Casa Modelo | Modelo Mexican Beer

 INGREDIENTS  3-4 oz. Modelo Negra ™  3/4  oz. mezcal  3/4 oz. fresh lime juice  1/2 oz. agave syrup (1:1 ratio agave nectar to water)  3 bar spoons Worcestershire sauce  3 dashes habanero bitters  4 slices habanero peppers  Chili powder and salt for the rim  Red chili slices  Lime wheel    PREPARATION  Rim a Collins glass with chili powder and salt. Add all ingredients to a  shaker, excluding Modelo Negra, chili powder and salt for the rim, red chili  slices and lime wheel. Shake and strain into the Collins glass. Top with  Modelo Negra.    GARNISH  Chili powder and salt for the rim, red chili slices and lime wheel

Serve the remaining Modelo Negra with the cocktail.

Garnish: Mint leaves

Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra and Modelo Chelada are three distinct tastes under one roof – Casa Modelo.

Add cucumber slices, basil leaves, mezcal and lime juice to a pint glass. Muddle thoroughly. In a separate cocktail glass, rim the whole glass with a lime wedge and half the glass with smoked salt. Fill that glass halfway with ice and pour chile liqueur and agave nectar. Double strain the contents of the pint glass into the cocktail glass (make sure to press the cucumber and basil against the mesh strainer to remove all liquid). Top with Modelo Especial. Garnish: Cucumber wheel and Basil leaves

1. Roast the chiles over an open flame or close up under a preheated broiler, turning them regularly, until evenly blackened and blistered, about 5 minutes for open flame, 10 minutes for the broiler. Place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and cool until handleable. Rub off the blackened skin, pull out the seed pod and scrape out the seeds. Rinse briefly to remove any stray seeds and bits of blackened skin. Cut into 1/4-inch strips. 2. Set a large (10-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring to break up the clumps, until the chorizo is beginning to brown and is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Scrape onto a plate lined with paper towels and let cool. 3. Return the skillet to medium heat, measure in the oil and add the onion. Cook, stirring regularly until it is soft and beginning to caramelize, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and poblano and cook for 2 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Scrape the rajas into a bowl and cover to keep warm. 4. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, the cooled chorizo and the chipotles. Mix thoroughly but lightly (to keep from turning out an overly compact texture). Divide into 4 portions, lightly pressing them into patties the size of your buns. 5. Heat a gas grill to medium-high on one side, medium on the other; or light a charcoal fire and let it burn until the charcoal is covered with white ash (and still quite hot), then bank the coals to one side. 6. Lay the burger patties on the hottest side of the grill and cook until the grill grates have seared beautiful marks on one side (about 2 minutes if your grill is quite hot), then flip and cook until the burger is a little less done than you like (usually a couple of minutes longer for rare to medium rare). Move the burgers to the cooler side of the grill. 7. Lay one piece of cheese on top of each burger, top with a portion of the warm rajas and then another piece of cheese. Close the lid and continue cooking until the cheese has melted about 1 minute. Remove from the grill and place on a toasted bun. Serve immediately.

6. Spread on some spicy avocado mayo and top with a portion of the tomatoes. Sprinkle each tostada with about a tablespoon of bacon, garnish with cilantro leaves and immediately serve to your guests while you make the next round.

RECIPE: “THE MODEL MICHELADA” (Creator) You, (Location) Everywhere INGREDIENTS (LIST OF PROPOSED INGREDIENTS) 4 oz. Modelo Especial™ 4 oz. Negra Modelo™ 5 dashes of soy sauce 1 oz. chilled clam juice 3 oz. chilled tomato juice 4 dashes of hot sauce 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce 2 (1/4”-thick) cucumber slices covered in a chili powder and coarse salt mixture 2 seasoned shrimp with tails 3 thin mango slices 1 tamarind straw Chili powder and salt for the rim Add lime & Ice Bonus: Shot of tequila (Casa Noble®)           PREPARATION Mix chili powder and salt on a small plate. Rub a slice of lime around the rim of the glass and press into spice mix to season the rim. Fill with ice and pour Modelo Especial and Negra Modelo. Add the chilled clam juice, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and soy sauce. Stir with the Tamarind straw. Garnish the glass with shrimp, mango and cucumber slices. And, if you need an extra kick, add a shot of Casa Noble® tequila. Then just stir, serve and enjoy the Model Michelada.

Will all this hard work pay off? Will they rise to the occasion or fall short of the wall? Because in baseball, just as in life, there are home runs and there are strikeouts. And behind every home run are hours of hard work and the Fighting Spirit to hit it out of the park.

So how do you make your michelada? Share your best michelada recipes with us on Facebook and tune in to our Facebook LIVE event on July 12th where you can craft micheladas at our LIVE Modelo Michelada Bar and see the unveiling of the first-ever, fan-inspired “Model” Michelada.

So no matter how you play the game, gather around the table with the ones you love and raise a glass to the Especial.

The competition is fierce, but it’s anyone’s game. It all depends who’s willing to fight the hardest. Salud to all 16 teams. Unite in competition and raise a glass to the Fighting Spirit.

 It took heart to be a part of such a great event, and it took that extra Fighting Spirit to win it.