Pairing flavors can seem daunting when you're not relying on a recipe, but once you have a basic understanding of the flavor profile of tequila, you can easily whip up any easy combinations and confidently know what soda to mix with tequila. When deciding what flavor or soda mixes well with tequila, lime jumps to mind quickly. But when you think outside the box and consider the ingredients of a margarita, orange and sweet, the possibilities continue to grow.
Lemon-Lime Soda
You'd be right to immediately think of combining a lime soda with tequila. It's a classic pairing for a reason.
Instructions
- In a highball or collins glass, add ice, tequila, and lemon-lime soda.
- Garnish with lime wedge.
Club Soda
While club soda might seem a plain choice, its clean flavor profile and added fizz allows your choice of tequila to shine.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- Club soda, to top off
- Ice
- Lime or lemon wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball or collins glass, add ice, tequila, and club soda.
- Garnish with citrus wedge.
Coconut Soda
Tequila and coconut soda may not jump to your mind right away, but it's a great mix.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- Coconut soda, to top off
- Ice
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball or collins glass, add ice, tequila, and coconut soda.
- Garnish with lime or lemon wedge.
Ginger Beer
If you're familiar with a Moscow mule, the idea is the same except for substituting the vodka with tequila. The spicy ginger beer goes well with the smooth and sweet tequila.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- ½ freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ginger beer, to top off
- Ice
- Lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail glass or copper mug, add ice, tequila, lime juice, and ginger beer.
- Garnish with lime wheel.
Orange Soda
Margaritas use Cointreau or triple sec to give another layer of citrus but use an orange flavor. Tequila and orange soda may seem unusual until you take that first sip.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- Orange soda, to top off
- Ice
- Orange wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball or collins glass, add ice, tequila, and orange soda.
- Garnish with orange wheel.
Grapefruit Soda
Tequila and grapefruit isn't a new flavor combination, it's actually a classic flavor pairing in the Paloma.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- Grapefruit soda, to top off
- Ice
- Grapefruit wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball or collins glass, add ice, tequila, and orange soda.
- Garnish with grapefruit wedge.
Other Flavors to Explore
Club soda and seltzers are having a boom. With so many seasonal flavors adding additional variety, you can alter your flavor profile based on the season, holiday, or to best fit your day. Add that together with the variety of pop already on the shelves, you can really get experimental with new flavors. Since club sodas offer a more subtle flavor than sodas, you can make tequila the star of your combinations. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
- Lime tonic or seltzer
- Mandarin orange seltzer
- Vanilla seltzer
- Orange vanilla seltzer
- Grapefruit seltzer
- Black cherry seltzer
- Pomegranate seltzer
- Raspberry lime seltzer
- Cranberry lime seltzer
- Blackberry mango seltzer
- Blueberry lemonade seltzer
- Strawberry margarita seltzer
- Strawberry watermelon seltzer
- Cream soda
- Root beer
- Mountain Dew
A Sparkling Tequila
When you think of luscious tequila cocktails, look past the formal cocktail and consider the key ingredients and their flavors to help guide you as you build on simple soda and tequila mixes. Grow your knowledge of what soda to mix with tequila by playing with different flavors of club soda as well.
