Lime + Tequila + Seltzer = Ranch Water
Born in Texas, the ranch water cocktail is about as low-key as drinks get. Our ranch water recipe is so darn easy you’ll probably make it once and have it memorized. A generous pour of blanco tequila gets a fizzy lift from lots of sparkling mineral water — Topo Chico, usually — and lots of fresh-squeezed lime juice. If you’ve never had it before, think of ranch water as lower-calorie Margarita that still really hits the spot. For an n/a Mexican quencher, check out How to Make Aguas Frescas!
Ranch Water Ingredients
- Blanco tequila. Also called “silver tequila,” blanco tequila is unaged tequila and is considered the purest expression of agave, which is the plant that tequila is distilled from. Because it is light in both color and flavor, blanco tequila is ideal for mixing into cocktails like ranch water, and margaritas.
- Fresh lime juice. And it must be fresh!
- Sparkling mineral water. Topo Chico is the classic, but any sparkling water or even seltzer that you love is going to work well. You just want lots of fizzy bubbles!
How To Make Ranch Water
Measure your tequila. A lot of people honestly eyeball this drink, and that’s fine to try, especially after you’ve made one or two rounds of ranch water and have a sense of what ratio of tequila to lime juice you love most. We recommend you follow our ranch water recipe and measure with a cocktail jigger the first time you make the drink, though. After that, feel free to play around.
Juice limes. We love a good old fashioned manual citrus juicer. You’ll need about 2 limes per cocktail, but the amount of juice that a lime gives will vary a bit lime to lime, so it’s a good idea to buy more than you think you’ll need. You can use extras as garnishes, or just plan to make more ranch water tomorrow!
Fill a glass with ice. Fill it up! Ranch water is designed to quench a Texas-sized thirst in Texas-level heat, so make it good and icy. We love to serve ranch water in 16-ounce highball glasses, but any highball glasses with at least a 12-ounce capacity will work.
Pour in the fresh lime juice and tequila.
Top with Topo Chico! Or any plain, sparkling mineral water you love.
Garnish with more lime wedges and enjoy! Give the drink a little stir, and sip away.
Tips For The Best Ranch Water Cocktail
Use a good-quality blanco tequila. Look for 100% agave tequila.
If you’re making ranch water for a crowd, they’re easy enough to make “to-order”!
Get the most out of your limes by letting them come to room temperature before you juice them. And bonus! Storing them in a big bowl on the counter instead of in the fridge looks nice, too.
Serve ranch water with Chips, Salsa and Homemade Guacamole at the very least. With 2 and a half ounces of tequila per drink, our ranch water recipe makes a pretty strong cocktail, so it’s a good idea to serve up that ranch water with food. You might even serve up a whole feast! We’re thinking Carnitas, Pinto Beans and Mexican Rice.
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