Barfly: Michelada

Beer, as a rule, is a lousy base on which to build a cocktail—the Velvet Fog being the one exception. (An even more important rule? Never drink a Manhattan while wearing shorts and flip-flops. Time and place, people, time and place.) But beer can be juiced up to wonderful effect, which brings us to the Michelada, Mexico’s answer to the gin and tonic. The key here is to embrace the madness: don’t skimp on the lime or the Worcestershire and you’ll end up with a weirdly wonderful thirst quencher that bears no real relation to those scary lime beers that were so popular for 17 days last summer.

                    4 dashes Worcestershire
                   4 dashes Choula hot sauce
                    (Tabasco is a bit too vinegary)
                         2 dashes soy sauce
                        1 oz. fresh lime juice
                            salt and pepper
                      1 bottle Negro Modelo
            (dark beer works better than Corona)

Add first five ingredients to a chilled, salt-rimmed pint glass half-filled with ice. Pour beer slowly and mix. Clamato may be added at your own peril, you crazy Canuck.