When your typical Tampa bartender reaches for salt, the seasoning sticks strictly to margarita glasses and lime wedges. But a new tradition, hailing from the Latin American influence of south Texas, is making its way to the Bay area: beer salt.
“It’s a longstanding Latin tradition to put salt and lime in your beer,” says Suzie Martel, a senior food scientist at Twang, a San Antonio-based company that creates salts and seasonings for drinks and dishes alike. “It makes it a little more complex and brings a different level of flavor to the beer.”
In Texas, it’s common practice to ask for a beer — particularly Dos Equis — “dressed,” says Martel. The beer arrives with the rim coated in lime and salt. Twang founder Roger Trevino Sr. first encountered a citrus-flavored salt on a trip to a Mexican street market that was reminiscent of those flavors but was much more portable. He later created his own version of the seasoning that quickly became a hit across Texas. Today, Twang’s Beer Salt is sold in patented mini beer bottles, which Martel says are meant to travel everywhere.
“I know people keep it in their car and in their purse, so if they’re in a place that doesn’t offer salting on their beers they can do it themselves,” Martel says.
Twang, founded in 1986, recently expanded into Florida. Publix carries the brand’s ZAS! all-natural seasoning blends for grilling, and Walmart sells the Twang-a-Rita sweet and salty cocktail rimmers and the iconic Beer Salt. Though the tradition of salting a beer has long been familiar to regions with large Hispanic populations, Martel (whose favorite Beer Salt is the hot lime flavor) says the combination of social media and an increased interest in international foods has helped the trend take off across the United States.
“So many demographics are being more educated about their food and are looking to have real, authentic global flavors,” she says. “I think that social media has absolutely been an integral part of educating people. You can get creative with your cocktails and your beers and take those flavor inspirations from different cultures. It doesn’t hurt that it’s visually appealing, either.”
Recipes from Twang
Margarita
Unwind Lime Twang-a-Rita
2 parts tequila reposado
1 part lime juice
1 part triple sec
Ice as needed
1 lime wedge as garnish
Instructions:
1. Rim glass with Unwind Lime Twang-a-Rita cocktail salt
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and agave
3. Shake well, then pour into rimmed glass
4. Add lime wedge to glass for garnish
Classic Michelada
Michelada Beer Salt
1 lime
4 oz. Clamato mix
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes Tabasco (or your favorite hot sauce)
1 12 oz. beer
Ice (as needed)
1 lime wedge (as garnish)
Instructions:
1. Rim a glass with Michelada Beer Salt
2. In a shaker with ice, combine lime juice, Clamato, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce; shake well to chill
3. Pour in glass with ice; fill with beer
4. Add lime wedge for garnish
Paloma
Twang-a-Rita Paloma Love Salt
1.5 oz. tequila blanco
2 oz. grapefruit juice
2 oz. Topo Chico (sparkling mineral water)
1/2 oz. simple syrup
Grapefruit wedge for garnish
Instructions:
1. Rim a glass with Twang-a-Rita Paloma Love salt
2. Pour tequila, grapefruit juice and simple syrup
3. Top with Topo Chico or other sparkling mineral water, and add garnish of lime or grapefruit wedge
