“Here, see if you can make me something with this”, the liquor rep taunted as he dropped a bottle of aquavit on the bar. If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I don’t really work that well under pressure. I try, but it literally takes me weeks to come up with a new drink that I’m happy with. Maybe I’m slow, maybe I’m a perfectionist, doesn’t matter: I hate it when I have to work under pressure.
So I was especially vexed when this particular wiseass handed me a bottle of aquavit. For those of you who don’t know, is a traditional Scandinavian liquor flavored with caraway and - typically - other herbs such as fennel and anise. It’s delicious, but it’s unique and isn’t known for its superb mixability.
However, I knew the liquor boob was insinuating that I might not be able to rise to the challenge, so I whipped this up (after about three false starts). A small handful of visitors to the bar at Clyde Common have suggested that it might be one of the best drinks I’ve come up with so far, but I’ll let you be the judge of that. I just think it tastes delicious.
1 oz aquavit
1 oz applejack
¾ oz sweet vermouth
¼ oz yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Angostura bitters
Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garnish with a large twist of lemon peel and serve.
My problem with homemade tonic water has always been a flavor profile that was too esoteric for the general audience. This recipe takes some of the positive qualities people have come to understand from commercial tonic water and updated them with fresh ingredients.
One question I'm often asked is "Do you have any drink-related book recommendations?" Well, funny you should ask, I've compiled a list of the ten books every professional bartender or home mixologist should own. I keep every one of these close at hand and have read most of them several times. I suggest you do the same.
The problem with living in Oregon is the absence of little wooden shacks by the sea that sell cases of fresh ginger beer stacked on back porches. But with some readily-available ingredients, a recipe I've been revising for several years - and a few free minutes - I can easily transport myself to a little fishing boat on the ocean as I sip a Dark and Stormy made with fresh, house-made ginger beer.
It's always mojito season somewhere, so this advice is timely in your area about half the year. Wether you're making them or simply enjoying them, this advice will help you look like a pro in no time at all.
The flavors of the Richmond Gimlet are imbued with sunshine. Fresh mint mingling with the herbaceousness of gin and the tartness of lime have made this drink a Eugene classic for many years now.
You'll get a lot of snarky advice on this site about how to make a proper drink, but if you ever need to know what not to do, this is the video for you.
Not to be confused with the Spanish wine-and-fruit-based alcoholic beverage sangria, sangrita (meaning "little blood") is a traditional accompaniment to a tequila served completo; a non-alcoholic sipper that cleanses the palate between fiery doses of agave.
The world of booze can be mystifying to people that don't work in bars or around alcohol all the time. I hear a lot of assumptions about the industry I'm in that are - much like 90% of what you hear in bars - completely false. Here are a few you've probably heard yourself.
The debate rages on: Should we try to look cool and crack open the Boston shaker or be tidy professionals and use the Hawthorne strainer the way God intended? Be sure to leave your two cents in the comments section.
The traditional garnish for a Pisco Sour is a couple of drops of bitters in the foam, but I've never been particularly impressed with the way these few paltry drops of bitters sat in their little egg-white mattress and didn't play along with the rest of the drink. I envisioned a Pisco Sour with a uniformly-distributed bitters-scorched foam: slightly crisp as the fire burnt the sugars, and slightly warm as the foam insulated the rest of the frosty cocktail from the heat. A pisco creme brulée in a glass!
I get so many visitors looking for tips on how to write a bartending resume that I thought I should finally post a tutorial on how to write your own. Click the headline to read more.
I always love showing up to a party with a gallon jug of pre-mixed margaritas, so I've decided to share my recipe. This margarita recipe is the perfect blend of strong, sweet, and sour. But be warned: this recipe packs a serious punch.
There isn't much I can say about this video that hasn't been said already. If you've read anything I've written about cocktails, you'll understand why this video symbolizes everything wrong with the state of bartending in America today. Watch and learn, but be warned: this one isn't for the feint of heart.
About Me
My name is Jeff Morgenthaler and I'm the head bartender at Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon.
I'm 37, I've been tending bar since 1996 and writing about it since 2004. Mixing drinks has become something of a passion for me in recent years, and I strive to elevate the experience of having a drink from something mundane to something more culinary.
The writing I do here is intended as a work in progress. My recipes are like my opinions: they are constantly being revised and refined as I work them through my mind and my fingers. Comments and participation are encouraged, so please don't feel the need to tread lightly here.
It’s summer here in Eugene, Oregon, which means barbecues, camping trips and river floats are on the agenda for the next few months. I always love showing up with a gallon jug of pre-mixed margaritas for the party, so I’ve decided to share my recipe with you, the loyal reader.
When I can’t find a gallon jug lying around, I just buy a gallon of distilled water from the grocery store for 88 cents and use the water to feed the plants.
6 cups tequila (you’ll need two fifths for this)
2.5 cups triple sec (just a fifth, please)
2.5 cups fresh lime juice
2.5 cups fresh lemon juice
2 cups simple syrup
Mix ingredients together in gallon container. Don’t forget to refrigerate! When ready to serve, pour mixture into a 16-ounce glass filled with ice. Salted rim is optional.
Makes 21 margaritas.
Comments
118 Responses to “A Gallon of Margaritas by the Gallon”
05 Jul 2006 at 5:28 pm 1. pam
These Margaritas are fantastic! Thanks for sharing. Happy 4th
Pam
Hey…I’m having a tequila fiesta in a couple of weeks and your “gallon of margaritas” post came up first when I searched.
I found a natural sour mix…I plan on mixing this with Hornitos. So, will you clarify…exactly how much tequila does one need per gallon?? Is a fifth the equiv. to 750 ml…holy moly??! I plan on making (2) 1 gallon jugs for a party of about 30 ppl. I can already tell…this is going to be an expensive hosting! ha, ha…
I think that translates into just under four fifths of tequila and two fifths of triple sec.
Remember to measure!
A fifth and a 750 mL bottle are roughly the same thing. A fifth stands for a fifth of a gallon (or four-fifths of a quart), which would be 25.6 ounces. 750 mL comes in at 25.360517 ounces, so I guess it’s close enough. We assume they’re about the same volume.
02 May 2007 at 9:47 am 4. Flowerysong
A fifth used to be exactly 0.2 gallons (~757 mL); in the seventies when alcohol bottle sizes were metricized, 750 mL (0.198 gallons) became the new standard. Even though it’s no longer entirely accurate, these bottles are still referred to as “fifths”.
Thanks, flowerysong, that’s exactly the kind of eloquence I was looking for at 2AM last night!
Sorry for the roundabout math, everyone.
29 May 2007 at 8:07 am 6. Jeff
Just what I was looking for, should be perfect for a friend’s nautical themed b-day! Quick question, do you have a recommendation for the specific brands of alcohol? I barely touch tequila, so I’ll be making these for everyone else, but I have no idea what a decent tequila would be to use for this. Thanks!
SSDD
Oh, no. No. God, no. Never. Let me tell you something:
No matter how groovy the label is, no matter how “fresh” it claims to be, no matter how many times they’ve thrown the word “organic” on there, bottled lemon and lime juices can never come close to the flavor of freshly-squeezed.
Ever.
Get a juicer, put some work into it, and I guarantee people will be talking about your margaritas for months after the party. You don’t even have to tell them where you got the recipe. I can keep a secret.
And honestly, depending on the fruit, you can get anywhere from an ounce to three ounces of juice out of one lemon or lime. So it really isn’t that bad,
And so worth it.
13 Jun 2007 at 10:37 am 10. heidi
looking at your rec. and excited about giving it a try. need about 5-6 gallons for my brothers 40th party. any more hints for that much?.
thanks jeff
heidi
13 Jun 2007 at 10:37 am 11. heidi
looking at your rec. and excited about giving it a try. need about 5-6 gallons for my brothers 40th party. any more hints for that much?.
Thanks, kid! That’s really my little sister, there, folks.
Oh, and kid, watch your mouth. This is a family website.
26 Jun 2007 at 5:00 pm 17. Lucy
Thanks for the recipe!! Its nice and simple! sounds great!! Ill test it out this weekend, we are having a Mexican themed party down here in South Australia!!
27 Jun 2007 at 7:45 am 18. Julie
I received a margarator..margrita machine from a neighbor. It calls for margarita mix…blah. The machine makes 1 gallon of frozen margaritas, I think it said 16 or 18 8 oz glasses. If I add the 3 pounds of ice and your recipe..will that work??????
It’s my third time making your miracle mix and it’s always worth the extra work for fresh citrus. I’ve just spent hours squeezing countless lemons & limes for a 6 gallon monster!
Just checking again. I’m paying $1.00 for two limes or two lemons. Are roughly 10 limes and 10 lemons enough? These are bit expensive, by the time you buy the liquor. I’m hoping they are good! I went with the cheaper Tequila to offset the cost of the fruit.
Are there ANY suitable alternatives for fresh squeezed?
As a very general rule of thumb, expect to get 1.5 ounces of juice from each lemon or lime. This will vary greatly depending on the ripeness of the fruit and the time of year you’re purchasing them.
So you’re probably coming up a little short, but remember: there is no substitute for freshly-squeezed juice.
Look to see if there is a club store or restaurant supply grocer in your town, they typically run cheaper than your neighborhood big-box retailer.
[...] I saw this on Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s bartending blog and had to repost it. [...]
21 Jul 2007 at 5:57 am 27. MJ in KC
I used Jeffrey’s gallon recipe for a friend’s birthday celebration and the margaritas were quite a hit! The only adjustment I made was to use all of the simple syrup (2+ cups), because the original batch was a little sour for our taste. YUM!
Thanks, MJ! And, if this isn’t a testament to the recipe, I’m making my own two-gallon batch as we speak for a camping trip tomorrow!
26 Jul 2007 at 7:16 pm 29. chelle
This might be a stupid question but how do I make them flavored such as strawberry or such? I realize the lemons and lime provide flavoring but what if I would like something different?
Take half the lemon, half the lime, and half the simple syrup and put them into a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add a cup and a half of fresh, trimmed strawberries and blend on high until smooth.
Strain with a metal strainer to extract all the seeds and pulpy stuff.
Add this to the remaining ingredients and mix well.
And there you go, strawberry margaritas by the gallon!
27 Jul 2007 at 1:28 pm 31. Susan
I’m having a party and we’ve rented 5 oz. cocktail (martini) glasses. Could I just serve this mix without ice, as long as it’s really cold? Or, would you add a few cubes of ice to each cocktail glass first? Thanks!
Water from melted ice is an incredibly important component to any cocktail. Simply chill these margaritas in the fridge and they will taste far too strong.
So, for each 5-ounce cocktail, put 3 ounces of my mix into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, and strain into the glass. The levels should come out just about right.
Cheers!
06 Aug 2007 at 8:30 am 33. Rose
made the gallon of margarita’s for a night of drinking with my margarita drinking friends at the race track. (our husbands drag race motorcycles) We girls are the “Margarita Queens” of the track because of our habit. Well i decided to try your recipe and it was such a hit. We (3 girls) drank the whole gallon. we did let some of the guys taste a little and now more people want to drink with us at the race track.
we race almost every weekend and now we are taking turns making your recipe cause it gets expensive for just one (me) to have to make them every weekend
and of course we have to use top shelf on everything because we are “MARGARITA QUEENS”
Thanks for a great recipe
Rose
06 Aug 2007 at 8:56 pm 34. James
Jeff,
Can I purchase simple syrup at the grocery store? How long can I keep the gallon of margarita in the fridge? Also, I looked at the corner of your website at the mojito recipe and wondered if one can make a gallon of mojitos or of similar mass quantity.
1. Maybe somewhere, but it’s going to be much cheaper and a hell of a lot easier to buy a box of sugar and boil some water. Really.
2. Don’t keep your margaritas more than a couple of days.
3. I don’t recommend the large-quantity format for mojitos.
20 Aug 2007 at 10:57 am 36. carla
how long can i keep a gallon of mixture in refridge befor going bad
21 Aug 2007 at 7:25 pm 37. Mr. I'm from Texas
If you can buy it at your friendly neighborhood liquor provider, use EL JIMADOR tequila. Its from the same folks who do Herradura. If you haven’t had that then your in for a treat. I like to be special sometimes and use the Patron Citronge(just cheaper than Cointreau and same taste).
Lastly, my recipe:
equal parts tequila, triple sec, FRESH lime juice
(and jeffrey you melted my heart with the top 10 drinks list)
Great call, Mr! I also use Patron Citronge in place of Cointreau in a lot of recipes. I think the flavor difference is almost negligible, and the cost here in Oregon is $15 less a bottle.
24 Aug 2007 at 12:27 pm 39. Margarita Lover
What’s the best way to determine the amount to use if you want to make a large batch of frozen margaritas? I would like to use Tequila, triple sec and limeade.
I would say, “screw the limeade”, but if that advice doesn’t work for you, try this:
Put one 12-oz scoop ice, two ounces tequila, one ounce triple sec and two ounces frozen limeade concentrate (not diluted) into a blender and blend for 45 seconds until smooth.
I would still recommend that you try the above recipe, however.
Good luck!
Jeff
26 Aug 2007 at 9:35 pm 41. Jeremy
I have to echo Jeffrey’s emphasis on fresh fruit juices. I made this batch of margaritas for a gathering here in the Tucson, AZ. We take our margaritas seriously here.
I used fresh juice (took about an hours worth of squeeze time) and the results were well received. (For the record, it took 19 limes and 15 lemons - but good fresh Citrus in the desert is hard to come by.)
As a process excellence manager, by trade, I asked the gathering what they would change, and of the few responses I got, they said there was too much lemon juice. (but of the 8 people gathered, only 2 suggested this)
When I try this again, I might tweak the recipe, just a bit. More Triple Sec (maybe 3 cups) and less lemon juice (2 cups perhaps).
But on the whole, this was well received, and requests that I produce more of this were bountiful. I definitely plan to use it again!
I was wondering if you’ve ever tried using fresh squeezed orange juice and or pineapple juice in this mixture. Kinda gives my Margarita’s (Tex-ican Martini’s) a little extra sunshine!
Also, have you ever tried Agave nectar in this recipe instead of simple syrup? If so, how much would you use, 2/3 cup? Gonna try this recipe this weekend on the bank of a rain-filled limestone quarry. Cool crystal-clear water and a “Tex-ican ‘tini” might be a perfect match…
I’ve never used any other juices in this recipe, J.P. Call me crazy, but I don’t care for pineapple in my margarita.
I have, however used agave nectar many times. I first make an agave syrup using 1 cup agave nectar to .75 cup hot water, and substitute it evenly for simple syrup in any of these recipes.
08 Sep 2007 at 11:39 am 44. Lindy Lou
Jeffrey,
Found your site while searching the web to see if I could use the MISTO sprayer for alcohol. There you were…
You genius you!
Anyhoo, the 1 gal mag recipe makes you my new favorite guy I never met.
My Husband and friends are in awe.
Note to readers: 1$ for 2 limes HELL NO! Local mexican ar asian market 15 beautiful juicy limes for 1$ and 5 meyer lemons for 1$. Oh YEAH!
Jeffery, What is your favorite all time Tequila?
a new admirer in San Diego,
Lindy Lou
Lindy, thanks for the kudos, and that’s some great advice there!
I don’t have an all-time favorite tequila, although I always find myself coming back to the Herradura line time and time again.
10 Sep 2007 at 1:56 pm 46. Teri in Texas
Hi Jeffrey, my Couple’s Wedding Shower Fiesta is this weekend and I can’t wait to try this recipe. Would it be a okay to use these ingredients:
Grand Chevalier Liqueur (Gaetano)and Jose Cuervo Tradicional(reposado)? Thanks!
Teri, I believe the Grand Chevalier is more of an orange brandy, so it’s probably going to be a lot sweeter than using plain old triple sec. but it might work well with a half ounce floated on top. I’d probably pick up a bottle of triple sec and save the Gaetano for Cadillac-style margaritas.
21 Sep 2007 at 5:56 pm 48. Rob in citrus country
Hey Jeffrey
Great blog. I see a lot of people are struggling to squeeze their own citrus. Being in the state of florida i am surrounded by the stuff. I picked up an electric citrus juicer for $6 bucks at a thrift shop many years ago for fresh juice. If you have one, you will not even regard the time to squeeze the limes/lemmons an issue any longer. The cleanup is a simple rinse of three small parts. cheers
23 Oct 2007 at 5:46 am 49. Dan
Might as well keep this going ;)
You can find citrus presses at places like Crate & Barrel or William & Sonoma for ~$10 and they’re perfect for squeezing limes, lemons and oranges. I typically roll them a bit on a flat surface before hand to loosen up the insides and then simply squeeze the hell out of ‘em. Works a hell of a lot better than squeezing by hand and you can squeeze right over a mini-strainer to get rid of any unwanted pulp or seeds.
06 Nov 2007 at 12:30 pm 50. Joy
I have so enjoyed reading all of your comments. I laughed through most of them - my husband was sitting across the room wondering what in the world? I’m making this recipe for my bunco group - the theme is margarita madness and I’m looking forward to trying these out. Thanks for making it so enjoyable!
29 Nov 2007 at 6:35 pm 51. David
Here in Hawai’i margaritas are popular and a lot of the women that I hang out with order a island style margarita called “Li Hing Mui” margarita. Li Hing Mui is a dried plum treat that originated in mainland China but is a big part of island life here in Hawaii as we put Li hing flavoring on everything and anything from gummy bears to popcorn. A popular thing that people in Hawaii do is put about a dozen dried plums in a bottle of tequila and let it marinate. I was wondering if you heard of a Li Hing Mui margarita before and how you would recommend making this with your recipe.
12 Dec 2007 at 1:47 pm 52. Bonnie
Jeffrey, my boyfriend and I have made your gallon recipe twice for parties recently. Not only are they a huge hit with our guests, but they seem to have quite an, ahem, aphrodisiac affect! To all those interested in a little extra merry making this holiday season, try some gallon margis on for size. They last in the fridge and are a great compliment to mole, stir fry, green curry, cheese plates… Be forewarned, dirty dishes, strewn clothes, lights left on all night, forgetting to brush teeth, wildly drunk sex, passing out, may all occur upon consumption! ;)
Thanks for sharing, Bonnie. I’m glad I could, uh, help!
16 Jan 2008 at 5:27 am 54. Jason
Jeffrey,
I love the recipe and have been looking for a long time to find something like this. I have a party coming up this weekend and was wondering how can i make this recipe Frozen. Can it be as simple as to refrig the mix and put into a blender with ice?
The margaritas are strong, but that’s a good thing, right?
09 Feb 2008 at 8:24 pm 58. christopher
thanks to global warming, spring has sprung in feb here in LA. so the lemon tree in my yard is in full bloom, and gave up its goods to make this mix happen. made this, to the letter, w/ all fresh ingredients, and dropped it into a sunny afternoon backyard party. my goodness. what a treat. thanks for sharing this awesome recipe no one would have faulted you for keeping to yourself.
~christopher. Los Feliz, LA.
You just made my day, even if it does make me sad to think of beautiful Los Angeles while it’s 40 degrees here in Oregon.
I’ll toast you with a margarita in a few months, however!
28 Feb 2008 at 8:21 am 60. Colleen
Jeffrey I think I am not in love with you! I stumbled on this site looking for Margarita recipes and you were the 2nd post. I have to say I love love love your website! I have book marked it and rated it awesome in STUMBLE IT so others find it as well. I will be using it for every party going forward!
I cannot wait to make this recipe this weekend. My daughter just turned 10 months and it has been a while since I drank so this Saturday the girls are coming over and we are getting Mad! I plan on having Daddy take care of the kiddies well into the next day as it sounds as if these ritas pack a beautiful punch! Thanks for sharing and making a new mommy look forward to her freedom time!
Sounds like fun. But please don’t get drunk and vandalize my website. It took me a week to get the spraypaint off the site the last time a bunch of girls got together and drank my margaritas.
28 Feb 2008 at 3:24 pm 62. Colleen
Oh my god I can’t stop laughing! You are adorable! I will be sure to show the girls your pic while we drink a toast to you as we enjoy those tasty treast and I will keep them off the keyboard to make sure your site stays sparkly clean ;)
28 Feb 2008 at 3:25 pm 63. Colleen
Oh my god I can’t stop laughing! You are adorable! I will be sure to show the girls your pic while we drink a toast to you as we enjoy those tasty treats and I will keep them off the keyboard to make sure your site stays sparkly clean ;)
28 Feb 2008 at 10:51 pm 64. joshcore
went to mazatlan few weeks ago on a cruise. bartender put 1/2 oz of champagne in my margarita on the rocks. was probably the best margarita i had in my life.
29 Feb 2008 at 11:02 am 65. Colleen
Hey Jeffrey would Cosmos be a good drink to make by the gallon? My girlfriends love them but they are annoying to make over and over.
01 Mar 2008 at 1:44 pm 66. Jeff S
Great website and excellent advice you are giving. Keep up the good work.
05 Mar 2008 at 4:25 am 67. Ben C
Awesome mix Jeff. I’m an expat living in London, you wouldn’t believe how hard (and expensive) it is to find Tequilla and Triple Sec out here.
For anyone who wants to know, metric conversions:
Per 2 litre bottle (makes about 1.825 L)
700 ml Tequila
300 ml each, lemon juice, lime juice and triple sec
235 ml simple syrup
So I made them for my girls night and MAN were they a hit! Needless to say my husband had to drive two of the girls home LOL. AND MAN is tequilla expensive ! I guess I haven’t drank it for a while!
Cheers to you for making my night a success! You rock Jeffrey!
07 Mar 2008 at 12:27 pm 70. Conni
Hi Jeff:
Love your bulk margarita recipe–works ALL THE TIME! I recently enjoyed a Brandy Margarita and it was powerful! It seemed to have some OJ in it but I am not certain. Do you have a recipe for Brandy Margaritas and could you also please give me the proportions to make this delicious drink in bulk as well? Thanks very much!
I’ve become famous in my circle of friends for these Margaritas (I cite you of course)
Though, they are highly requested now, “Did you make your margaritas?”
The best comment yet, “These should be called ‘Apache Margaritas’ because they sneak up on you.”
14 Apr 2008 at 6:37 pm 73. stephanie
Thank you for making me the new Margarita Queen in the hood…Had all the girls over for a Spring Fever party and WHOA those margies are good and strong. I went crazy and used Cointreau, doubled the recipe, and added a few glugs of fresh OJ…
You rock…thanks again
15 Apr 2008 at 11:23 am 74. Joyce
I have a 5 gallon container to put the mix in but want to keep it cold, Can I go ahead and mix in the ice so I dont have to keep it seperate. The idea is for everyone to get a margarita out of the spigot when they want it but with as little hassle as possible. And to have a plate next to it with lemon juice and salt for dipping glass in? Will this delute the margarita’s too much?
Do you use your JuiceMan juicer for the citrus, if so do you simply cut them in half and throw them in?
28 Apr 2008 at 9:24 am 80. Jennifer
Jeffrey,
Do you ever add other fresh fruit juices to make flavored margaritas? I was thinking of maybe blending up strawberries and substituting it for the lemon juice. Think this would work?
Thanks!
You can’t use a JuiceMan juice extractor for the citrus, because you don’t want any of the bitter oils from the peel in your drink. So, sorry, you’re just going to have to juice the old-fashioned way.
Jennifer
I don’t really know much about strawberry or other flavored margaritas, as I don’t care for drinking them. So, if you want to do some experimentation, please feel free to post your results here for the rest of the audience!
I subscribe to your blog and thoroughly enjoy your posts.
I have to tell you… I have been searching many years for an absolutely phenomenal margarita recipe and this one is to-die-for!! Thank you so much for sharing with us. I was skeptical about lemon juice in a margarita mix bit WOW.
I used my electric juicer to do the work for me and it went very quickly. Fresh juice in cocktails is simply unparalleled.
If I may add one simple little twist?
Float a half ounce of very high quality mezcal (Scorpion or Del Maguey) on top of this cocktail when serving. You will be surprised how it brings out the citrus while smoothing out the sour.
Keep up the great work, Jeff. Thanks for all the great posts!
I wouldn’t let this mixture sit for longer than a day. Fresh citrus gets funky, fast.
Drink up!
08 May 2008 at 4:00 pm 86. Bill
I have a margarita machine that holds 5 gallons. I want to mix your recipe to put in it…do I need to change the recipe at all to put it in the machine?
Beats the hell out of me, I’ve never even seen a margarita machine. Give it a go and report your findings back here.
10 May 2008 at 8:26 am 88. Steven
We’re really excited about trying these out! Going to buy a juicer today! Thanks!
Question: we generally make sugar-free-ish margaritas with splenda. Can we just add enough splenda and water to equal the amount of sugar and water that would be in the syrup? Or is this a travesty that no margarita lover should even consider?
My husband and I were in Austin a few months ago and had margaritas at our hotel. They were so good, we asked the bartender what he put in them and this was exactly what he told us! This man knows what he’s talking about folks! We have two Margarators and I’ll be firing them both us this weekend!!
16 May 2008 at 9:39 pm 91. Keith
It’s not summer here in Portland today, but it sure felt like it.
I like this recipe a lot. My favorite margarita spot, Taqueria Nueve, here in Portland closed this week so I made a batch of these in their honor. Their house margarita used a muddled orange in the house margarita so I added a cup of fresh OJ to the mix - it was a pretty good facsimile. Thanks
30 May 2008 at 6:38 pm 92. Paul K
I want to make these not sweet (I do not like sweet). Is it better to just add 2 cups of water or maybe some soda water or more lemon or what? (obviously it will be too strong otherwise). Thanks, paul
Have you made this recipe yet? If not, try it out before you assume it’s too sweet. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time getting the ingredients to balance between sweet, sour and strong. Try it out.
[...] was lucky enough to be surrounded by a dozen lovely people on Saturday night for cake, hamburgers, a gallon of margaritas (totally worth all the juice squeezing by the way) and some video games. I am noticing that things [...]
05 Jun 2008 at 11:55 pm 95. Benny
Jeffrey,
gonna make the recipe this upcoming weekend for a bunch of margarita fiends who just so happen to be my wife and her friends. Question: they always prefer i make their margaritas w/ Barcardi Rum (lightens up the boldness and tastes pretty darn good)…so, would the amount of Barcardi be equal to tequila called for in your recipe? Also, would triple sec still be needed? What are your overall thoughts on Rumgaritas? Thx for all your advice, Jeffrey, I really learned a lot in this thread of responses!
13 Jun 2008 at 10:02 pm 96. Emily
Made this for a party and it turned out fantastic! My hand was sore for a couple days from all the citrus squeezing but it was well worth it.
23 Jun 2008 at 1:15 pm 97. DanW
I just made this recipe for a party 2 days ago. I used El Tesoro reposado for the tequila (after many bad experiences, I refuse to use gold tequila), Cointreau for the triple-sec (I made a half batch as a test and was not impressed with generic triple-sec), 6 cups lime and lemon juice (18 limes, 9 lemons), and 2 cups simple syrup. I mixed it in a one-gallon insulated jug with a spout (storing the liquor in the freezer for a couple nights before mixing meant the mix was cold from the start).
It was a complete success. I got many compliments on the margaritas and much complaining that they ran out so soon (maybe next year I’ll make a 5-gallon batch–if I can afford it, and if I get some form of powered juicer ;) ). The balance of tart and sweet was excellent, and you still got a good taste of the tequila.
Kimberly - I’m not really a strawberry margarita guy, but I would guess that you could take a pint of fresh strawberries, remove the stems, purée them in a food processor, run them through a sieve or strainer to remove the seeds, and add the smooth purée to the recipe above.
Good luck!
19 Jul 2008 at 11:54 pm 101. Sonestra
The recipe is fabulous for bulk marg making, however I would NEVER use a gold tequila for margaritas. Go silver and taste the smoothness.
Yum.
30 Jul 2008 at 8:04 am 102. Alex from Austin
Howdy Jeffrey!
I thought you’d be interested in the results of an experiment I tried. This has been my favorite Margarita recipe since finding it around February or so, but one thing that has always bothered me is the ever-lingering question: “Is it really worth it to use high quality liquor in a Margarita?”
Being that the Margarita (and its cousin, the Mexican Martini) may as well be the official drink of Austin, Texas, this is an oft-debated subject. What, with all the sweet and sour that goes into a good Marg, it’s not hard to imagine that the subtleties of a good tequila will go unnoticed.
I made two gallons of this recipe (25 lemons and 30 limes, hand squeezed), and split those gallons into six batches.
Batch One:
El Tesoro Platinum Tequila
Cointreau
Batch Two:
El Tesoro Platinum
Hiram Walker Triple Sec
Batch Three:
Jose Cuervo Silver
Cointreau
Batch Four:
Jose Cuervo Silver
Hiram Walker Triple Sec
Batch Five:
Juarez Silver
Cointreau
Batch Six:
Juarez Silver
Hiram Walker Triple Sec
As you can see, we used three different types of tequila: Top-Shelf, Mid-Ranged and Rotgut, and then two different types of Triple Sec: Cheap and Expensive.
The first round of margaritas we had was a blind taste test and the results were as follows (with a summary of the comments):
#1 (Best) : Batch 3 (Perfect, but this won by a hair)
#2: Batch 1 (Perfect)
#3: Batch 2 (Smooth, but a bit sweet)
#4: Batch 5 (A bit harsh but drinkable)
#5: Batch 4 (Cloyingly sweet)
#6 (Worst): Batch 6 (Tasted like a spiked Slurpee)
The second round was an open testing where we knew what each drink contained and we all wrote down our comments about each drink. The general consensus was that the batches with the generic Triple Sec were cloyingly sweet, and the batches with the bottom-shelf Tequila tasted too harsh. Additionally, we had a difficult time determining a favorite between the El Tesoro and the Jose Cuervo; they both were smooth enough to go down easily but the subtleties of their flavors were obviously steamrolled by the lemon, lime and syrup.
To sum up; the perfect balance of cost and taste seemed to be middle-shelf Tequila combined with top-shelf Triple Sec.
Alex from Austin - Look at you! Interesting findings, thank you for sharing them with us. I’m planning my own recipe for the annual camping trip and will most likely use a combination of Sauza Blanco and Patron Citronge. Cheers!
06 Aug 2008 at 11:24 am 104. Jim from Houston
Hi, Jeff!
Great website! It’s now a Favorite.
Like Bill (#86, 05/08/08), I have a margarita “machine” that makes frozen margarita “slushees”. You put the mix into the machine, turn it on, wait 30 minutes, and - mirabile dictu! - frozen margaritas. I’ve not yet tried your recipe but I fear that it may be too sweet, since whatever water is in the mix ends up becoming ice. Any suggestions on how much to dilute your recipe? Two cups water/gallon? Thanks.
Thanks, Jim from Houston! I don’t think this recipe is sweet at all, but rather nicely balanced between sweet, sour and strong. Try it out in your margarita machine and let us know what you think.
23 Aug 2008 at 11:28 am 106. Brian from KC
Jeff,
Hope to get a quick reply since our 60th b-day party is tomorrow. If I have to go to the store, I will, but I’m wondering if I can make this recipe with limes only…what’s the difference between limes and lemons besides the cost?
[...] Gallon of Margaritas (Courtesy of Jeffrey Morgenthaler) This has become a staple at parties, the gallon of mix takes about two hours to make (with hand [...]
[...] margaritas recipe … you know, it would be much easier to insert the html than to go through the WordPress [...]
21 Jan 2009 at 12:06 am 111. Niki
Summer here in Australia and managed to get my hands on a “slushie machine” or frozen cocktail machine… Am planning to use this recipe for the machine - I suspect I will be somewhat intoxicated for my birthday!
A hint for those of you who dont have an electric juicer and for those that do… If you ‘zap’ the fruit for a few seconds in a microwave before cutting and juicing more juice is released - or just roll them a bit on the bench first…
Thanks for the recipe! I can feel the hangover coming along!!!
25 Feb 2009 at 11:40 pm 112. Peggy
OMG!!!! These were the best ever! I made up a gallon for our Christmas Monopoly Party and they were a huge hit. In fact, everyone wanted the recipe. Thank you, thank you, thank you for publishing your recipe.
And after reading all the comments, I went out and bought an electric juicer, which was so worth it. I will definitly make these again.
07 Apr 2009 at 8:03 am 113. April
I have had a ball reading all of these…but what I need is a suggested alternative for the fresh limes and lemons. I am looking to make these for a part of 75-100 people…so hand squeezing is out of the question. What can anyone recommend???
17 Apr 2009 at 11:11 am 114. jmaaan
Just found your site looking for Sazerac and holy sh*t, I may spend the entire weekend reading through. I’m actually feeling like there is something wrong with me, I shouldn’t be this happy about finding a good alcohol related site. I may need counseling. But in the meantime….I’ve got a question before I make a couple of gallons of these baby’s this weekend.
Myers lemons, as you know sweeter and less tart than some other varieties. Would you adjust the recipe at all? Or would you suggest I don’t use Myers (got a tree in the backyard) or a mix?
Thanks!
05 May 2009 at 1:26 pm 115. Ethan
Peggy, I was thinking about using my electric juicer as well, but I wondered if the juicer will make the lime juice bitter from the skin of the lime. I hardly ever use a juicer, so I don’t know how it will effect the outcome of the taste. Let me know your experience with that - I’m excited to make my first gallon of margarita. It never seems to be enough. Thank you Jeff for posting this recipe. Seriously, I feel like I just had a life altering moment - very enlightening :sweetness:
05 May 2009 at 1:42 pm 116. jmaaan
Ethan, I used an electric juicer and the response was great from my guests. However, I personnally tasted the faint bitter taste of rind from the electic juicer. I probably was overzealous in my desire to get all the juice out, but with that much juice required, it makes it hard not to. I think next time I’ll either leave some of the juice unextracted, or use a manual juicer.
06 May 2009 at 8:44 am 117. Jessie
Jeffrey! My roommates and I made these for Cinco de Mayo, but we halved the recipe because there’s only 3 of us (although I’m sure that hasn’t stopped some people from making the whole gallon). They turned out great! Thanks for your recipes!
11 Jun 2009 at 6:43 am 118. Stacy
What quantity of Cointreau should I use for your recipe?
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05 Jul 2006 at 5:28 pm 1. pam
These Margaritas are fantastic! Thanks for sharing. Happy 4th
Pam
01 May 2007 at 7:07 pm 2. Leslie
Hey…I’m having a tequila fiesta in a couple of weeks and your “gallon of margaritas” post came up first when I searched.
I found a natural sour mix…I plan on mixing this with Hornitos. So, will you clarify…exactly how much tequila does one need per gallon?? Is a fifth the equiv. to 750 ml…holy moly??! I plan on making (2) 1 gallon jugs for a party of about 30 ppl. I can already tell…this is going to be an expensive hosting! ha, ha…
I hope to hear your reply!
Leslie
02 May 2007 at 1:52 am 3. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Hi, Leslie!
Well, for pre-made sour mix (I hope to high heaven you’re using something good) and to make two gallons, you’re going to need the following:
I think that translates into just under four fifths of tequila and two fifths of triple sec.
Remember to measure!
A fifth and a 750 mL bottle are roughly the same thing. A fifth stands for a fifth of a gallon (or four-fifths of a quart), which would be 25.6 ounces. 750 mL comes in at 25.360517 ounces, so I guess it’s close enough. We assume they’re about the same volume.
02 May 2007 at 9:47 am 4. Flowerysong
A fifth used to be exactly 0.2 gallons (~757 mL); in the seventies when alcohol bottle sizes were metricized, 750 mL (0.198 gallons) became the new standard. Even though it’s no longer entirely accurate, these bottles are still referred to as “fifths”.
02 May 2007 at 11:09 am 5. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Thanks, flowerysong, that’s exactly the kind of eloquence I was looking for at 2AM last night!
Sorry for the roundabout math, everyone.
29 May 2007 at 8:07 am 6. Jeff
Just what I was looking for, should be perfect for a friend’s nautical themed b-day! Quick question, do you have a recommendation for the specific brands of alcohol? I barely touch tequila, so I’ll be making these for everyone else, but I have no idea what a decent tequila would be to use for this. Thanks!
SSDD
30 May 2007 at 1:41 am 7. Jeffrey
Jeff, I think Sauza Gold is a good, attractively-priced tequila suitable for mixing in margaritas.
08 Jun 2007 at 4:04 am 8. susan
Do you use lemon and lime juice that comes in bottles. That would be a lot of squeezing.
08 Jun 2007 at 8:18 am 9. Jeffrey
Oh, no. No. God, no. Never. Let me tell you something:
No matter how groovy the label is, no matter how “fresh” it claims to be, no matter how many times they’ve thrown the word “organic” on there, bottled lemon and lime juices can never come close to the flavor of freshly-squeezed.
Ever.
Get a juicer, put some work into it, and I guarantee people will be talking about your margaritas for months after the party. You don’t even have to tell them where you got the recipe. I can keep a secret.
And honestly, depending on the fruit, you can get anywhere from an ounce to three ounces of juice out of one lemon or lime. So it really isn’t that bad,
And so worth it.
13 Jun 2007 at 10:37 am 10. heidi
looking at your rec. and excited about giving it a try. need about 5-6 gallons for my brothers 40th party. any more hints for that much?.
thanks jeff
heidi
13 Jun 2007 at 10:37 am 11. heidi
looking at your rec. and excited about giving it a try. need about 5-6 gallons for my brothers 40th party. any more hints for that much?.
thanks jeff
heidi
13 Jun 2007 at 12:25 pm 12. Jeffrey
Heidi
Just multiply everything by 5!
Jeff
18 Jun 2007 at 4:03 pm 13. gretchen
Jeff-
You don’t know how perfect it is that you have shared how to make bulk margaritas!
Quick question… when you say triple sec do you recommend Cointreau?
Thanks so much!
18 Jun 2007 at 5:34 pm 14. Jeffrey
I think that Cointreau or Patron Citronge would both be wonderful, albeit expensive triple secs to use here.
Cheers!
25 Jun 2007 at 3:55 pm 15. your little sister
These are, hands down, the best fucking margaritas I’ve ever had.
25 Jun 2007 at 5:43 pm 16. Jeffrey
Thanks, kid! That’s really my little sister, there, folks.
Oh, and kid, watch your mouth. This is a family website.
26 Jun 2007 at 5:00 pm 17. Lucy
Thanks for the recipe!! Its nice and simple! sounds great!! Ill test it out this weekend, we are having a Mexican themed party down here in South Australia!!
27 Jun 2007 at 7:45 am 18. Julie
I received a margarator..margrita machine from a neighbor. It calls for margarita mix…blah. The machine makes 1 gallon of frozen margaritas, I think it said 16 or 18 8 oz glasses. If I add the 3 pounds of ice and your recipe..will that work??????
Julie
27 Jun 2007 at 8:57 am 19. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Ummmmm… sure, try it! What’s the worst that could happen, right?
03 Jul 2007 at 2:34 pm 20. Joe
Hey Jeff –
It’s my third time making your miracle mix and it’s always worth the extra work for fresh citrus. I’ve just spent hours squeezing countless lemons & limes for a 6 gallon monster!
Many thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Happy 4th of July from San Diego!!!!!
Joe
04 Jul 2007 at 2:08 am 21. Jeffrey
Wow, thanks, Joe! That’s the best review yet!
04 Jul 2007 at 3:56 pm 22. cindy
had margaritas at a party made from your gallon recipe, FANTASTIC! Will be taking them on vacation next week’
Thanks A LOT!
05 Jul 2007 at 12:05 am 23. Jeffrey
Glad I could help, Cindy!
Jeffrey
06 Jul 2007 at 11:55 am 24. Doug
Jeff,
Just checking again. I’m paying $1.00 for two limes or two lemons. Are roughly 10 limes and 10 lemons enough? These are bit expensive, by the time you buy the liquor. I’m hoping they are good! I went with the cheaper Tequila to offset the cost of the fruit.
Are there ANY suitable alternatives for fresh squeezed?
06 Jul 2007 at 1:17 pm 25. Jeffrey
Doug
As a very general rule of thumb, expect to get 1.5 ounces of juice from each lemon or lime. This will vary greatly depending on the ripeness of the fruit and the time of year you’re purchasing them.
So you’re probably coming up a little short, but remember: there is no substitute for freshly-squeezed juice.
Look to see if there is a club store or restaurant supply grocer in your town, they typically run cheaper than your neighborhood big-box retailer.
And good luck!
11 Jul 2007 at 4:18 pm 26. Margaritas in Bulk « Will Work For Food
[...] I saw this on Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s bartending blog and had to repost it. [...]
21 Jul 2007 at 5:57 am 27. MJ in KC
I used Jeffrey’s gallon recipe for a friend’s birthday celebration and the margaritas were quite a hit! The only adjustment I made was to use all of the simple syrup (2+ cups), because the original batch was a little sour for our taste. YUM!
21 Jul 2007 at 10:14 am 28. Jeffrey
Thanks, MJ! And, if this isn’t a testament to the recipe, I’m making my own two-gallon batch as we speak for a camping trip tomorrow!
26 Jul 2007 at 7:16 pm 29. chelle
This might be a stupid question but how do I make them flavored such as strawberry or such? I realize the lemons and lime provide flavoring but what if I would like something different?
27 Jul 2007 at 1:21 am 30. Jeffrey
Chelle
Take half the lemon, half the lime, and half the simple syrup and put them into a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add a cup and a half of fresh, trimmed strawberries and blend on high until smooth.
Strain with a metal strainer to extract all the seeds and pulpy stuff.
Add this to the remaining ingredients and mix well.
And there you go, strawberry margaritas by the gallon!
27 Jul 2007 at 1:28 pm 31. Susan
I’m having a party and we’ve rented 5 oz. cocktail (martini) glasses. Could I just serve this mix without ice, as long as it’s really cold? Or, would you add a few cubes of ice to each cocktail glass first? Thanks!
27 Jul 2007 at 1:43 pm 32. Jeffrey
Water from melted ice is an incredibly important component to any cocktail. Simply chill these margaritas in the fridge and they will taste far too strong.
So, for each 5-ounce cocktail, put 3 ounces of my mix into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, and strain into the glass. The levels should come out just about right.
Cheers!
06 Aug 2007 at 8:30 am 33. Rose
made the gallon of margarita’s for a night of drinking with my margarita drinking friends at the race track. (our husbands drag race motorcycles) We girls are the “Margarita Queens” of the track because of our habit. Well i decided to try your recipe and it was such a hit. We (3 girls) drank the whole gallon. we did let some of the guys taste a little and now more people want to drink with us at the race track.
we race almost every weekend and now we are taking turns making your recipe cause it gets expensive for just one (me) to have to make them every weekend
and of course we have to use top shelf on everything because we are “MARGARITA QUEENS”
Thanks for a great recipe
Rose
06 Aug 2007 at 8:56 pm 34. James
Jeff,
Can I purchase simple syrup at the grocery store? How long can I keep the gallon of margarita in the fridge? Also, I looked at the corner of your website at the mojito recipe and wondered if one can make a gallon of mojitos or of similar mass quantity.
Thank you
James
06 Aug 2007 at 9:18 pm 35. Jeffrey
James,
1. Maybe somewhere, but it’s going to be much cheaper and a hell of a lot easier to buy a box of sugar and boil some water. Really.
2. Don’t keep your margaritas more than a couple of days.
3. I don’t recommend the large-quantity format for mojitos.
20 Aug 2007 at 10:57 am 36. carla
how long can i keep a gallon of mixture in refridge befor going bad
21 Aug 2007 at 7:25 pm 37. Mr. I'm from Texas
If you can buy it at your friendly neighborhood liquor provider, use EL JIMADOR tequila. Its from the same folks who do Herradura. If you haven’t had that then your in for a treat. I like to be special sometimes and use the Patron Citronge(just cheaper than Cointreau and same taste).
Lastly, my recipe:
equal parts tequila, triple sec, FRESH lime juice
(and jeffrey you melted my heart with the top 10 drinks list)
22 Aug 2007 at 12:47 am 38. Jeffrey
Great call, Mr! I also use Patron Citronge in place of Cointreau in a lot of recipes. I think the flavor difference is almost negligible, and the cost here in Oregon is $15 less a bottle.
24 Aug 2007 at 12:27 pm 39. Margarita Lover
What’s the best way to determine the amount to use if you want to make a large batch of frozen margaritas? I would like to use Tequila, triple sec and limeade.
26 Aug 2007 at 1:09 am 40. Jeffrey
I would say, “screw the limeade”, but if that advice doesn’t work for you, try this:
Put one 12-oz scoop ice, two ounces tequila, one ounce triple sec and two ounces frozen limeade concentrate (not diluted) into a blender and blend for 45 seconds until smooth.
I would still recommend that you try the above recipe, however.
Good luck!
Jeff
26 Aug 2007 at 9:35 pm 41. Jeremy
I have to echo Jeffrey’s emphasis on fresh fruit juices. I made this batch of margaritas for a gathering here in the Tucson, AZ. We take our margaritas seriously here.
I used fresh juice (took about an hours worth of squeeze time) and the results were well received. (For the record, it took 19 limes and 15 lemons - but good fresh Citrus in the desert is hard to come by.)
As a process excellence manager, by trade, I asked the gathering what they would change, and of the few responses I got, they said there was too much lemon juice. (but of the 8 people gathered, only 2 suggested this)
When I try this again, I might tweak the recipe, just a bit. More Triple Sec (maybe 3 cups) and less lemon juice (2 cups perhaps).
But on the whole, this was well received, and requests that I produce more of this were bountiful. I definitely plan to use it again!
27 Aug 2007 at 2:52 pm 42. J.P. from TEXAS
I was wondering if you’ve ever tried using fresh squeezed orange juice and or pineapple juice in this mixture. Kinda gives my Margarita’s (Tex-ican Martini’s) a little extra sunshine!
Also, have you ever tried Agave nectar in this recipe instead of simple syrup? If so, how much would you use, 2/3 cup? Gonna try this recipe this weekend on the bank of a rain-filled limestone quarry. Cool crystal-clear water and a “Tex-ican ‘tini” might be a perfect match…
28 Aug 2007 at 9:11 am 43. Jeffrey
I’ve never used any other juices in this recipe, J.P. Call me crazy, but I don’t care for pineapple in my margarita.
I have, however used agave nectar many times. I first make an agave syrup using 1 cup agave nectar to .75 cup hot water, and substitute it evenly for simple syrup in any of these recipes.
08 Sep 2007 at 11:39 am 44. Lindy Lou
Jeffrey,
Found your site while searching the web to see if I could use the MISTO sprayer for alcohol. There you were…
You genius you!
Anyhoo, the 1 gal mag recipe makes you my new favorite guy I never met.
My Husband and friends are in awe.
Note to readers: 1$ for 2 limes HELL NO! Local mexican ar asian market 15 beautiful juicy limes for 1$ and 5 meyer lemons for 1$. Oh YEAH!
Jeffery, What is your favorite all time Tequila?
a new admirer in San Diego,
Lindy Lou
10 Sep 2007 at 9:32 am 45. Jeffrey
Lindy, thanks for the kudos, and that’s some great advice there!
I don’t have an all-time favorite tequila, although I always find myself coming back to the Herradura line time and time again.
10 Sep 2007 at 1:56 pm 46. Teri in Texas
Hi Jeffrey, my Couple’s Wedding Shower Fiesta is this weekend and I can’t wait to try this recipe. Would it be a okay to use these ingredients:
Grand Chevalier Liqueur (Gaetano)and Jose Cuervo Tradicional(reposado)? Thanks!
10 Sep 2007 at 11:02 pm 47. Jeffrey
Teri, I believe the Grand Chevalier is more of an orange brandy, so it’s probably going to be a lot sweeter than using plain old triple sec. but it might work well with a half ounce floated on top. I’d probably pick up a bottle of triple sec and save the Gaetano for Cadillac-style margaritas.
21 Sep 2007 at 5:56 pm 48. Rob in citrus country
Hey Jeffrey
Great blog. I see a lot of people are struggling to squeeze their own citrus. Being in the state of florida i am surrounded by the stuff. I picked up an electric citrus juicer for $6 bucks at a thrift shop many years ago for fresh juice. If you have one, you will not even regard the time to squeeze the limes/lemmons an issue any longer. The cleanup is a simple rinse of three small parts. cheers
23 Oct 2007 at 5:46 am 49. Dan
Might as well keep this going ;)
You can find citrus presses at places like Crate & Barrel or William & Sonoma for ~$10 and they’re perfect for squeezing limes, lemons and oranges. I typically roll them a bit on a flat surface before hand to loosen up the insides and then simply squeeze the hell out of ‘em. Works a hell of a lot better than squeezing by hand and you can squeeze right over a mini-strainer to get rid of any unwanted pulp or seeds.
06 Nov 2007 at 12:30 pm 50. Joy
I have so enjoyed reading all of your comments. I laughed through most of them - my husband was sitting across the room wondering what in the world? I’m making this recipe for my bunco group - the theme is margarita madness and I’m looking forward to trying these out. Thanks for making it so enjoyable!
29 Nov 2007 at 6:35 pm 51. David
Here in Hawai’i margaritas are popular and a lot of the women that I hang out with order a island style margarita called “Li Hing Mui” margarita. Li Hing Mui is a dried plum treat that originated in mainland China but is a big part of island life here in Hawaii as we put Li hing flavoring on everything and anything from gummy bears to popcorn. A popular thing that people in Hawaii do is put about a dozen dried plums in a bottle of tequila and let it marinate. I was wondering if you heard of a Li Hing Mui margarita before and how you would recommend making this with your recipe.
12 Dec 2007 at 1:47 pm 52. Bonnie
Jeffrey, my boyfriend and I have made your gallon recipe twice for parties recently. Not only are they a huge hit with our guests, but they seem to have quite an, ahem, aphrodisiac affect! To all those interested in a little extra merry making this holiday season, try some gallon margis on for size. They last in the fridge and are a great compliment to mole, stir fry, green curry, cheese plates… Be forewarned, dirty dishes, strewn clothes, lights left on all night, forgetting to brush teeth, wildly drunk sex, passing out, may all occur upon consumption! ;)
12 Dec 2007 at 1:55 pm 53. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Thanks for sharing, Bonnie. I’m glad I could, uh, help!
16 Jan 2008 at 5:27 am 54. Jason
Jeffrey,
I love the recipe and have been looking for a long time to find something like this. I have a party coming up this weekend and was wondering how can i make this recipe Frozen. Can it be as simple as to refrig the mix and put into a blender with ice?
16 Jan 2008 at 9:41 am 55. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Jason
It would be exactly that simple. Have fun!
08 Feb 2008 at 9:50 am 56. Tony
Made for the Superbowl. Huge hit. Very very strong…but very very good. Thanks for the recipe!
08 Feb 2008 at 10:08 am 57. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Glad you liked it, Tony!
The margaritas are strong, but that’s a good thing, right?
09 Feb 2008 at 8:24 pm 58. christopher
thanks to global warming, spring has sprung in feb here in LA. so the lemon tree in my yard is in full bloom, and gave up its goods to make this mix happen. made this, to the letter, w/ all fresh ingredients, and dropped it into a sunny afternoon backyard party. my goodness. what a treat. thanks for sharing this awesome recipe no one would have faulted you for keeping to yourself.
~christopher. Los Feliz, LA.
10 Feb 2008 at 5:36 pm 59. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Christopher
You just made my day, even if it does make me sad to think of beautiful Los Angeles while it’s 40 degrees here in Oregon.
I’ll toast you with a margarita in a few months, however!
28 Feb 2008 at 8:21 am 60. Colleen
Jeffrey I think I am not in love with you! I stumbled on this site looking for Margarita recipes and you were the 2nd post. I have to say I love love love your website! I have book marked it and rated it awesome in STUMBLE IT so others find it as well. I will be using it for every party going forward!
I cannot wait to make this recipe this weekend. My daughter just turned 10 months and it has been a while since I drank so this Saturday the girls are coming over and we are getting Mad! I plan on having Daddy take care of the kiddies well into the next day as it sounds as if these ritas pack a beautiful punch! Thanks for sharing and making a new mommy look forward to her freedom time!
28 Feb 2008 at 2:02 pm 61. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Colleen
Sounds like fun. But please don’t get drunk and vandalize my website. It took me a week to get the spraypaint off the site the last time a bunch of girls got together and drank my margaritas.
28 Feb 2008 at 3:24 pm 62. Colleen
Oh my god I can’t stop laughing! You are adorable! I will be sure to show the girls your pic while we drink a toast to you as we enjoy those tasty treast and I will keep them off the keyboard to make sure your site stays sparkly clean ;)
28 Feb 2008 at 3:25 pm 63. Colleen
Oh my god I can’t stop laughing! You are adorable! I will be sure to show the girls your pic while we drink a toast to you as we enjoy those tasty treats and I will keep them off the keyboard to make sure your site stays sparkly clean ;)
28 Feb 2008 at 10:51 pm 64. joshcore
went to mazatlan few weeks ago on a cruise. bartender put 1/2 oz of champagne in my margarita on the rocks. was probably the best margarita i had in my life.
29 Feb 2008 at 11:02 am 65. Colleen
Hey Jeffrey would Cosmos be a good drink to make by the gallon? My girlfriends love them but they are annoying to make over and over.
01 Mar 2008 at 1:44 pm 66. Jeff S
Great website and excellent advice you are giving. Keep up the good work.
05 Mar 2008 at 4:25 am 67. Ben C
Awesome mix Jeff. I’m an expat living in London, you wouldn’t believe how hard (and expensive) it is to find Tequilla and Triple Sec out here.
For anyone who wants to know, metric conversions:
Per 2 litre bottle (makes about 1.825 L)
700 ml Tequila
300 ml each, lemon juice, lime juice and triple sec
235 ml simple syrup
05 Mar 2008 at 12:50 pm 68. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Ben, that’s some great information there, thanks!
05 Mar 2008 at 3:09 pm 69. Colleen
So I made them for my girls night and MAN were they a hit! Needless to say my husband had to drive two of the girls home LOL. AND MAN is tequilla expensive ! I guess I haven’t drank it for a while!
Cheers to you for making my night a success! You rock Jeffrey!
07 Mar 2008 at 12:27 pm 70. Conni
Hi Jeff:
Love your bulk margarita recipe–works ALL THE TIME! I recently enjoyed a Brandy Margarita and it was powerful! It seemed to have some OJ in it but I am not certain. Do you have a recipe for Brandy Margaritas and could you also please give me the proportions to make this delicious drink in bulk as well? Thanks very much!
07 Mar 2008 at 12:28 pm 71. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Conni
I guess I would just substitute the tequila for brandy and see what happens!
11 Mar 2008 at 6:04 pm 72. Jeremy
I’ve become famous in my circle of friends for these Margaritas (I cite you of course)
Though, they are highly requested now, “Did you make your margaritas?”
The best comment yet, “These should be called ‘Apache Margaritas’ because they sneak up on you.”
14 Apr 2008 at 6:37 pm 73. stephanie
Thank you for making me the new Margarita Queen in the hood…Had all the girls over for a Spring Fever party and WHOA those margies are good and strong. I went crazy and used Cointreau, doubled the recipe, and added a few glugs of fresh OJ…
You rock…thanks again
15 Apr 2008 at 11:23 am 74. Joyce
I have a 5 gallon container to put the mix in but want to keep it cold, Can I go ahead and mix in the ice so I dont have to keep it seperate. The idea is for everyone to get a margarita out of the spigot when they want it but with as little hassle as possible. And to have a plate next to it with lemon juice and salt for dipping glass in? Will this delute the margarita’s too much?
15 Apr 2008 at 6:27 pm 75. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Joyce
Go rent a 5-gallon insulated container to put your mix in, I use a little 2-gallon container I found at a hardware store all the time.
If you don’t have an insulated container, don’t add ice to the mix. It’s going to be diluted awfully quickly.
Good luck!
17 Apr 2008 at 8:29 am 76. Sharon
I Jeffrey,
I’m glad I found this website… margarita is my favorite drink.
My husband and I love green apple margaritas using Apple Pucker. What would be the amount to add to make it with your recipe??
Thanks!
17 Apr 2008 at 9:21 am 77. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Sharon
I can’t, in good conscience, condone the use of Apple Pucker. I’m sorry.
23 Apr 2008 at 9:43 am 78. Mikel
I am SO making these for Cinco de Mayo this year!
24 Apr 2008 at 12:12 pm 79. syoung68
Do you use your JuiceMan juicer for the citrus, if so do you simply cut them in half and throw them in?
28 Apr 2008 at 9:24 am 80. Jennifer
Jeffrey,
Do you ever add other fresh fruit juices to make flavored margaritas? I was thinking of maybe blending up strawberries and substituting it for the lemon juice. Think this would work?
Thanks!
28 Apr 2008 at 10:27 am 81. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
syoung68
You can’t use a JuiceMan juice extractor for the citrus, because you don’t want any of the bitter oils from the peel in your drink. So, sorry, you’re just going to have to juice the old-fashioned way.
Jennifer
I don’t really know much about strawberry or other flavored margaritas, as I don’t care for drinking them. So, if you want to do some experimentation, please feel free to post your results here for the rest of the audience!
05 May 2008 at 1:20 pm 82. Kelly
Hi Jeff!
I subscribe to your blog and thoroughly enjoy your posts.
I have to tell you… I have been searching many years for an absolutely phenomenal margarita recipe and this one is to-die-for!! Thank you so much for sharing with us. I was skeptical about lemon juice in a margarita mix bit WOW.
I used my electric juicer to do the work for me and it went very quickly. Fresh juice in cocktails is simply unparalleled.
If I may add one simple little twist?
Float a half ounce of very high quality mezcal (Scorpion or Del Maguey) on top of this cocktail when serving. You will be surprised how it brings out the citrus while smoothing out the sour.
Keep up the great work, Jeff. Thanks for all the great posts!
05 May 2008 at 1:28 pm 83. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Hi Kelly!
I’m glad the recipe worked out well for you, and that float of mezcal sounds absolutely delicious. I’ll have to try it soon!
Thanks for reading.
Jeff
05 May 2008 at 4:58 pm 84. Ron
How long kind I refridgerate the leftovers without it “spoiling”.
06 May 2008 at 8:39 am 85. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Ron
I wouldn’t let this mixture sit for longer than a day. Fresh citrus gets funky, fast.
Drink up!
08 May 2008 at 4:00 pm 86. Bill
I have a margarita machine that holds 5 gallons. I want to mix your recipe to put in it…do I need to change the recipe at all to put it in the machine?
08 May 2008 at 4:13 pm 87. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Bill
Beats the hell out of me, I’ve never even seen a margarita machine. Give it a go and report your findings back here.
10 May 2008 at 8:26 am 88. Steven
We’re really excited about trying these out! Going to buy a juicer today! Thanks!
Question: we generally make sugar-free-ish margaritas with splenda. Can we just add enough splenda and water to equal the amount of sugar and water that would be in the syrup? Or is this a travesty that no margarita lover should even consider?
11 May 2008 at 3:43 pm 89. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Steven
The answer, to both of your questions, is “yes”.
I hope this helps.
Jeffrey
13 May 2008 at 10:26 am 90. Kim
My husband and I were in Austin a few months ago and had margaritas at our hotel. They were so good, we asked the bartender what he put in them and this was exactly what he told us! This man knows what he’s talking about folks! We have two Margarators and I’ll be firing them both us this weekend!!
16 May 2008 at 9:39 pm 91. Keith
It’s not summer here in Portland today, but it sure felt like it.
I like this recipe a lot. My favorite margarita spot, Taqueria Nueve, here in Portland closed this week so I made a batch of these in their honor. Their house margarita used a muddled orange in the house margarita so I added a cup of fresh OJ to the mix - it was a pretty good facsimile. Thanks
30 May 2008 at 6:38 pm 92. Paul K
I want to make these not sweet (I do not like sweet). Is it better to just add 2 cups of water or maybe some soda water or more lemon or what? (obviously it will be too strong otherwise). Thanks, paul
01 Jun 2008 at 11:30 pm 93. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Paul
Have you made this recipe yet? If not, try it out before you assume it’s too sweet. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time getting the ingredients to balance between sweet, sour and strong. Try it out.
04 Jun 2008 at 10:05 pm 94. Cathartic Ink » Blog Archive » Twenty-seven.
[...] was lucky enough to be surrounded by a dozen lovely people on Saturday night for cake, hamburgers, a gallon of margaritas (totally worth all the juice squeezing by the way) and some video games. I am noticing that things [...]
05 Jun 2008 at 11:55 pm 95. Benny
Jeffrey,
gonna make the recipe this upcoming weekend for a bunch of margarita fiends who just so happen to be my wife and her friends. Question: they always prefer i make their margaritas w/ Barcardi Rum (lightens up the boldness and tastes pretty darn good)…so, would the amount of Barcardi be equal to tequila called for in your recipe? Also, would triple sec still be needed? What are your overall thoughts on Rumgaritas? Thx for all your advice, Jeffrey, I really learned a lot in this thread of responses!
13 Jun 2008 at 10:02 pm 96. Emily
Made this for a party and it turned out fantastic! My hand was sore for a couple days from all the citrus squeezing but it was well worth it.
23 Jun 2008 at 1:15 pm 97. DanW
I just made this recipe for a party 2 days ago. I used El Tesoro reposado for the tequila (after many bad experiences, I refuse to use gold tequila), Cointreau for the triple-sec (I made a half batch as a test and was not impressed with generic triple-sec), 6 cups lime and lemon juice (18 limes, 9 lemons), and 2 cups simple syrup. I mixed it in a one-gallon insulated jug with a spout (storing the liquor in the freezer for a couple nights before mixing meant the mix was cold from the start).
It was a complete success. I got many compliments on the margaritas and much complaining that they ran out so soon (maybe next year I’ll make a 5-gallon batch–if I can afford it, and if I get some form of powered juicer ;) ). The balance of tart and sweet was excellent, and you still got a good taste of the tequila.
23 Jun 2008 at 1:24 pm 98. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
DanW - Glad you liked the recipe, great liquor selections. Thanks for writing!
01 Jul 2008 at 10:47 am 99. Kimberly
Do you have a strawberry rocks version of this???? My life would be much easier this weekend if you do!
02 Jul 2008 at 3:17 pm 100. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Kimberly - I’m not really a strawberry margarita guy, but I would guess that you could take a pint of fresh strawberries, remove the stems, purée them in a food processor, run them through a sieve or strainer to remove the seeds, and add the smooth purée to the recipe above.
Good luck!
19 Jul 2008 at 11:54 pm 101. Sonestra
The recipe is fabulous for bulk marg making, however I would NEVER use a gold tequila for margaritas. Go silver and taste the smoothness.
Yum.
30 Jul 2008 at 8:04 am 102. Alex from Austin
Howdy Jeffrey!
I thought you’d be interested in the results of an experiment I tried. This has been my favorite Margarita recipe since finding it around February or so, but one thing that has always bothered me is the ever-lingering question: “Is it really worth it to use high quality liquor in a Margarita?”
Being that the Margarita (and its cousin, the Mexican Martini) may as well be the official drink of Austin, Texas, this is an oft-debated subject. What, with all the sweet and sour that goes into a good Marg, it’s not hard to imagine that the subtleties of a good tequila will go unnoticed.
I made two gallons of this recipe (25 lemons and 30 limes, hand squeezed), and split those gallons into six batches.
Batch One:
El Tesoro Platinum Tequila
Cointreau
Batch Two:
El Tesoro Platinum
Hiram Walker Triple Sec
Batch Three:
Jose Cuervo Silver
Cointreau
Batch Four:
Jose Cuervo Silver
Hiram Walker Triple Sec
Batch Five:
Juarez Silver
Cointreau
Batch Six:
Juarez Silver
Hiram Walker Triple Sec
As you can see, we used three different types of tequila: Top-Shelf, Mid-Ranged and Rotgut, and then two different types of Triple Sec: Cheap and Expensive.
The first round of margaritas we had was a blind taste test and the results were as follows (with a summary of the comments):
#1 (Best) : Batch 3 (Perfect, but this won by a hair)
#2: Batch 1 (Perfect)
#3: Batch 2 (Smooth, but a bit sweet)
#4: Batch 5 (A bit harsh but drinkable)
#5: Batch 4 (Cloyingly sweet)
#6 (Worst): Batch 6 (Tasted like a spiked Slurpee)
The second round was an open testing where we knew what each drink contained and we all wrote down our comments about each drink. The general consensus was that the batches with the generic Triple Sec were cloyingly sweet, and the batches with the bottom-shelf Tequila tasted too harsh. Additionally, we had a difficult time determining a favorite between the El Tesoro and the Jose Cuervo; they both were smooth enough to go down easily but the subtleties of their flavors were obviously steamrolled by the lemon, lime and syrup.
To sum up; the perfect balance of cost and taste seemed to be middle-shelf Tequila combined with top-shelf Triple Sec.
30 Jul 2008 at 9:36 am 103. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Alex from Austin - Look at you! Interesting findings, thank you for sharing them with us. I’m planning my own recipe for the annual camping trip and will most likely use a combination of Sauza Blanco and Patron Citronge. Cheers!
06 Aug 2008 at 11:24 am 104. Jim from Houston
Hi, Jeff!
Great website! It’s now a Favorite.
Like Bill (#86, 05/08/08), I have a margarita “machine” that makes frozen margarita “slushees”. You put the mix into the machine, turn it on, wait 30 minutes, and - mirabile dictu! - frozen margaritas. I’ve not yet tried your recipe but I fear that it may be too sweet, since whatever water is in the mix ends up becoming ice. Any suggestions on how much to dilute your recipe? Two cups water/gallon? Thanks.
06 Aug 2008 at 12:31 pm 105. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Thanks, Jim from Houston! I don’t think this recipe is sweet at all, but rather nicely balanced between sweet, sour and strong. Try it out in your margarita machine and let us know what you think.
23 Aug 2008 at 11:28 am 106. Brian from KC
Jeff,
Hope to get a quick reply since our 60th b-day party is tomorrow. If I have to go to the store, I will, but I’m wondering if I can make this recipe with limes only…what’s the difference between limes and lemons besides the cost?
Thanks!
23 Aug 2008 at 12:59 pm 107. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Sure you can, Brian from KC. I like using lemon juice to round out the citrus flavor, but tinker away with it and let us know how it turns out.
04 Sep 2008 at 1:29 pm 108. wendy
silver tequila? Any recommendations?
19 Oct 2008 at 9:44 pm 109. Jeremy-Gilby-dot-com » Adventures in Bartending
[...] Gallon of Margaritas (Courtesy of Jeffrey Morgenthaler) This has become a staple at parties, the gallon of mix takes about two hours to make (with hand [...]
25 Dec 2008 at 8:48 pm 110. And so it was Christmas… « The Vark Does Bark
[...] margaritas recipe … you know, it would be much easier to insert the html than to go through the WordPress [...]
21 Jan 2009 at 12:06 am 111. Niki
Summer here in Australia and managed to get my hands on a “slushie machine” or frozen cocktail machine… Am planning to use this recipe for the machine - I suspect I will be somewhat intoxicated for my birthday!
A hint for those of you who dont have an electric juicer and for those that do… If you ‘zap’ the fruit for a few seconds in a microwave before cutting and juicing more juice is released - or just roll them a bit on the bench first…
Thanks for the recipe! I can feel the hangover coming along!!!
25 Feb 2009 at 11:40 pm 112. Peggy
OMG!!!! These were the best ever! I made up a gallon for our Christmas Monopoly Party and they were a huge hit. In fact, everyone wanted the recipe. Thank you, thank you, thank you for publishing your recipe.
And after reading all the comments, I went out and bought an electric juicer, which was so worth it. I will definitly make these again.
07 Apr 2009 at 8:03 am 113. April
I have had a ball reading all of these…but what I need is a suggested alternative for the fresh limes and lemons. I am looking to make these for a part of 75-100 people…so hand squeezing is out of the question. What can anyone recommend???
17 Apr 2009 at 11:11 am 114. jmaaan
Just found your site looking for Sazerac and holy sh*t, I may spend the entire weekend reading through. I’m actually feeling like there is something wrong with me, I shouldn’t be this happy about finding a good alcohol related site. I may need counseling. But in the meantime….I’ve got a question before I make a couple of gallons of these baby’s this weekend.
Myers lemons, as you know sweeter and less tart than some other varieties. Would you adjust the recipe at all? Or would you suggest I don’t use Myers (got a tree in the backyard) or a mix?
Thanks!
05 May 2009 at 1:26 pm 115. Ethan
Peggy, I was thinking about using my electric juicer as well, but I wondered if the juicer will make the lime juice bitter from the skin of the lime. I hardly ever use a juicer, so I don’t know how it will effect the outcome of the taste. Let me know your experience with that - I’m excited to make my first gallon of margarita. It never seems to be enough. Thank you Jeff for posting this recipe. Seriously, I feel like I just had a life altering moment - very enlightening :sweetness:
05 May 2009 at 1:42 pm 116. jmaaan
Ethan, I used an electric juicer and the response was great from my guests. However, I personnally tasted the faint bitter taste of rind from the electic juicer. I probably was overzealous in my desire to get all the juice out, but with that much juice required, it makes it hard not to. I think next time I’ll either leave some of the juice unextracted, or use a manual juicer.
06 May 2009 at 8:44 am 117. Jessie
Jeffrey! My roommates and I made these for Cinco de Mayo, but we halved the recipe because there’s only 3 of us (although I’m sure that hasn’t stopped some people from making the whole gallon). They turned out great! Thanks for your recipes!
11 Jun 2009 at 6:43 am 118. Stacy
What quantity of Cointreau should I use for your recipe?