New Non-Alcoholic Modelo Chelada Limon y Sal: Our Honest Review of the New N/A Beer

It’s a good time to be dry—and I don’t mean because of all the intense snow storms and flooding we’ve seen this year. I mean dry in the sense of not drinking alcohol. Whether you’re abstaining for Dry January or you’ve fully embraced the sober living lifestyle, you are flat out spoiled for choices these days. And now one more just entered the market. Modelo just released a non-alcoholic version of its Chelada Limon y Sal (which happens to be one of the best canned Cheladas we’ve ever tasted).

A Chelada, if you are not familiar, is kind of like a pared down version of a Michelada. It’s a simple beer cocktail made with lime juice and a salt rim. You know how some people drink a Corona? That’s essentially a Chelada. It’s a great day drink, perfect with food and ultra refreshing.

But does the N/A version of Modelo’s canned Chelada live up to its boozy brethren? I gave it a taste to find out.

New N/A Beer!

Modelo Chelada Non-Alcoholic Limon y Sal

Modelo

Pros: I hope I warned you enough about what goes into a Chelada because if not you are going to be shocked when you take a sip of this N/A beer. It is salty. And that can be quite a surprise if you are expecting a more traditional brew. But if you know what you’re in for, then I think you’ll be quite pleased. It’s salty and limey (in a fake Rose’s Lime Cordial kind of way, but I think it really works here). And there is an undercurrent of light beer flavor that makes everything super crisp and gulpable. I really don’t think you’d know this was the non-alcoholic version of the canned Chelada if you didn’t look at the label.

Cons: Did I mention it was salty? Seriously, this isn’t a mild gose-style beer. This tastes like you licked the salted rim of a glass and then took a sip of a beer that already had salt in it. Personally, I love it. And I think the limey, salty flavors do a great job of covering up any fake beer tell. But you do have to really like salt to be into it.

Credit: Liv Averett / Modelo

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

About the Author

Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients. Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now). Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test! Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.