Members of the Mexican community living in Liverpool have settled the debate over whether to add lime to a bottle of beer, explaining that the practice is a marketing stunt rather than an authentic tradition. The revelation comes as summer temperatures soar and many people reach for a cold beer to cool down.
Marketing Gimmick, Not Tradition
Ernesto Sandoval Cuevas, who moved to Liverpool from Guadalajara nine years ago, told the ECHO: "It's a marketing stunt. To make it look better." His longtime friend Tommy Martz, who followed him to Liverpool four months ago, agreed that lime in beer is not common in local Mexican bars. The 41-year-old said: "We Mexicans, when we go to the bar and ask for a Corona, they never put the lime in. That's only if you go to a resort on the beach or a place more for tourists."
Theories online have speculated that the lime's origins include practical purposes such as removing rust from the bottle rim or keeping flies and wasps away. However, the Mexican community in Liverpool dismisses these ideas, pointing instead to advertising campaigns as the source of the custom.
Hangover Cure: The Michelada
Despite the lime not being traditional, Ernesto noted that a lime in beer can be particularly good for a hangover, especially with a sprinkle of salt. Even more effective, he said, is the Mexican cocktail known as the Michelada. "It's very salty. It's Corona beer, with Clamato sauce and Maggi sauce, which is similar to a dark, soy sauce. With some salt and lime," he explained. "It's perfect to cure the hangover. It's also good for drinking on a sunny day if you don't want to get so drunk."
Why Liverpool Feels Like Home
In an exclusive interview with the ECHO, Ernesto also shared his journey to Liverpool and why Merseyside has become his home. He fell in love with the city while studying for a Master's degree, saying: "One year felt too quickly. By the time I was finishing the Master's, I was like I'm not ready to go back." He credited The Beatles for sparking his interest in Liverpool, adding: "I love music a lot and The Beatles mean a lot to me. I played music back home. I made musician friends here and I was in a Scouse band called The Merchants."
Ernesto found it easy to settle in Liverpool because of the similarities between Mexicans and Scousers. "It is the humour and the way people are so friendly here," he said. "I felt similar in Dublin. I didn't connect with London and the South. I think people are too busy or in their own bubble. It just doesn't feel the same. It's like the charm of the city." He added: "Here, I can walk into a pub with my Mexican top on and they'll throw a bit of banter but they'll be friendly."
Tommy echoed this sentiment, saying: "When I moved to Liverpool, I was so sick of my hometown. Many things that I don't like over there, I love here, specifically the music scene." He described Liverpool as his "Disneyland" and coined the term "Scouseican" to describe his hybrid identity. "I was born in Mexico, but I feel like I belong here," he said. "I already ask for chicken and coke."
Like Ernesto, Tommy has developed a hybrid Mexican/Scouse accent, pronouncing "my" as "me" in the Liverpool way. He said: "Specifically here in Merseyside, the people are quite like Mexicans. Very warm, very friendly. It's very easy to make friends here. I've been going out to pubs by myself and I end up going to Teddy's until 5am. I always have the time of my life, even if I go out by myself."
The ECHO also spoke with Elí Sánchez Peralta, who was visiting Liverpool on a European holiday, as part of the conversation about life in the city and Mexican beer traditions.
