What to Mix with Tequila: Best Mixers

A tequila mixer is any non-alcoholic drink or ingredient added to tequila to make a cocktail or highball. The best mixers are bright and acidic, because they match the citrus and pepper notes of agave.

Lime juice, grapefruit soda and sparkling mineral water are the classics. Cola, orange juice, pineapple juice, ginger beer and tonic also work well. Most need only two or three ingredients.

This guide lists the best mixers, the drink each one makes, easy ratios and which tequila to use. It also covers what Mexicans drink tequila with. If you would rather order than mix, the tequila cocktails on Mi Casa's bar list show how a bar uses the same mixers.

What Mixes Well with Tequila?

Tequila mixes well with sour, fizzy and fruity flavors. Lime is the most common partner. Grapefruit, orange and pineapple follow close behind.

Sweet and spicy flavors also work, in small amounts. Agave syrup, honey, chili and salt all appear in classic tequila drinks.

The table below sums up the best options.

The Best Tequila Mixers at a Glance

• Lime juice + orange liqueur: Margarita (easy ratio (tequila : mixer): 2 : 1 : 1 with liqueur; best tequila: Blanco or reposado)
• Grapefruit soda + lime: Paloma (easy ratio (tequila : mixer): 1 : 2 to 1 : 3; best tequila: Blanco)
• Sparkling mineral water + lime: Ranch Water (easy ratio (tequila : mixer): 1 : 3; best tequila: Blanco)
• Cola + lime: Batanga (easy ratio (tequila : mixer): 1 : 3; best tequila: Blanco or reposado)
• Orange juice + grenadine: Tequila Sunrise (easy ratio (tequila : mixer): 1 : 2; best tequila: Blanco)
• Ginger beer + lime: Tequila mule (easy ratio (tequila : mixer): 1 : 3; best tequila: Blanco or reposado)
• Pineapple juice: Tequila and pineapple (easy ratio (tequila : mixer): 1 : 3; best tequila: Blanco or reposado)
• Tonic water + lime: Tequila tonic (easy ratio (tequila : mixer): 1 : 3; best tequila: Blanco)
• Tomato juice + spices: Bloody Maria (easy ratio (tequila : mixer): 1 : 3; best tequila: Blanco)

Ratios are starting points. Adjust to taste, and always build over plenty of ice.

Citrus Mixers

Citrus is the backbone of most tequila drinks. Acid lifts the agave flavor and balances the alcohol.

Lime Juice

Lime juice is the most important tequila mixer. Fresh lime, never bottled, makes the biggest difference in any drink.

Lime with tequila and orange liqueur makes the margarita. The traditional version uses tequila, Cointreau and lime juice. For exact amounts and shaking, follow the step-by-step margarita method. For frozen, spicy and fruit versions, see the guide to frozen, spicy and fruit margarita styles.

Grapefruit Soda or Juice

Grapefruit soda makes the paloma, a highball popular in Mexico. The basic recipe is tequila, lime juice and a grapefruit soda such as Squirt, Jarritos or Fresca, served over ice with a lime wedge.

A salted rim is optional. Fresh grapefruit juice topped with club soda gives a tarter, less sweet version.

Orange Juice

Orange juice and grenadine make the Tequila Sunrise. The standard recipe is 45 ml tequila, 90 ml fresh orange juice and 15 ml grenadine.

Pour the tequila and juice over ice, then add the grenadine last without stirring. It sinks and shades the drink from red to orange, like a sunrise.

Sparkling Mixers

Bubbles lighten tequila and make it easy to drink on a warm day.

Sparkling Mineral Water or Club Soda

Tequila, lime juice and sparkling mineral water make Ranch Water. This Texas drink is usually made with Topo Chico, though any sparkling water works. Some recipes add a splash of orange liqueur.

Club soda gives the same effect with less minerality. It is the lightest way to drink tequila long.

Cola

Tequila, lime juice and cola make the Batanga. It is credited to Don Javier Delgado, owner of La Capilla, a bar in the town of Tequila, Jalisco.

The drink is usually served in a glass with a salted rim. At La Capilla it is stirred with a long, wooden-handled knife. A cola such as Mexican Coke is the usual choice.

Ginger Beer

Ginger beer and lime turn tequila into a mule-style highball. The ginger heat suits a blanco's pepper notes. A reposado makes a rounder, spicier version.

Tonic Water

Tonic adds bitterness and bubbles. A tequila tonic with a lime wedge is drier than a paloma and a good choice if you dislike sweet drinks.

Juice Mixers

Fruit juice makes tequila soft and easy. Use 100% juice, not juice drinks.

Pineapple Juice

Pineapple is sweet and tart, and it loves agave. A reposado with pineapple tastes almost tropical. Add a squeeze of lime to keep it from turning too sweet.

Tomato Juice

Swap vodka for tequila in a Bloody Mary and you get a Bloody Maria. Tomato juice, lime, hot sauce, salt and pepper make a savory brunch drink. In Mexico, a related idea is sangrita, a spicy chaser served beside neat tequila.

Sweeteners, Liqueurs and Extras

A small amount of sweetener rounds out sour drinks.

• Agave syrup: made from agave, it blends easily into cold drinks.
• Orange liqueur: the third part of a margarita. Triple sec, Cointreau and Grand Marnier are common.
• Honey: dissolve it first in a little warm water so it mixes.
• Chili: a slice of jalapeño or serrano, or a chili-salt rim, adds heat.
• Salt: a pinch or a salted rim sharpens citrus.

Two-Ingredient Tequila Drinks

These need tequila and one mixer, plus ice and a lime wedge.

1. Tequila and grapefruit soda: 2 oz blanco, 4 to 6 oz grapefruit soda. A simple paloma.
2. Tequila and sparkling water: 2 oz blanco, 5 oz sparkling water, lime squeeze.
3. Tequila and cola: 2 oz blanco or reposado, 5 oz cola, lime squeeze.
4. Tequila and pineapple: 2 oz reposado, 5 oz pineapple juice.
5. Tequila and ginger beer: 2 oz blanco, 5 oz ginger beer, lime squeeze.
6. Tequila and orange juice: 2 oz blanco, 4 oz orange juice. Add grenadine for a sunrise.

Build each one in a tall glass full of ice. Pour the tequila first, top with the mixer and stir once.

Pitcher Tequila Drinks for a Crowd

Highballs scale up easily. Mix the base in a pitcher, then add the bubbles in each glass so they stay fizzy.

• Paloma: 16 oz blanco, 4 oz fresh lime juice (top each glass with: 4 oz grapefruit soda)
• Ranch Water: 16 oz blanco, 4 oz fresh lime juice (top each glass with: 5 oz sparkling mineral water)
• Tequila Sunrise: 12 oz blanco, 24 oz orange juice (top each glass with: A spoon of grenadine, poured last)
• Pineapple highball: 16 oz reposado, 40 oz pineapple juice, 2 oz lime juice (top each glass with: Nothing; serve over ice)

Steps for any pitcher drink:

1. Chill the tequila, juice and mixers for a few hours first.
2. Stir the base in the pitcher and keep it cold.
3. Fill each glass with fresh ice, pour about 2.5 oz of base, then top with the mixer.
4. Stir once and garnish with a lime wedge.

Do not add ice to the pitcher itself. It melts and waters down every glass.

Low-Sugar Tequila Mixers

If you want a lighter drink, skip the sweet sodas and juices. These mixers add flavor with little or no sugar.

• Sparkling mineral water or club soda: no sugar, plenty of fizz.
• Fresh lime or grapefruit juice: sour and bright; use a small splash.
• Diet or zero-sugar grapefruit soda: keeps the paloma flavor.
• Unsweetened iced tea: a smooth, earthy long drink with a lime wedge.
• Muddled cucumber or jalapeño: fresh flavor and heat without syrup.

Ranch Water is the classic low-sugar tequila drink. It is just tequila, lime and sparkling water.

Salt Rims and Garnishes

The garnish is part of the flavor, not only decoration.

1. Salt rim: run a lime wedge around half the rim, then dip it in coarse salt. A half rim lets each sip be salty or plain.
2. Chili-salt rim: mix salt with chili powder for a spicy paloma or margarita.
3. Citrus wheel or wedge: adds aroma every time you lift the glass.
4. Fresh herbs: a sprig of mint or rosemary suits grapefruit and pineapple drinks.

Matching the Tequila to the Mixer

The tequila style changes the drink.

• Blanco: Bright agave, citrus, pepper (best mixers: Lime, grapefruit, sparkling water, tonic)
• Reposado: Agave with light vanilla and oak (best mixers: Cola, ginger beer, pineapple)
• Añejo: Caramel, wood, rich (best mixers: Few mixers; best neat or in a stirred drink)

Blanco is the default for highballs. Save añejo for sipping, or for a stirred drink like an old fashioned. For more on the styles, read about blanco versus reposado and the older classes.

Use a 100% agave tequila when you can. It keeps its flavor through the mixer. A guide to a good-value mixing bottle helps you pick one without overspending.

How to Mix a Better Tequila Drink

1. Use fresh citrus. Squeeze limes and grapefruit to order.
2. Use lots of ice. A full glass melts slower and keeps the drink cold.
3. Chill the mixer. Cold soda keeps its bubbles longer.
4. Measure. A jigger keeps every drink the same.
5. Taste and adjust. Add lime if it is flat, a little syrup if it is sharp.
6. Garnish with purpose. A lime wedge or salted rim adds aroma and flavor.

Mixers to Use with Care

Some mixers overpower tequila. Very sweet bottled margarita mix and sugary energy drinks hide the agave completely.

Creamy mixers can also clash with the acid in a blanco. If you want dessert flavors, use an aged tequila with chocolate or coffee notes instead, as in an añejo old fashioned.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best mixer for tequila?

Lime juice is the single best tequila mixer. It is the base of the margarita and adds brightness to almost every tequila drink. For a highball, grapefruit soda is the classic choice.

What juice goes with tequila?

Lime, grapefruit, orange and pineapple juice all go well with tequila. Tomato juice works in a savory Bloody Maria. Use fresh or 100% juice for the best flavor.

Can you mix tequila with Sprite?

Yes. Lemon-lime soda makes a sweet, easy highball. Add fresh lime to cut the sugar, or switch to sparkling water for a drier drink.

What do Mexicans mix with tequila?

In Mexico, tequila is often drunk neat, sometimes with a sangrita chaser. Popular mixed drinks include the paloma, made with Squirt or Jarritos grapefruit soda, and the Batanga, made with cola.

Can you mix mezcal the same way?

Yes. Mezcal works with the same mixers, but its smoke changes the drink. Read about swapping mezcal into a tequila drink to see how the two spirits differ.

Tequila Cocktails at Mi Casa

At Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant & Cantina in Breckenridge, our bar uses these same mixers every day. Our Paloma pairs Herradura Silver with grapefruit, lime and Jarritos soda. The Spicy Natural mixes serrano-infused El Jimador Silver with Ancho Reyes Verde, organic agave and lime.

For something without alcohol, we also pour a zero-proof margarita made with Mock One non-alcoholic tequila. See every option on our margarita and cocktail menu, and pair your drink with Mi Casa Nachos or loaded guacamole from the kitchen. To make the snack at home, try a tray of loaded nachos of your own. Please drink responsibly.