Eight Row Flint’s Ranch Water

Morgan Weber, Eight Row Flint | Houston, TX

Ranch Water Recipe

After discovering Ranch Water at a party in Marfa, beverage director Morgan Weber created his own citrus-forward version for Houston’s Eight Row Ranch. Here, sotol takes the place of tequila, lime oleo adds an extra bright punch and the oil from grapefruit peels contributes a fragrant finish. At the bar, Weber force-carbonates the drink and serves it on tap, but this adapted home recipe gets its fizz from Topo Chico.

Ingredients

Serving: 1

  • 2 ounces sotol (preferably Hacienda de Chihuahua sotol blanco), chilled in the freezer until extremely cold
  • 2 ounces sotol (preferably Hacienda de Chihuahua sotol blanco), chilled in the freezer until extremely cold
  • 1 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 ounces lime oleo (see Editor's Note)
  • 1/2 ounces lime oleo (see Editor's Note)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ice cold Topo Chico sparkling mineral water
  • ice cold Topo Chico sparkling mineral water

Garnish: three fat grapefruit peels

Directions
  1. Add sotol, fresh lime juice, lime oleo and salt to a Collins glass filled with ice.
  2. Stir until cold then gently fill the glass with ice cold Topo Chico.
  3. Garnish with three fat grapefruit peels, first expressing the oil over the glass then gently tucking the peels down the sides of the glass.
Editor's Note

Lime Oleo:
Using a Y-peeler, remove the rinds (with as little pith as possible) from 8-10 limes. Put the lime rinds in a bowl and cover with 2 1/2 cups of sugar. Let the mixture sit at room temperature overnight. Remove the peels from the sugar and discard. Add the sugar and one cup of water to a small pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool before using. Kept in the refrigerator, this lime oleo will stay fresh for months.