiscus is purple and so healthy for you. I drink this all the time. Horchata is delicious in the summer especially when made with almonds,its tricky to make but once you get the hang out it you will make it often here is my recipe
http://www.thebarbecuemaster.net/horchata.html . If you go to a mexican grocery you can get the ingrdients for both ,they even have it premade in some stores.

[Fran Jaime]

03:41 AM on 05/02/2012

Mexican hot chocolate is NOT made with chile and certainly not served with whipped cream on top!

[plasmaorb]

10:00 PM on 05/01/2012

Hisbiscus Margaritas are good too... just make a simple syrup with the hisbiscus flowers, let them steep in the hot sugar water for an hour or so

[Arturo Ramrez]

01:33 PM on 05/01/2012

"With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, what better time than now to learn about the world of Mexican beverages? " Most Mexicans don't give a rats a** about 5 de mayo. I have no idea why people in the US keep thinking it's important! Mexico's Independence day (september 16th) is the important holiday. It's like saying that the US's important holiday is some random battle from the civil war.

[GraceNotes]

05:52 PM on 05/01/2012

For most Americans, Cinco de Mayo is an excuse to drink. This year, it falls on a Saturday.

[Fran Jaime]

03:46 AM on 05/02/2012

I'm having trouble getting over the picture and description of Mexican hot chocolate! Whipped cream and sprinkles? Who puts chile in their hot chocolate? Geez! My son in-laws grandmother is from Oaxaca and she still makes her own chocolate and she doesn't put chile in it. Good grief! I'm afraid to check the recipe for atole.

[Arturo Ramrez]

04:46 PM on 05/02/2012

Well, actually there are some kinds of Mexican hot chocolate that have a little of chile, but that recipee is with water, magnolia petals and stingless bee honey. Talking of atole, I had some guava atole and green tamales today. Hah! I bet you're drooling now

[TheFabOne]

01:11 PM on 05/01/2012

Doesn't matter how many drinks you have.

We all sound like Mexicans after a few good ones, anyway.

[Fran Jaime]

03:42 AM on 05/02/2012

Kind of like everybody's really attractive after a few drinks?

[Jerry Bourbon]

12:57 PM on 05/01/2012

I will just have a few cold Tecates.

[biscuitdave]

12:54 PM on 05/01/2012

Woo! Cinco de Mayo is my birthday!
Boo! Restaurants are always full of drunk people. I usually stay home.

[Tom Weidermeijer]

12:29 PM on 05/01/2012

THIS is how you make the BEST margaritas!

1 12 oz can of limeaide
1 12 oz bottle of beer
12 oz of tequila

Mix in pitcher... blend with ice if you desire.

[Rational Voice]

12:07 PM on 05/01/2012

Be smarter - skip the booze and stick to the green that won't leave you feeling like you got hit by a truck the next day. Cannabis is the smarter choice.

[killerclowns]

12:50 PM on 05/01/2012

BOTH work well too !

[cahye123]

11:43 AM on 05/01/2012

spicy beers! mmmmm

[choppychop]

11:30 AM on 05/01/2012

When my wife and I went to Mexico for our honeymoon, the resort we stayed at made this mexican coffee. I can't remember what all was in it but there was apple juice, cinnamon, tequila, Kahlua and some other stuff. Best coffee ever. They could market that stuff in the states and destroy Starbucks in days.

That chelada/michelada stuff is nasty IMO although I know a lot of people enjoy it. The story listed tepache as sweet but some tepache is intensely sour.

It's too bad that we get good tequila in the states (but plenty of flavorful mezcal and tequila never makes its way up) and always ruin it with dumping a lot of sugar into it to make margaritas. A good anejo or even repesado can hold its own among fine liquors like scotch and should be drank neat.