Refresco en Vinagre Tequila Cocktail Recipe By Shaker & Spoon
Updated by Lyndsay Cordell
The pairing of alcohol and something briny is nothing new. We’ve got the pickleback, oyster cocktail shooters, the dirty martini, and now, the Refresco en Vinagre, a play on the tantalizing marriage of salty, sour, and sweet.
Created by Chris Simpson and Chef Manuel “Manny” Roca of Austin’s Academia for Shaker & Spoon’s Shift Drink series which pairs chef and bartender to create unforgettable cocktails each assembled with masterful technique and flair.
This one-of-a-kind cocktail is described as bubbly with bright notes of pomegranate and lemon to offset reposado’s sharp, vegetal edge and set the stage for a house-made pickle brine that pulses with the savory flavors of dill, garlic, and coriander.
The star of the show is reposado tequila, which differs from “traditional” tequila in the sense that it is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of 2 months. The aging process adds a slight flavor profile of oak, vanilla and caramel, making it a favorite for cocktails.
How to Make the Refresco en Vinagre Tequila Cocktail
Ingredients
- Tajín (or make your own chipotle-lime salt)
- 1/2 large lemon (3/4 oz lemon juice)
- 1 1/2 oz reposado tequila
- 1/2 oz dill pickle juice
- 1/2 oz grenadine
- 2 oz sparkling water
- 1 gherkin (optional)
Instructions
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Spread some Tajín out on a plate. Juice the 1/2 large lemon and set the 3/4 oz lemon juice aside. Run the squeezed lemon rind around half of the rim of the collins glass to wet it. Drag and twist the glass across the plate so that the wet half of the rim gets coated in Tajín.
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Add the lemon juice, tequila, pickle juice, and grenadine to a shaker. Fill theshaker with ice cubes and shake vigorously until it is ice-cold and shows frost on the outside (15-30 seconds).
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Strain the shaker's contents into the rimmed collins glass over fresh cubed ice, then top with the sparkling water. Add a gherkin to the rim for garnish, if you'd like to and have one on hand.
