Skip to main content
Clear icon
66Āŗ

I just discovered Ranch Water and my life is forever changed

How have I never had this cocktail before?

Topo Chico on display during the 2022 Bar & Restaurant Expo and World Tea Conference + Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center on March 22, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for Nightclub & Bar Media Group) (David Becker, 2022 Getty Images)

Growing up and living in Michigan, I have a huge blind spot when it comes to southern food and drink traditions.

One of those things that I had no idea about is a cocktail called Ranch Water.

Recommended Videos



Where I come from, Ranch Water sounds like watered down ranch dressing that is served at a Coney Island restaurant, but in the south, and it seems specifically Texas, Ranch Water is a cold and refreshing cocktail, that includes tequila, lime and a Topo Chico.

Learning what a Topo Chico is was also a new experience. Iā€™ve had the hard seltzers called Topo Chico (my favorite hard seltzer by a mile), but there are also non-alcoholic Topo Chicos, that is a mineral water. Iā€™m not 100% sure if Ranch Waters are made with the hard seltzer or the regular seltzer, but Iā€™m assuming itā€™s the latter.

Apparently, Ranch Water dates back to the late ā€˜80s. The owner of a bar and restaurant in Austin, Texas claims to have invented and named the cocktail back then.

A friend of mine traveled to Texas recently, and they were shocked at how many bars and restaurants had Ranch Waters on their menus. Once he told me about this, I knew I had to try it. I couldnā€™t find any of the original Topo Chicos at any stores in Michigan, so I decided to make the cocktail with the hard seltzer.

It may not have been a true Ranch Water, but wow did I love it. I love tequila, so I kind of had a feeling I would like it anyway.

I filled my cocktail glass to the top with ice, added about two ounces of tequila, and topped the rest of it with the Topo Chico. For my Ranch Water, I used the lemon flavor, because I thought it would go nicely with the tequila. Once I added the Topo Chico, I squeezed in some fresh limes, and I was set!

Itā€™s honestly the perfect summer cocktail right now. The lime juice and bubbles are refreshing, and they do a nice job of masking the tequila. Even if youā€™re not a fan of tequila, Iā€™d still recommend this drink.

Iā€™m hoping to get my hands on some regular Topo Chicos, but until then, Iā€™ll be making this Texas-inspired cocktail for the rest of summer.

Is there a bar or restaurant that you love that makes that best Ranch Water? Let me know in the comments. I want to try an authentic one!


About the Author
Jack Roskopp headshot

Jack is a Digital Content Editor with a degree in creative writing and French from Western Michigan University. He specializes in writing about movies, food and the latest TV shows.

Loading...

Recommended Videos