·

Mezcal Beet Margarita: The Red Alert!

Unlike its relationship with a lot of people, tequila and I have always been on pretty good terms.

We never had a falling-out in college, so to speak, and though we’ve also never been best friends, I didn’t mind meeting tequila for happy hour every once in a while–especially if it brought a few limes along.

But then I met mezcal and canceled all my plans with tequila for the foreseeable future.

mezcal beet margaritas
Photo: Casey Barber

Tequila is technically a form of mezcal–they’re both made in Mexico from the agave plant, but that’s like saying Jenny McCarthy and Melissa McCarthy are related.

(They are! They’re first cousins!)

Where tequila is sharp and spicy, mezcal has a signature smoky, earthy taste that comes from pit-roasting the agave cores over wood and volcanic rock.

In fact, a more apt comparison would be to parallel mezcal and whiskey.

If you’re a fan of smoky Scotch or even your regular barrel-aged whiskey, you’ll appreciate what the Oaxacans have done here.

mezcal beet margarita
Photo: Casey Barber

Mezcal can be unaged (joven, the equivalent of white whiskey or what marketing-savvy distillers are calling moonshine these days) or aged (reposado or añejo, varying titles that depend on how many months or years the mezcal stays in the barrels).

I go with the cheaper joven variety when making cocktails with lots of citrus and other powerful flavors, since you’ll lose a lot of that aged nuance in the drink, but the smoke will still come through.

Save the añejo for sipping solo, as you would a bottle of Lagavulin.

mezcal beet margaritas
Photo: Casey Barber

While there are hundreds of artisanal mezcal producers in Mexico, it’s highly likely that you won’t find most of them on your average liquor store shelf.

Del Maguey, Ilegal, and Los Amantes are three brands that are widely available Stateside, but if you’re still hemming and hawing over which to buy, here’s another tip. If there’s a bottle with a worm floating in it, leave it on the shelf.

Obviously switching out your margarita’s usual tequila for mezcal is a stellar starting point, and highly recommended for summer porch drinking.

I’ve already tested it on your behalf to make sure it works; you’re welcome!

But to really enhance mezcal’s prominent smokiness, you can make one more little substitution.

beet simple syrup
Photo: Casey Barber

Don’t beet me up for suggesting–nay, demanding–that a batch of beet simple syrup come into play for a little mezcal beet margarita I like to call The Red Alert.

If you didn’t know beets were the driving force behind the stunning fuchsia drink, you’d never be able to pinpoint them within the cocktail.

But the presence of the root vegetable comes through–not only in that eye-popping color, but in the sweet but robust notes that meld with the mezcal.

mezcal beet margaritas
Photo: Casey Barber

Adapted from Eat Boutique’s golden Beet Old Fashioned recipe, beet simple syrup is just as funky as you’d imagine.

Making the syrup with coconut sugar, a complex and earthy sweetener in its own right, further heightens the deep, caramelized flavor of the beets.

Tart, sweet, smoky, and a little vegetal, The Red Alert is a three-ingredient drink that’s far more than the sum of its parts. Round up your friends and sound the alarm.

mezcal beet margaritas

The Red Alert (Mezcal Beet Margarita)

Yield: 4 drinks
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Red alert! A mezcal beet margarita gives the classic summer sipper a makeover, thanks to earthy beet simple syrup.

Ingredients

Beet Simple Syrup

  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 pound red beets, peeled and diced into rough 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 pinch smoked salt

Margarita

  • 2 tablespoons smoked salt
  • 1 cup fresh lime juice (from about 8-10 large limes), reserving 4 lime halves for salting the glasses
  • 1/2 cup beet simple syrup
  • 1/2 cup mezcal

Instructions

Make the beet simple syrup:

  1. Add the water, beets, and peppercorns to a small (1- to 2-quart) saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  2. Continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced to 1/2 cup. Timing will vary based on the size and depth of the saucepan you're using—it takes about 30 minutes for me—but start checking after 10-15 minutes to see how it's going.
  3. Strain out the beets and the peppercorns, then return the liquid to the pan and add the sugar and salt.
  4. Simmer for 2-3 minutes more, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves.
  5. Cool the syrup to room temperature or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Make the cocktail:

  1. Pour the smoked salt onto a shallow plate.
  2. After juicing the limes, run a spent lime half around the rims of 4 cocktail glasses then turn each glass on its side and roll through the smoked salt to coat.
  3. Fill the glasses with crushed ice or pebble ice.
  4. Add a handful of ice cubes to a cocktail shaker and pour in the lime juice, beet simple syrup, and mezcal. Alternatively, you can add the liquid to a small ice-filled pitcher.
  5. Shake or stir vigorously, then strain into the prepped glasses.

Notes

Want to make an individual drink? Reduce the quantities to 1/4 cup lime juice, 2 tablespoons beet simple syrup, and 2 tablespoons mezcal per salt-rimmed glass.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 300Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3253mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 3gSugar: 56gProtein: 2g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo!

FTC Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Good. Food. Stories. receives a minuscule commission on all purchases made through Amazon links in our posts.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply