Dizzy Mezcal
This smoky mezcal cocktail is bright with grapefruit and lime, lightly sweetened with agave, and finished with a fizzy splash of ginger beer. A chile-lime half rim keeps each sip lively without overpowering the drink.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 1 cocktail
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 10mCook 0mMexican-inspiredDrinks
Dizzy Mezcal is a refreshing shaken drink for mezcal fans who like citrus, bubbles, and a little heat. It has the smoky edge of mezcal, the tartness of fresh lime, and the soft bitterness of grapefruit.
The drink is simple to build at home. You shake the strong and sour ingredients with ice, then top the glass with ginger beer for sparkle.
Use a mezcal you enjoy sipping, but do not reach for your most expensive bottle. Fresh citrus matters more here than fancy spirits.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
10 items · 1 cocktail
- Chile-lime seasoning, for a half rim, about 1/8 teaspoon consumed
- 1 grapefruit wedge, for wetting the rim
- 1 1/2 ounces mezcal
- 1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice
- 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1/2 ounce agave nectar
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- Ice, for shaking and serving
- 2 ounces chilled ginger beer
- Grapefruit twist or thin grapefruit wedge, for garnish
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Chill the glass
Place a rocks glass in the freezer for 5 minutes, or fill it with ice water while you measure the ingredients. A cold glass helps the drink stay crisp.
2. Rim the glass
Spread a little chile-lime seasoning on a small plate. Run the grapefruit wedge around half of the glass rim, then dip that side into the seasoning. Rimming only half the glass lets each person choose more or less salt and spice.
3. Measure the citrus
Add the fresh grapefruit juice and lime juice to a cocktail shaker. Fresh juice tastes cleaner and brighter than bottled juice in a short drink like this.
4. Add the mezcal
Pour in the mezcal, agave nectar, and orange bitters. The bitters add a light orange peel flavor and help round out the smoky mezcal.
5. Shake until cold
Fill the shaker about two-thirds full with ice. Seal it tightly and shake for 10 to 12 seconds, until the outside of the shaker feels very cold.
6. Strain over ice
Empty the chilled glass if needed, then fill it with fresh ice. Strain the shaken cocktail into the prepared glass.
7. Top with ginger beer
Pour the chilled ginger beer over the drink. Stir once or twice with a bar spoon or straw, just enough to combine without knocking out the bubbles.
8. Garnish and serve
Add a grapefruit twist or thin grapefruit wedge. Serve right away, while the drink is cold and fizzy.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: You can mix the mezcal, grapefruit juice, lime juice, agave, and bitters up to 4 hours ahead. Keep the mixture covered in the refrigerator. Shake with ice and add ginger beer only when serving.
- Storage: This cocktail is best fresh. Once ginger beer is added, it will lose its fizz within 20 to 30 minutes.
- Mezcal swap: If you want less smoke, use 1 ounce mezcal and 1/2 ounce blanco tequila. For no smoke, use all blanco tequila.
- Sweetness adjustment: Grapefruit can be very tart or gently sweet. Taste after shaking. If needed, stir in another 1/4 teaspoon agave nectar before topping with ginger beer.
- No cocktail shaker: Use a clean jar with a tight lid. Shake well, then strain through a small sieve if the jar lid does not have a strainer.
- Rim control: Use a half rim instead of a full rim. Chile-lime seasoning can quickly make the drink taste too salty if every sip hits the rim.
Cook's note
This recipe contains alcohol and is intended for adults of legal drinking age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
What does mezcal taste like in this cocktail?
Mezcal brings a smoky, earthy flavor. In this drink, grapefruit, lime, agave, and ginger beer soften the smoke so it tastes lively rather than heavy.
Can I make Dizzy Mezcal without ginger beer?
Yes. Use chilled club soda for a lighter, less sweet drink. You may want to add an extra 1/4 ounce agave nectar if you miss the sweetness.
Can I batch this for a party?
Yes. For 8 cocktails, combine 12 ounces mezcal, 8 ounces grapefruit juice, 4 ounces lime juice, 4 ounces agave nectar, and 16 dashes orange bitters. Chill the batch. Shake each serving with ice, then top each glass with 2 ounces ginger beer.
Is grapefruit juice required?
Grapefruit is the main citrus flavor, but you can use blood orange juice for a sweeter version. If using orange juice, keep the lime juice in the recipe so the cocktail does not taste flat.
How do I make it less strong?
Use 1 ounce mezcal instead of 1 1/2 ounces, then add an extra 1/2 ounce grapefruit juice or ginger beer. Serve it over plenty of ice.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
1 cocktail
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat0 g
- 0%
- Saturated Fat0 g
- 0%
- Cholesterol0 mg
- 0%
- Sodium105 mg
- 5%
- Total Carbohydrate28 g
- 10%
- Dietary Fiber0 g
- 0%
- Total Sugars27 g
- Protein0 g
- 0%
- Vitamin D0 mcg
- 0%
- Calcium8 mg
- 1%
- Iron0.1 mg
- 1%
- Potassium76 mg
- 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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