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.
Eight Row Flint’s Ranch Water
Morgan Weber, Eight Row Flint | Houston, TX
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 ounces sotol (preferably Hacienda de Chihuahua sotol blanco), chilled in the freezer until extremely cold
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1/2 ounces lime oleo (see Editor's Note)
- 1 pinch salt
- ice cold Topo Chico sparkling mineral water
Garnish: three fat grapefruit peels
Directions
- Add sotol, fresh lime juice, lime oleo and salt to a Collins glass filled with ice.
- Stir until cold then gently fill the glass with ice cold Topo Chico.
- 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.