Margarita Soda
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 8.6% ABV ∙
A Margarita Soda is a tall Margarita of tequila blanco, lime juice, agave syrup and Angostura bitters, topped with soda water in a salt-rimmed glass.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Rim the glass with salt
- Shake the first 4 ingredients with ice: Tequila blanco 45 mlLime juice 20 mlAgave syrup 15 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 2 dashes
- Strain into the ice-filled glass while pouring in Soda water 75 ml
- Garnish with a lime wedge
Tips
- Open a fresh, well-chilled bottle of soda water; flat soda leaves the drink tasting syrupy instead of crisp.
- Salt only half the rim, so each sip can be salty or clean.
History
The Margarita Soda is a modern highball riff on the Margarita, created by Tony Milici, then beverage director, and Ben Howell at Hellbender, a bar in Ridgewood, Queens. It builds on a Tommy's Margarita, the tequila-lime-agave variation popularized at Tommy's Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco. A topper of club soda lengthens it into a lower-proof, effervescent highball that lets the tequila and lime read more sharply.
The Margarita's own origin is not settled: several bartenders in Mexico and the United States have claimed to have invented and named it, and no claim has been verified.
FAQ
What is a Margarita Soda?
A tall, lower-proof Margarita: tequila blanco, lime juice, agave syrup, and Angostura bitters, shaken and lengthened with soda water. At about 8.6% ABV it is much lighter than a standard Margarita.
How do you make a Margarita with soda?
Shake tequila blanco, fresh lime juice, agave syrup, and Angostura bitters with ice. Strain into an ice-filled, salt-rimmed Collins glass while pouring in the soda water, and garnish with a lime wedge. Use fresh, cold soda; flat soda leaves it tasting syrupy.
