The fun is about to begin once the Coronaritas come out to play.
About ten or twelve years ago, I was living on Long Island with my then fiancé. Every Wednesday, we would go out in the late evening to the neighborhood Dave & Buster’s and spend the night playing video games, eating very filling appetizers and imbibing in our share of adult beverages. If you’re unfamiliar with this establishment, imagine a Chuck E. Cheese’s or ShowBiz Pizza, but more for grown-ups. Just without any animatronic singing animals. And much better food.
Every time we went there, my drink order was always the same… The Coronarita. I instantly became enamored with the picture of this cocktail on the drink menu: a gigantic and ice-filled Margarita with a bottle of Corona beer turned upside down within it. As you sipped the concoction through a straw, the beer bubbled out and into the rest of the beverage. The more you sipped, the more your Coronarita didn’t disappear. Before you knew it, however, it would be gone, and another was being ordered without my even thinking about it.
This is one of those party cocktails that doesn’t have a specific or recorded origin story. When I first came across them, I had never heard of anything like it. Now I run across the Coronarita and sippers like it all the time, at carnivals, fairs and even a bowling alley or two.
Once I ordered one at a bar, they weren’t familiar with it, so I explained what it was. By the end of that evening, a handful more were served to other guests after people began to ask what I had. Almost makes me wish I were the one who thought this genius idea up.
What is the best alcohol to use in a Coronarita?
The tequila I’m most familiar with when it comes to making any kind of Margarita is a clear and peppery Camarena Silver, which is what I’m recommending for tonight’s cocktail. Smooth, a little creamy and with an earthy, satisfying finish, this blanco spirit melds with the citrus flavors and bubbles from the Corona in an effortless way. Using a Cointreau or Grand Marnier for the triple sec also brings some extra and welcome subtle richness to each sip, making your Coronarita a little fancier than it normally would be had you used a run-of-the-mill orange liqueur.
Ingredients
- 1 lime wedge and coarse salt for rimming
- 1 1/2 ounces silver tequila
- 3/4 ounce triple sec
- 3 ounces lime sour mix
- 12 ounces Mexican beer like Corona, Pacífico, or Dos Equis
Instructions
- Run the lime wedge around the rim of a pint glass. Dip the rim into coarse salt to coat it well. Then, fill with ice cubes.
- In a cocktail shaker, add the tequila, triple sec, and lime sour mix along with a few ice cubes. Shake until chilled and blended. Strain into your prepared glass.
- Quickly flip the beer bottle upside down over the glass so that the beer slowly pours into the cocktail. This creates a layered effect as you drink. Garnish with the lime wedge if desired, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
If you don’t have a large enough ‘Rita goblet with a wide enough base, the best option to drink this beverage out of will be a sturdy pint glass. Line the rim with salt and garnish with a plump lime wedge on top.
What is the best option for lime sour mix?
You can purchase a store-bought premade mixture at your local liquor or grocery store, and these will work nicely. Simple syrup and freshly squeezed lime juice are really all you need, and for some extra Southwestern flavor, some agave syrup will work, too.
Similar drinks to the Coronarita
Beer isn’t just an alcoholic beverage that you can quaff when chasing a shot or other hard liquor concoction. Lagers can be used as a mixer, too. If the Coronarita quenched your thirst and excited you for your next sudsy sipper, check out some of these other drinks that’ll cool you down and chill you out after a long and trying day.
- Summer Beer – Lemonade, beer and vodka come together to create the perfect hot weather treat.
- Beermosa – Has brunch been a little boring lately? Elevate your next weekend meal with this elixir.
- Snakebite – Beer and cider sit atop one another for this deliciously stinging combo.
- Michelada – This mixture is bubbly, spicy and full-bodied.
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