Ranch Water may not be on your cocktail radar unless you live in Texas. However, this tequila highball cocktail is so easy to craft and refreshing to drink that it may become your favorite summer sipper.
We never heard of Ranch Water until we made a deep dive into researching tequila cocktails. We’d be embarrassed by our ignorance except that the drink’s popularity was previously limited to Texas cities like Austin and Houston.
It’s only recently that the tequila tipple journeyed up the interstate and beyond the lone star state’s borders. Not only have home mixologists like us discovered the Ranch Water’s charms, but companies like Coca-Cola have starting selling Ranch Water in cans to compete with the canned hard seltzer market.
What Is Ranch Water?
Ranch Water is a three-ingredient cocktail crafted with blanco (i.e. white) tequila, freshly squeezed lime juice and Topo Chico mineral water. Served with ice, Ranch Water is so refreshing that it’s almost too easy to drink.
If you think that Ranch Water sounds like a Margarita, you’re correct. But Ranch Water and Margaritas are decidedly not the same. The two recipes are different – the Margarita recipe includes orange liqueur while the Ranch Water recipe has fizzy Topo Chico. You’ll taste the difference after a sip or two.
History of Ranch Water
With a name like Ranch Water, it’s easy to picture workers swigging the drink after a long, hot day laboring at a Texas ranch. And, while Texas workers probably drank beverages similar to Ranch Water over the decades, there’s no written documentation of Ranch Water until the latter half of the 20th century.
Some people attribute the West Texas cocktail to Kevin Williamson, the original owner of Ranch 616 in Austin, who claimed the cocktail as his invention. Williamson passed away in 2021 and nobody has since proven otherwise.
Ingredients
You only need the following ingredients to craft Ranch Water at home:
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
We recommend using your favorite tequila in this recipe. We typically use Jose Cuervo Especial tequila made with blue agave and Cointreau. Distilled in Mexico, Jose Cuervo Especial tequila has a 38% ABV.
Discover our favorite tequila cocktails.
While the tequila brand is negotiable, the mineral water is a different story. Ranch Water isn’t really Ranch Water unless it’s crafted with Topo Chico mineral water. Currently owned by the Coca-Cola company, the naturally bubbly, to the point of almost being foamy, water comes from Monterey, Mexico and is named after Mexico’s Cerro del Topo Chico mountain.
How to Craft Ranch Water at Home
Variations
Ranch Water is one of the easiest cocktails to craft. Motivated mixologists might want to take the tequila cocktail to the next level with one or more of the following alternatives:
Discover 10 essential bar tools for the home mixologist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ranch Water is a refreshing tequila cocktail crafted with three ingredients – tequila, fresh lime juice and Topo Chico mineral water.
Ranch Water was invented in West Texas.
Blanco Tequila, Topo Chico Mineral Water, Fresh Lime Juice, Ice Cubes and Lime Wedge or Wheel (garnish)
Ranch Water is stirred, not shaken.
No. While Ranch Water and Margaritas both contain tequila and lime juice, Ranch Water adds Topo Chicio mineral water while Margarita adds orange liqueur.
Did you craft this cocktail? If so, please rate the recipe below.
Ranch Water Recipe
Crafting Ranch Water is so easy that it may become your go-to tequila cocktail.
Servings: 1
Calories: 207kcal
- 3 ounces blanco tequila
- 1½ ounces lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 4 ounces Topo Chico sparkling mineral water
- 1 wedge or wheel lime (garnish)
- ice cubes
-
Fill highball glass with ice.
-
Pour tequila and lime juice into the glass.
-
Top off with Topo Chico mineral water.
-
Gently stir.
-
Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.
Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.1mg
More Tequila Cocktails
[cp_popup display=”inline” style_id=”176763″ step_id = “1”][/cp_popup]
