One Texan learned a lesson about the way they drink beers in the Lone Star State vs. the Windy City.
A TikTok creator in Chicago for Lollapalooza was surprised at that beer-loving city’s inexperience with southwestern-style beer.
Adrian (@adrian.chavana) posted a short, slightly embarrassed TikTok.
In it, he explains that he was trying to enjoy a frosty beverage his way. Over the sound of wailing saxophones—the one that doesn’t seem to be leaving social media anytime soon—he explains his bar faux pas.
All Dressed Up With No Place To Go
As the camera zooms close on a gaggle of beers (two Michelob Ultra, one Dos Equis), a question hovers on the screen: “Is getting your beers dressed only a Texas thing?”
“The waiter looked at me all crazy when I asked for my beer dressed,” he further explained in the caption.
In an email to BroBible, the bar patron explains how the bartender tried to placate his request. He wrote, “I went to a local bar in Chicago, and the waitress said she could bring me extra lime and use the table salt. I laughed and said it’s okay. In Texas, we also have beer salt. It’s a thicker salt and it’s way different from table salt. It’s a funny reaction when I have to explain it to people who never heard of it. ”
What is a “dressed” beer? According to user @Allunuhh, it is beer “with salt and Tajin and lime wedge.”
According to Chowhound, this is mostly correct.
Dressing a beer comes from Mexico: a part of a broader tradition of enhancing beer with mixers and garnishes. Mexicans call it a “chelada”: a Mexican beer base with juice, spices, and garnishes to personalize the drink.
These common ingredients include lime, salt, Tajin, and chamoy. Tajin is a dry mixture of ground chile peppers, lime, and sea salt. The company’s website says it “makes everything bueno, even more bueno.”
Pro tip: In addition to beer and summertime mixed drinks, it’s good on everything from Georgia peaches to watermelons.
Beer’s Other Best Friend: Chamoy
Chamoy is made of dried or fresh fruit like apricots, plums, and mangoes; chili peppers; lime juice; salt; and spices, including paprika and cumin. First, blend the ingredients until smooth, then simmer until thickened. Typically it comes as a thick, pourable condiment, but people can also serve it as a paste. It can be used as a dip, drizzle, or marinade for everything from fruit to chips, corn, tacos, or beef. But when it comes to drinks, it makes a great rim accompaniant.
Chavana says he was surprised the Chicago bar didn’t know what he was talking about. “In Texas, bartenders usually ask if we want the beer dressed, I live in San Antonio and it’s pretty common in south Texas,” he shared.
Everyone’s Feeling Punny
The internet can’t help itself. Viewers are cracking jokes about beer bottles dressed in sweaters, hoodies, and tuxedos. Others shared their own experiences with making the same request.
TikToker @rumorsaboutsadie recalled an order gone terribly awry, writing, “One time I ordered a beer dressed in DC and the bartender was so confused he dressed it with SEASON ALL.”
Another viewer is deeply committed to the “dressed” lifestyle, sharing, “I have to bring my own tajin everywhere.”
If You’re Dressing Your Beer, Is Your Beer Bad?
Several users on the post said that if you’re dressing your beer, it’s not worth drinking.
Vice online disagrees. Specifically, Ashwin Rodrigues disputes the idea that adding flavors to beer hides the taste. “The extra nonsense isn’t meant to mask the bad taste of the beer; it’s quite the opposite. The extra ingredients and flavors serve as a prompt that this moment is meant to be savored, not shotgunned,” he argues.
The ingredients lend themselves to the beach, a pool, or even a sprinkler day. As for Chavana, he says his favorite drink is a Dos Equis with Tjin on the rim. In this sweltering summer, a dressed beer and a splash pad can go a long way to making the day spicier, but not necessarily hotter.
@adrian.chavana the waiter looked at me all crazy when i asked for my beer dressed 🚶🏽♂️ #chicago #beer