Smoked Spicy Margarita
Quick Answer
The Smoked Spicy Margarita is a bold twist on the classic: tequila, beer, Cointreau, and fresh lime juice, spiked with jalapeño and finished with a BBQ-seasoned rim and a layer of wood smoke. The splash of beer gives it a light, effervescent body (closer to a “beer-garita”), the jalapeño brings the heat, and mild apple-wood smoke ties it all together with a sweet, mellow char. To make it, rim the glass with lime and a sweet-and-spicy BBQ rub, build the drink over ice with the jalapeño, then trap wood smoke over the glass for about 10 to 15 seconds before serving. It is smoky, spicy, citrusy, and refreshing all at once.
Smoked Spicy Margarita
Did we mention we love the part of our job where we get to experiment with new smoked cocktail recipes and share notes? Perhaps once or twice. Well, it was only a matter of time before our smoked cocktail ambitions met head to head with one of the most popular cocktails in the world, the margarita.
Margarita's are similar to several whiskey cocktails in the sense that they are based on just a few simple ingredients, but the variations of this cocktail are endless. In its most basic form, a margarita consists of tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice. Combine the right portions of each and you have yourself a margarita in its most original and pure form. However, rarely do mixologists (home or professional) leave it at this. We are guilty of that as well.
So, we took into consideration which of the different margarita varieties would pair best with smoke. In the end, our hypothesis was the heat of a spicy margarita would be a great mate for the smoke from our Aged & Charred drink top smoker, and we were thrilled with the result.
There was something just about the thought of smoke on tequila which had us skeptical that this would work. In fact, the consensus was best case we would be able to get through one smoked margarita, and then never crave it again. If it was just simply smoke on tequila, then we likely would have been right. However, something about the spicy rim, heat from jalapeño, and sweetness from Cointreau all worked together beautifully with the smoke flavor and aroma. After all, at least some tequilas are aged, and the aging process often occurs in previously used whiskey barrels. So, this can add the same charred oak flavors to tequila, which you taste in bourbon.
Here's the recipe for our Smoked Spicy Margarita. We hope it surprises and delights you as much as it did us.
Ingredients
- 2 oz tequila
- 2oz beer
- 1 oz Cointreau orange liqueur
- 1oz fresh lime juice
- 3 jalepeno slices
- BBQ rub / seasoning
- Wood chips for smoking
- Ice
Instructions
- Rim cocktail glass with lime and dip in BBQ seasoning. Rib seasoning which contains a combination of sweet and spice is perfect here, especially if it has an orange or red color.
- Fill margarita glass with ice.
- Add jalepeno slices, lime juice, lime wedge, tequila, beer, and Cointreau to glass and give a few stirs.
- Smoke the cocktail with wood chips (we used apple); Allow smoke to stay settled on the drink for 10 - 15 seconds. The longer it is covered the more smoke flavor will be added to the cocktail, but be careful not to over smoke the drink.
Cheers! We hope you enjoy this Smoked Spicy Margarita as much as we did. Come back and visit us to learn what other smoked drink recipes we have to share.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes this margarita spicy?
Two things: fresh jalapeño slices stirred into the drink, and a BBQ rub on the rim. Together they give a building heat that plays off the sweet Cointreau and tart lime. A rib-style rub that balances sweet and spice works especially well, ideally one with an orange or red color.
What wood chips are best for a smoked margarita?
A milder, sweeter smoke suits the citrus and agave best — we used apple, and cherry works nicely too. These fruit woods complement the lime and tequila without overpowering them. Save bolder woods like hickory for spirit-forward whiskey drinks. You can browse our cocktail smoking wood chips to find the right one.
Why is there beer in the margarita?
The beer turns this into a lighter, fizzier “beer-garita.” It adds effervescence and a crisp, refreshing body that keeps the drink from feeling heavy, which is perfect alongside the heat and the smoke. A light lager is ideal.
How do you make it milder or spicier?
Adjust the jalapeño to taste. For less heat, use fewer slices or remove the seeds and membranes first; for more, add extra slices or muddle them lightly to release more capsaicin. The BBQ rim also adds a gentle background spice you can dial up or down.
How long should you smoke the cocktail?
About 10 to 15 seconds under a smoke lid is plenty. The longer you keep it covered, the smokier it becomes — but go easy, as over-smoking is the most common mistake and can mask the bright lime and spice. Serve while the smoke is still settled on the glass.
