Cero Miedo | A Sweet & Spicy Cocktail

I’ve had the idea for this Cero Miedo cocktail for months now. The moment I thought of the idea to create an AEW cocktail series, I knew I wanted to create this drink. In case you didn’t bear witness to my confession in my Orange Cassidy post, I am an unashamed professional wrestling fan.

I *freakin’* love All Elite Wrestling. If you want to know why or how I got into professional wrestling, go check out that Orange Cassidy recipe. A lot has changed in these last several weeks (6? 7??) of COVID quarantine but AEW is STILL putting out LIVE content every week. Granted, they have no live audience which changes the dynamics of the matches, but it’s something I’m able to look forward to every week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are wrestling nights at our house.

Now, about the name of this cocktail. Cero Miedo means “zero fear” in Spanish. This is the motto for the Lucha Bros, a tag team on the AEW roster. This tag team is made up of Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix and they *might* be my favorite tag team. I love Pentagon’s personality in the ring and Fenix is one of the most agile, athletic wrestlers in the league. They make a great tag team. Check out this highlight reel of their match against Private Party. The Lucha Bros are the ones in the masks. Watch for their signature “cero miedo” hand sign at the end of the clip:

Okay, now that I’ve told you about the drink name, it’s time to talk about the drink. I knew that for a drink based on the Lucha Bros, it needed to be spicy and a bit smoky. They are, after all, some of the “bad guys” in the league. And since they’re both from Mexico City, tequila and mezcal seemed a perfect base.

I’m sure you’re all familiar with tequila, but some of you might not know what mezcal is. Mezcal is a liquor that is distilled from any type of agave plant, while tequila is a liquor that’s distilled specifically from blue agave.

Another distinction between mezcal and tequila is the cooking and distillation process. Tequila is usually steamed and mezcal is usually cooked in lava-rock-lined pits with charcoal and wood. Tequila is distilled in copper pots and mezcal is usually distilled in clay pots. As you can imagine, these different methods heavily influence the final products. Mezcal typically has a distinctive smoky, earthy flavor (thanks to those clay pots and earthen pits).

Both tequila and mezcal can be produced and aged differently so even within those categories, there is a lot of room for diversity. I’m no expert when it comes to either, so if you’re intrigued, I encourage you to go learn some more & report back to me.

To summarize, all tequila falls under the mezcal category. But not all mezcal is tequila. It’s kinda like the whiskey/bourbon thing. Bourbon is a type of whiskey, but not all whiskeys are bourbons. Ya follow?

I’ve found that in my area, mezcal can be hard to come by. Often times, the only mezcal available is the one seen in my pictures. It’s pretty infamous because it has a little dried worm inside. This is NOT the best mezcal brand out there and if you can find a different bottle of mezcal, grab that one. It’s not that this one is bad, but it’s probably not the best showcase of what mezcal has to offer.

Can’t find mezcal? You can definitely sub in extra tequila. Or try using 1 ounce of tequila blanco and 1 ounce of tequila reposado. You’ll miss out on the smokiness but the end result will still be delicious.

And if you’re wondering where to find guava nectar or guava juice, try looking in the international food or drink aisle at your grocery store. I got this can of guava nectar from H-E-B, a Texas grocery store chain. Or you can always turn to the ever-reliable Amazon.

You can find the jalapeño basil simple syrup recipe here.

And just in case you’re wondering what type of animal skulls these are, they’re a coyote and a deer. My winding country road sees its fair share of roadkill and anytime something gets hit close to my house, I’m equal parts sad and excited. Sad, because I love animals. But excited because that means I’ll get to look at all the cool bones once nature’s decomposers do their work.

I really love this sweet, spicy, and smoky Cero Miedo cocktail. I hope you do, too! If you take a crack at it, be sure to tag me on social media! (Instagram: girlandtonic_ Twitter: @girlandtonic or on Facebook. )

The Ingredients for a Cero Miedo

• 1 oz tequila blanco
• 1 oz mezcal
• 3/4 oz guava nectar
• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/4 oz jalapeño basil simple syrup
• 2-3 pinches of chili powder (DON’T SKIP THIS! I used Kashmiri chili powder but any will do)
• splash of club soda
• optional– a few slices of jalapeño for muddling

How to Make a Cero Miedo

Add all of the ingredients, except the club soda, into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, 30-45 seconds. Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice. Leave about an inch of room at the top so you can pour the club soda in. Guava nectar can be a little heavy so having the bubbles of the club soda lightens it a bit. Garnish with another dash of chili powder, a jalapeño slice, and a sprig of basil.

If you want your cocktail extra spicy, add a couple slices of jalapeño to the bottom of a cocktail shaker before anything else. Add the tequila and muddle with a muddler or a long spoon. Then add the remaining ingredients and follow the above instructions.