Ranch Water
Tequila, lime, and sparkling water, with agave optional. The light, clean, low-sugar highball for a long afternoon at the fire.
Ranch Water is a West Texas classic, just tequila, lime, and sparkling mineral water, and it is the cleanest, lowest-sugar way to drink through a long afternoon at the fire. It is barely a cocktail and that is the appeal: light, dry, and endlessly refillable.
The name fits the cut. Tri tip comes out of the rancho-and-vaquero tradition, and a clean ranch highball belongs on that table. Keep it dry by default and set agave on the side, so one drink covers both the people who like a little sweetness and the people who do not.
Dry drink, rich snack. Ranch water has almost nothing in it, which is the appeal, but it means the food beside it should carry the fat. Put out guacamole and chips while the roast rests and the two balance each other without either one working very hard.
Ingredients
- 2 oz blanco tequila
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- Sparkling mineral water, to top
- Agave syrup, optional, to taste
- Lime wedge and ice, to serve
Instructions
- 1
Fill a tall glass with ice, add the tequila and lime juice.
Fresh lime only. Ranch Water has nowhere to hide, so the lime has to be real.
- 2
Top with sparkling mineral water and stir once.
A good mineral water matters here since it is most of the drink.
- 3
Leave it dry, or add a small pour of agave for anyone who wants a touch of sweetness.
Sweetness optional, by the glass: a bar of agave on the side lets the sweet-tooth crowd dose it and the no-sugar crowd skip it.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
- Calories
- 140
- Protein
- 0 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Sat. Fat
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 10 mg
- Cholesterol
- 0 mg
Values are estimates based on standard ingredients and serving sizes.
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