Ranch Water

Calling all cowboys! Grab your best tequila and a bottle of Topo Chico for one of the easiest, most refreshing cocktails, Ranch Water. With only three ingredients this simple recipe is perfect for embracing that summer chill.

---

You all know I love a margarita. It is, without a doubt, my favorite Mexican cocktail. But sometimes I’m just too lazy to break out the cocktail shaker and want a simple three-ingredient drink that I can whip up right in the glass.

That’s when I make a little Ranch Water. Tequila, Topo Chico sparkling water, and fresh lime juice over ice. Super simple and super refreshing. This combo has become so popular that a lot of tequila (and mineral water) companies are selling their own hard seltzer versions in a can. But why buy something that is so easy to make? We don’t do that. Especially when those canned versions have weird flavors that if you grab the wrong one, can end up badly. Believe me, it happens.

What Is Ranch Water?

To be clear, this is actually a Texas cocktail, not a Mexican one. According to The Washington Post, Eloise Bryan, the lead concierge at the Gage Hotel in Marathon, Texas is frequently credited as originating the drink at the hotel’s White Buffalo Bar.

To beat the West Texas heat, they would mix up blanco tequila, sparkling water, and lime. Perfect for quenching the thirst of any cowboy or rancher after a long, hot day.

Best Tequila To Use For Ranch Water

You want to go for a Blanco Tequila (aka silver tequila). Its bright, vegetal and clean flavor is perfect for this light and effervescent cocktail. There are lots of great tequilas out there. It seems like every time I go to the store to buy a bottle there are twelve new ones I’ve never tried. These three are a few of my favorites:

• Espolon Blanco Tequila
• Casamigos Blanco Tequila
• Tequila Eterno Verano Blanco

Ingredients

• Silver tequila. See above for my favs.
• Sparkling water. The authentic recipe uses Topo Chico but you can sub your favorite sparkling or mineral water.
• Lime
• Tajín. Optional for rimming the glass, if you’d like.

How To Make This Recipe

step one

Rim the glass. Rub a lime wedge around the edge of a highball glass or tumbler. Pour a couple tablespoons of Tajín on a plate and dip the rim of the glass in the Tajín. This is optional but I like the added spicy kick.

step two

Mix. Fill a highball glass or tumbler with ice. Add three ounces of tequila, and an ounce and a half of fresh lime juice. Top with sparkling water, stir.

step three

Enjoy! Garnish with a fresh lime wedge and enjoy.

Variations

This is such a simple cocktail you can take it in a million different directions. Here are a few of my favorites:

Grapefruit Ranch Water: Switch up the citrus flavors by adding 2 ounce fresh grapefruit juice.

Add some sweetness: If you are in the mood for a sweeter cocktails (I usually am), add 1/2 ounce orange liqueur like Grand Marnier or Cointreau.

Rim the glass with something fun: Rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and dip in salt or Tajín or even a combo of half granulated sugar and half kosher salt.

If You Loved This Recipe, Try:

• Spicy Raspberry Margarita Recipe
• 12 Summer Gin Cocktails (from our sister site, Kate’s Best Recipes)
• The Best Paloma Recipe
• Cucumber Margarita with Mezcal
• Super Easy Spicy Margarita
• Campari White Wine Spritzer
• The Original Cadillac Margarita

Super Simple and Refreshing!

It’s no mystery why everyone loves this cocktail. Give this recipe a try then let me know when you make it by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating)! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allow me to run the site. Thank you for reading!