Ranch Water Recipe

Ranch Water is a refreshing tequila mixed drink. This cocktail was invented by a Texas rancher in the 1960s. Made with only three ingredients, this cocktail is easy to perfect as long as you use the proper ratio. This drink tastes like a margarita minus the sugar. That is the basis of this fresh, bubbly drink recipe. Try this drink when the mood for a less-sweet cocktail hits.

Mix together Topo Chico mineral water, fresh lime juice and a little tequila and you’ll have Ranch Water. There are canned hard seltzer versions of Ranch Water, but I prefer the homemade recipe.

More tequila drinks: Classic Margarita, Homemade Margarita Mix, Tequila Sunrise, Mexican Mule, Paloma.

Ingredients in Ranch Water

• Topo Chico – Choose any flavor in a glass bottle.
• Tequila – Choose a blanco tequlia or silver tequila.
• Lime Juice – Fresh squeezed.
• Ice – Pebble Ice if you have it.
• Lime Slices – Or a lime wedge- for garnish.

The best glassware for serving a Ranch Water is a highball glass filled with ice. I also love to use glass straws.

Directions

This recipe is so simple. Once you learn to do it once, you can eyeball it forever after. Begin by filling a glass with ice.

Add tequila and lime juice to the ice.

Top with Topo Chico.

Garnish with fresh lime slices and serve with a straw.

Variations

• Mix a sweeter ranch water by adding half an ounce of simple syrup, agave or Grand Marnier (or any orange liqueur) to your drink.
• For a spicy version, muddle a few jalapeño slices in the lime juice and tequila before adding mineral water.
• Swap in Mezcal for a smokier version of Ranch Water.
• Add a splash of grapefruit juice.
• Add fruit like grapefruit or oranges to make a more citrusy variation.

Tips for Making

• Topo Chico is the classic choice for this recipe. You can choose between unflavored mineral water and their grapefruit or lime flavors. Of course, if you don’t have Topo Chico on hand, you can use another brand of sparkling water.
• The best glassware to use for a Ranch Water is a tall collins glass. I would happily drink this cocktail from a mason jar as well.
• Add a splash of any liqueur to give this drink a little flavor. I would recommend St. Germain or something citrus flavored like Grand Marnier.
• Salt the rim of the glass if you wan to be fancy.

Serving Suggestions/Goes Great With

Other recipes you may like:

• Taco Dip
• Taco Soup
• Best Weeknight Nachos
• Another easy drink- Kalimotxo.

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5 from 3 votes

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Get the Recipe

Yield 1 drink

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1½ ounces tequila (blanco)
• ▢ ½ ounce lime juice (fresh)
• ▢ 6 ounces Topo Chico (or top it off )
• ▢ 3 lime slices (garnish )

Instructions

• This recipe is so simple. Once you learn to do it once, you can eyeball it forever after. Begin by filling a glass with ice.
• Add tequila and lime juice to the ice.
• Top with Topo Chico.
• Garnish with fresh lime slices and serve with a straw.

Notes

• Topo Chico is the classic choice for this recipe. You can choose between unflavored mineral water and their grapefruit or lime flavors. Of course, if you don’t have Topo Chico on hand, you can use another brand of sparkling water.
• The best glassware to use for a Ranch Water is a tall collins glass. I would happily drink this cocktail from a mason jar as well.
• Add a splash of any liqueur to give this drink a little flavor. I would recommend St. Germain or something citrus flavored like Grand Marnier.

© Author Elsie Larson

Course Drinks

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keywords ranch water, tequila

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Ranch Water Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

108

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

0.1

g

0

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

0.01

g

Sodium

 

1

mg

0

%

Potassium

 

39

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

3

g

1

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

0.2

g

0

%

Vitamin A

 

18

IU

0

%

Vitamin C

 

10

mg

12

%

Calcium

 

9

mg

1

%

Iron

 

0.2

mg

1

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.