This is the first of occasional posts about a product that there is no second rate version of and maybe it’s a good thing. I first saw this product called “Chelada” last month at a drug store and did a double take. Budweiser and…Clamato?? Why? How?…Why? The curiosity stuck in my mind though, so while I’m visiting my sister and brother-in-law, I had them test this out with me.
I have to admit I did not have high hopes for this but tried to go into it thinking maybe the folks at Am-Busch know what they’re doing and as the can states it’s “The Perfect Combination” of beer, clam, tomato, salt and lime.
Evaluation:
Everyone got their own little tasting cup of the pale, pinkish-redish bubbly liquid.
It was hard to describe the taste of this. I could first taste the tomato and the beer was almost undetectable except for the bubbles and just a hint of hop flavor and a little brine. My sister Elaine said it tasted kind of like soup and bad beer. Zac said while it wasn’t disgusting enough to spit out, that only someone who spent time in a Turkish prison would be glad to drink this.
Wrap up:
As we sat around trying to describe this we all agreed on summing it up as “Wrong in a can”. A few minutes later Elaine wasn’t feeling so good and got a headache. Coincidence or…Chelada?
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This vomitous pink fluid has absolutely nothing to recommend it. And it also comes in an equally-nasty Bud Light version.
there just aren’t enough words to describe how bad an idea this was. it’s amazing the hoorible things that make it through the consumer testing phase and into actual production. what were they thinking?!
http://attackedbygorillas.com/2007/11/29/chelada-a-food-mashup-disasterpiece/
I went to a beer festival last fall that had this as an offering. We either read the sign wrong or were told that it was “chile beer,” so we all (vegetarians included) had a sip just to see what it was like. It tasted like slightly off, alcoholic gazpacho. Not good at all.
I have a friend who swears this is the best tasting beer ever. Her whole family loves it! I have never tried it and don’t plan to… sounds disgusting to me.
I have friends that drink “red beer” where you mix V8 w/beer. I’m not a fan but they swear by “a little hair of the dog that bit you”
I actually like Clamato, and could almost see myself enjoying something like this, but it really just doesn’t work at all. The watered-down quality is the main problem for me–if it tasted just like carbonated straight Clamato with a slight beer flavor, I’d probably drink it every now and then when in a daring mood.
Something tells me ONLY Homer Simpson would love this product. What were they thinking?!
versions of this cocktail, originally called Michelada, have been popular in Mexico and some other Latin American countries since the 1940’s. most hand mixed versions include any number of hot sauces, and frequently worcestershire sauce. what was anheuser-busch thinking? they were thinking of the money to be had by filling in a niche market of Latino Americans. pretty good idea on their part!
that said, YECCCH ?
We sell these at my work, and surprisingly I see people buy them about every other day. I don’t know why or how.
My roommate drinks this GARBAGE. I wack him on the nose with a rolled up newspaper. It’s the only way he’ll learn.
They’re playing on the Michelada. I had my first Michelada in Mexico, and it was so good! BUT, the bartender has to know how to really make them. In Texas, Mexican and tex-mex places make them, each having their own version. I like a Mexican beer such as Corona lite or Tecate, lots of lime juice, splash of v-8 or clamato, and lots of salt. Some other places put worchestier and tabasco. Just depends. Bud light and clamato, not so good. Mexican beer, lime, and clamato…soooo good.
This was developed in Fresno California. It is made for the hispanic market and is one the hottest new beers. It is very popular among the hispanic community and sales have been through the roof.
All of you people who said “what were they thinking?” must be anti-hispanic. Don’t you like other cultures???? I thought diversity was our strength. Isn’t it?
Idea: bring all the illegals to the Mexican border and start tossing cans of this stuff over the Rio Grande. The US will be 100% gringo again!!!!!!
VIVA Chelada!!!!!!
Corona & clamato mixed together for a red beer is much better.
I once worked at the Mott’s bottleing plant in Williamson, NY. Clamato is nasty, you should have smelled it in the plant and on my shoes. When I asked about it, I found out that the canucks like it and that Cadbury-Schweppes distributes more of it to canada than to the US. Clamato with Budweiser… maybe for an American in Canada on boxing day, never otherwise. NASTY!
I believe I shall be the only vote in favor of the Chelada (both Bud and Bud Light versions). It is quite enjoyable, and not “nasty” or other adjectives used by the under-10 set to describe unfamiliar foods.
If you read the other comments you’d see that other people do like this (or mention people they know like this) but people have a right to describe it any way they want if they try it. It’s okay not to like everything you try – not sure what you mean by “under-10 set”. Some people take it personally for some reason if they hear someone doesn’t like something they like. It’s just a drink.
This Cheleda creation is horrible! IT should be discontinued immediately!
Cheladas are popular in latino circles…I would much prefer corona and a lime to this stuff though
I’m pretty sure most people only drink this as an eye opener/hang-over cure. I see this in Mexican groceries etc. I can think of waaay worse things to consume but that doesn’t mean I really dig this stuff.
Beer?!?!?!?!?!?! You’re kidding me!!!!!! XD
I crave micheladas all the time (I’m white but have been heavily Hispanic influenced in the last ten yrs.. a friend has dubbed me the Swedish Latina)… We even bought the big goblets to drink em out of when we make em at home.. which is usually with Tecate, lots of lime, worcestishire, cholula, salt, and tejon. BUT.. when I’m craving one on the go or in a pinch (without all the prep and lime squeezing), I like these JUST fine. I crave em even. Yes it would be preferred if they made a Mexican beer version, as I don’t much like Budweiser on its on..but this is what is available!