How to Make a Dewgarita at Home

Three days ago, early in the morn, I got a text from a friend alerting me to the existence of the Dewgarita, the margarita that’s made with Mountain Dew. The drink is available at Red Lobster in the U.S. (and apparently tastes great with Cheddar Bay Biscuits).

We are ready to shake things up with our new buds at @redlobster! BTW, still dreaming about our last Cheddar Bay Biscuit ???? #RedLobsterDewGarita pic.twitter.com/yW67YbKZGS

— Mountain Dew® (@MountainDew) September 15, 2020

Some people are very alarmed, but this not that insane of a cocktail concept. It’s sweet and sour and green, and Mountain Dew’s flavour pairs pretty well with lime. The alarming part — to me — is the idea of consuming one inside a Red Lobster, a chain that, as far as I know, does not have outdoor seating.

Luckily, a margarita is a very easy drink to make at home, even when it contains Mountain Dew. Rather than pour the soda into an already mixed margarita, I decided to reduce it into a syrup, then use that in the place of agave.

It worked better than I was expecting it to. I liked the colour, which vividly reminded me of the kind of cloying, unnatural-looking margaritas I used to consume by the pitcher when I lived in Florida. Honestly, that’s kind of what it tasted like too, only slightly less sweet (which is a good thing). You can enjoy your Dewgarita up, on the rocks, or as a spritz (just top with a couple more millilitres of Mountain Dew). If you want a red powder around the rim of the glass (so it looks like the Dewgarita in the photo), rub a lime around the edge and roll it around in some Tajín.

To make a Dewgarita without leaving your home, you will need:

• 60mL blanco tequila
• 30mL Mountain Dew syrup*
• 22mL lime juice

Rim the glass with Tajín if you are so inclined, and set it aside. Combine all three ingredients in an ice-filled shaker and shake until it becomes too cold to hold. Strain into glass and enjoy.

*To make the Mountain Dew syrup, pour one cup of Mountain Dew into a small sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer, and let the soda reduce down to 1/4 cup. Let cool completely.