Juan Collins Recipe

Gavin Wrigley Written by Gavin Wrigley

This simple Juan Collins recipe will brighten your spring! With Tequila, Lime juice, agave syrup, and soda water, this cocktail brings a refreshing touch to the season.

Prep time: 1

Mixing time: 1

Servings:

Calories: 204

Ingredients

2 oz Tequila
1 oz fresh lime juice
¾ oz agave syrup
3-4 oz Soda Water
Lime slice or twist - for garnish, optional

Equipment

Collins Glass
Shaker
Cocktail Strainer
Fine strainer
Measuring Jigger
Bar spoon or long stirrer

Instructions

Prep Glass: Fill your Collins glass with ice cubes. Give it a stir to chill it and set it aside.
Add Agave Syrup: Pour ¾ oz agave syrup into the shaker.
Add Lime Juice: Measure and pour 1 oz fresh lime juice into the shaker as well.
Add Tequila: Finally, add 2 oz Tequila over the ice.
Shake: Fill the shaker with ice, close it, and give it a good shake (10-15 seconds).
Strain: Take the Collins glass and use the cocktail strainer to remove any excess water inside. Then, using both the cocktail strainer and the fine strainer, strain the shaken drink into the ice-filled glass.
Top with Soda: Top off with approx. 3-4 oz Soda Water, adjusting to taste and to the size of the glass.
Stir: Using a bar spoon or long stirrer, stir gently to combine.
Garnish: Garnish a lime zest or slice and serve immediately.

Notes

Substitutes:

Tequila: If you're looking for a twist on this cocktail or simply are out of Tequila, you can use mezcal as a substitute. Mezcal is another type of agave spirit, often carrying smoky flavors, that will work just great in this cocktail.
Fresh lime Juice: You can use bottled lime juice in a pinch, but the flavor will be less bright and fresh. Another option is to use fresh lemon juice for a slightly different citrus kick.
Agave Syrup: If you don't have agave syrup or nectar, you can use honey syrup as a natural sweetener (dissolve 2 parts honey into 1 part hot water). Simple syrup will work as well and is easy to make at home: just dissolving equal parts sugar and water over low heat and let it cool down before using.

Making a Pitcher of Juan Collins:

Scale: To make a pitcher that serves 8, multiply all the ingredients by 8. That would be 16 oz of Tequila, 8 oz of fresh lime juice, and 6 oz of agave
Mix: In a large pitcher, combine the Tequila, lime juice, and agave Add ice and stir well.
Serve: Strain to remove the ice and serve immediately into ice-filled Collins glasses. Top each glass up with soda water, garnish with a lime slice or twist and serve immediately. Pour the mixture into individual ice-filled Collins glasses, top with soda water, garnish with a lime slice or cherry, and serve immediately. If you have some leftovers, be sure to keep it in the fridge (make sure no ice cubes are left inside) in an airtight container

Making it Non-Alcoholic:

Tequila Substitute: Use a non-alcoholic tequila substitute; these are available and reasonably mimic Tequila's flavor. Otherwise, you can use fresh orange juice as a substitute. You can also try making your own substitute by mixing together water, a pinch of smoked salt, a splash of tonic and a bit of agave syrup (to taste).
Proceed As Usual: Use this non-alcoholic substitute instead of the regular Tequila, follow the original steps, and enjoy a non-alcoholic version.

Making it Vegan:

The Juan Collins cocktail is naturally vegan as it doesn't contain any animal products. Most spirits, including tequila, are usually vegan-friendly. However, some brands may use animal products in their production process: always check the brand's website or contact them directly to ensure their products are vegan.