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Tequila and ginger ale is a delicious combination that makes an easy 2-ingredient cocktail! Here’s the best ratio, tequila, and ginger ale to use.
Delicious cocktails don’t have to be complicated. Here’s an interesting mixer for tequila that makes a surprisingly balanced drink: tequila and ginger ale! Ginger beer is often mixed with tequila in a Mexican Mule, but ginger ale is something different altogether.
The sweet, delicately bubbly ale makes a surprisingly tasty pair with the oaky and vanilla notes of tequila reposado. It’s a fun, low-alcohol way to enjoy a good tequila that’s bubbly and refreshing. It’s also perfect for summer!
Why You’ll Love Tequila and Ginger Ale
Tequila and ginger ale is a highball cocktail similar to a tequila soda or a whiskey highball, where alcohol is mixed with soda water. It makes it easier to drink and is an interesting way to enjoy the flavors of a good liquor:
- Tequila and ginger ale is a highball cocktail that’s a mix of tequila and ginger ale. Serve it in a highball or lowball glass with ice, and it’s a refreshing cocktail that brings out the interesting notes of a good tequila. It has a sweet, bubbly flavor with a subtle ginger finish.
- Mixing tequila and ginger ale results in a cocktail that’s sweeter and more subtle than a Mexican Mule, which pairs the strong flavor of spicy ginger beer and tangy lime juice.
The Best Tequila For Mixing
You can use any type of tequila when you make tequila and ginger ale, but I have a strong recommendation for the best blend. Here’s what to know about the different types of tequila:
- Tequila reposado is the best option. This type of tequila is aged 2 to 12 months in oak barrels. (“Reposado” means “rested” in Spanish). Because of this, it has a very smooth flavor, and notes of oak and vanilla. It makes for a beautifully intriguing drink when mixed with ginger ale.
- Tequila blanco also works. Tequila blanco is not aged, so the flavor is more straightforward with that signature tequila burn. The drink is a little less interesting than with reposado, so you may want to add a squeeze of lime or a few dashes of bitters. Or, you can just drink it as is. It’s still tasty!
Choosing a Ginger Ale
There are lots of ginger ale brands on the market! My favorites are the same as my favorite brands of ginger beer. Here they are:
- Q Ginger Ale: This is my top choice! It comes in small cans, so you only have to use a little at a time.
- Fever Tree Ginger Ale: Fever Tree is made with real ginger and has no artificial sweeteners.
How to Make Tequila and Ginger Ale
The ratio I use is simple: 1 part tequila to 2 parts ginger ale. Here’s what to do (or jump to the recipe below):
- Add the tequila first. Add 2 ounces tequila and a handful of ice to a highball glass. Give it a quick stir to chill the tequila.
- Top with ginger ale. Pour in 4 ounces ginger ale. If you want it even more bubbly, you can pour it over the back of a spoon to preserve the effervescence even more.
- Garnish. Add a lime wedge.
What Is Tequila and Ginger Ale Called?
Tequila and ginger ale doesn’t have an official name, but you can call it a “Tequila Ginger” if you like. When you add lime juice, it joins the cocktail family of a buck, which is any spirit mixed with citrus and ginger ale or ginger beer. Here are some similar drinks:
- Mexican Mule: Tequila, lime juice, and ginger beer. Go to my Mexican Mule recipe.
- El Diablo: Tequila, lime juice, crème de cassis, and ginger beer. Go to my El Diablo cocktail.
More Highball Cocktails
Adding a carbonated mixer to alcohol is an age-old tradition. The whiskey highball was invented in the early 1900s, which is a simple mix of whiskey with soda water or ginger ale. If you love tequila and ginger ale, here are a few more highball cocktails you might enjoy:
- Ginger ale: Vodka and Ginger Ale, Rum and Ginger Ale, Pimm’s Cup, Shandy, or Whiskey Ginger
- Sparkling water: Tequila Soda, Vodka Soda, Gin Rickey, Whiskey Highball, or Ranch Water
- Tonic water: Tequila and Tonic, Vodka Tonic, Whiskey Tonic, Gin and Tonic, or Rum and Tonic, or
- Ginger beer: Mexican Mule, Moscow Mule, Dark and Stormy, Gin Gin Mule, Kentucky Mule, Irish Mule, or Floradora
Making It for a Crowd
This is a great party drink because you can just mix it in the glass! Never mix it ahead in a pitcher. Just set out tequila, chilled ginger ale, and lime wedges, and everyone can make their own.
For 8 drinks, you need 2 cups (16 ounces) tequila and about 1 liter of ginger ale (I like buying the smaller cans though so they stay bubbly). A standard 750 ml bottle of tequila makes about 12 drinks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The mild ginger flavor and sweetness pair well with the peppery notes of tequila. I like a ratio of 2:1 mixer to liquor.
Tequila and ginger beer (along with lime juice) is called a Mexican Mule. It’s spicier and more citrusy than tequila and ginger ale; I personally prefer that drink to this one if I had to choose.
The El Diablo is made with tequila, lime juice, crème de cassis (a black currant liqueur), and ginger beer. I love this cocktail because of the interesting flavors!
Whiskey is the classic, but vodka, rum, tequila, and gin all pair well with ginger ale. Try a Vodka and Ginger Ale, a Rum and Ginger Ale, or a Pimm’s Cup, or all my ginger ale cocktails.
Tequila and Ginger Ale
Tequila and ginger ale is a delicious combination that makes an easy 2-ingredient cocktail! Here’s the best ratio, tequila, and ginger ale to use.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (¼ cup) tequila reposado (or blanco*)
- 4 ounces (½ cup) ginger ale
- Ice, for serving (try clear ice)
Instructions
- Add the tequila and ice to a glass and stir to combine.
- Top with the ginger ale.
- Garnish with a lime wedge if desired.
Notes
*This cocktail has great flavor with the oak and vanilla notes of tequila reposado. You can use tequila blanco, but it’s a less interesting drink. You may want to add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and/or a few dashes bitters in that case.
