new era · shaken
Grand Margarita recipe
A Margarita built up with Grand Marnier and a touch of agave.
A Grand Margarita is 40 ml (37.6 g) Tequila, 20 ml (19.8 g) Grand Marnier, 20 ml (20.6 g) Fresh Lime Juice and 10 ml (12.8 g) Agave Nectar, shaken and served in a coupe. It pours to about 90 ml before ice, at roughly 26.7% ABV. Weighing the ingredients instead of measuring them is what keeps the balance identical from one round to the next.
- Glasscoupe
- Methodshaken
- Pour volume90 ml
- Strength (est.)26.7% ABV
- Time4 min
Grand Margarita ingredients — in millilitres and grams
Grams are what the PourPilot coaster actually targets. They are not the same as the millilitres: a spirit is lighter than water, a syrup is heavier, so 30 ml of one is never 30 g. The right-hand column is the density we use, in grams per millilitre.
| Ingredient | Volume | Weight | g/ml | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tequila | 40 ml | 37.6 g | 0.94 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Grand Marnier | 20 ml | 19.8 g | 0.99 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Fresh Lime Juice | 20 ml | 20.6 g | 1.03 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Agave Nectar | 10 ml | 12.8 g | 1.28 | Weighed by the coaster |
How to make a Grand Margarita
- Set your coupe on the scale (or on the PourPilot coaster) and zero it. Every measurement below is given in millilitres and in grams, so you can use either.
- Add Tequila, Grand Marnier, Fresh Lime Juice and Agave Nectar to a shaker, weighing each ingredient rather than eyeballing a jigger.
- Fill with ice and shake hard for 12–15 seconds.
- Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
Grand Margarita: the questions people actually ask
How strong is a Grand Margarita?
Roughly 26.7% ABV as poured, before the ice dilutes it — typically another 15–25% water by the time you finish stirring or shaking. Spirit-forward. Sip it, do not sink it.
What glass should a Grand Margarita be served in?
A coupe. Chill it first — a room-temperature stemmed glass will undo half the work you just did in the mixing tin.
Can I make a Grand Margarita without a jigger?
Yes — that is what the gram column is for. Put the glass or tin on a kitchen scale, zero it, and pour to the weight. It is more accurate than a jigger because nothing is left clinging to the inside of the measure. The PourPilot coaster does the same thing without you having to watch a display: it lights up as you approach the target and tells you when to stop.
If you like the Grand Margarita
Tommy's Margarita
Julio Bermejo's two-ingredient riff — agave nectar instead of orange liqueur.
Margarita
Tequila, lime, triple sec. Shake hard, salt the rim.
Paloma
Mexico's favourite highball. Tequila and grapefruit, over ice.
Tequila Sunrise
Tequila and orange juice with a grenadine sunrise.
Illegal
A mezcal sour balanced with falernum and agave.
Daiquiri
White rum, lime, sugar. The benchmark for balance.