Ranch Water cocktail recipe

Marg fan? This drink is sure to rope you in. The Ranch Water is a tequila highball cocktail from West Texas, ideal for hot summer days and bonafide country vibes. A tangy, refreshing, three-ingredient cocktail, Ranch Water is made from blanco tequila, lime and soda water. That’s it! It delivers the zingy citrus hit akin to a classic Marg, yet with a hint of sparkle and the sweetness dialled-down. It’s essentially a re-mix of a Skinny Margarita, just simpler to whip up (and it sounds far cooler).

Kevin Williamson is widely known as the creator of Ranch Water, which has adorned the menu at Ranch 616, his venue in Austin, Texas, since it opened in 1998. But it wouldn’t be the wild west without a face-off. Gage Hotel in Marathon, Texas, is also sometimes credited with creating the first Ranch Water, but Kevin insists that his team introduced it to them. Texan duels aside, Ranch Water rose to popularity and is now etched on menus at bars and restaurants across the US. The perfect drink to yee-your-haws.

There are a few theories about how the Ranch Water name was originally penned. One is that it was popular among ranchers in West Texas as a great sipper after a long day’s work on the land. Another is that the refreshing drink was enjoyed al fresco on the porch of a fancy ranch by wealthy owners with their heels kicked up. Wherever the truth of the name lies, we’re certain the drink found its way into the hands of many a jolly rancher.

It’s often said that there’s no exact science behind the Ranch Water recipe – instead, it’s more about your ‘vibe’ than precise quantities. In saying that, we think our base recipe hits the flavour bullseye, so if it’s your first rodeo, why not give it a go? Then you can mix ’n’ match your next batch however you see fit.

There are plenty of ways to tweak your Ranch Water so there’s no chance of tumbleweeds at the hoedown. For example, a splash of grapefruit juice really ups the citrus ante. Or you can spice things up and muddle a couple of jalapeño slices in your highball with a chilli or chilli-lime salt rim. You could even pump up the sweetness factor with a dash of agave syrup.

Our hot tip is that fresh lime juice is always the best in show, but if grabbing one in-store, keep your peepers peeled for cold-pressed lime juice. And always remember to add a pinch of quality sea salt for that saline edge to balance out the citrus. “Hey Google, play ‘Old Town Road’.”