Atwater and McClure's pair up for a unique collaboration

Today at Cheli’s Chili Bar, just outside of Comerica Park, Atwater Brewery and McClure’s will jointly launch what they call their new brew, the Michelada, a German-style lager that’s blended with McClure’s Bloody Mary spices and inspired by Mexican and Latin American culture.

Both Atwater, a Rivertown brewery perhaps most famous for their Dirty Blonde beer, and McClure’s, best known for their pickles and spices, have been working in Detroit for several years now. This brew is their first collaboration together, but it could be the first in a potentially budding partnership between the two local businesses.

The brands’ Michelada will be canned at the Brew Detroit plant in Corktown and combine tastes from Germany, Mexico, and the Motor City. The companies described it in a release as a “slightly sweet, semi-salty, tangy concoction with just the right amount of heat.” Though the michelada has been a longtime favorite beverage in Latin America, and other American breweries have recently caught on, McClure’s and Atwater’s Michelada are calling their brew “the world’s first craft Michelada.”

The lager is brewed in a German style, but the packaging for the Michelada takes its cues from Mexican culture, where the classic michelada originated. Its design recalls Mexican wrestling with its red and green lucha libre mask on the can. The mask features the Detroit skyline standing in for its mouth, with outlines of Michigan, Germany, and Mexico also adorning its face.

Released last week and launching officially at Cheli’s Chili Bar today, June 25, at 4 p.m. (right after the Tigers’ game), the Michelada will be available in four-packs of 16-ounce cans in local stores like Busch’s and Meijer, as well as craft beer retailers in 32 states and Canada. Attendees at Cheli’s can expect music, giveaways, and of course, Mexican wrestling.