Hosts serving guests with different preferences
Put out a sparkling serve without added spirits alongside a separate, measured tequila option. Guests can choose a drink without everyone having the same cocktail.
Who is choosing the drinks?
Tequila drinkers who want to measure their intake
Choose a mixer that works in a long drink, then decide on the tequila measure separately. The NHS calculates units from the alcoholic drink’s ABV and the amount poured.
Guests comparing mixer sweetness
A plain sparkling base lets you add lime or grapefruit yourself. Check the nutrition panel when considering a flavoured soda: for example, Fentimans lists 0g sugars per 100ml for its Soda Water, while Sainsbury’s lists 4.4g per 100ml for Fentimans Ginger Beer.
What should you check?
Decide whether the serve will contain a spirit before comparing citrus flavour and sweetness. Adding more mixer changes the drink’s volume, but not the units in a measured tequila pour.
No added spirit
Choose this when: guests want a lime or grapefruit sparkling serve without tequila.
Bear in mind: plain water needs flavour added, while a ready-flavoured drink calls for a check of its own ABV and nutrition label.
Measured tequila serve
Choose this when: guests want tequila and you intend to control the amount poured.
Bear in mind: soda and ice make a longer drink, but do not remove alcohol units from the tequila.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol in the serve | Decide whether to add a spirit. If you do, measure it and use the NHS calculation: ABV (%) × volume (ml) ÷ 1,000 gives the units in that pour. | I want guests to be able to choose a drink without added tequila, while keeping any tequila pours measurable. |
| ABV wording | Read the numerical ABV on the current pack rather than treating “low alcohol” as “alcohol free”. GOV.UK guidance describes low-alcohol drinks as those at 1.2% ABV or below. | If I need to avoid alcohol entirely, I want to check the drink itself as well as leave out the spirit. |
| Citrus flavour | Compare plain sparkling water with lime or grapefruit soda. Fever-Tree describes its Mexican Lime Soda as containing Tahiti lime and yuzu and suitable for tequila; Britvic positions London Essence pink grapefruit soda for a Paloma-style serve. | I would rather add fresh citrus to a neutral base, or choose a ready-flavoured drink for serving over ice. |
| Sugars per 100ml | Compare the current nutrition panels on the same per-100ml basis. Fentimans and Coca-Cola Great Britain each list 0g sugars per 100ml for their respective soda waters; Sainsbury’s lists 4.4g per 100ml for Fentimans Ginger Beer. | When sweetness matters to me, I want to know what the mixer contributes before adding juice or another ingredient. |
| Pack and storage | Check how many servings the pack provides and follow its after-opening instructions. Sainsbury’s listing for Fentimans Ginger Beer says to refrigerate after opening and consume within three days. | For a smaller gathering, individual containers may be easier to use than an opened bottle left over afterwards. |
Common mixer mistakes
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Calling a tequila cocktail low alcohol because of its mixer
A spirit-free mixer does not determine the alcohol units once tequila is added. The NHS bases its units calculation on the alcoholic drink’s ABV and poured volume.
Measure tequila separately, then add soda and ice for the serve you want. Make a version without the spirit for guests who do not want it.
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Reading “low alcohol” as “alcohol free”
GOV.UK’s low-alcohol descriptor guidance covers drinks at 1.2% ABV or below; that wording does not mean zero alcohol.
Check the numerical ABV and current pack wording when alcohol avoidance is important.
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Assuming all sparkling mixers have similar sugars
Product nutrition differs: Fentimans and Schweppes list 0g sugars per 100ml for their soda waters, while Sainsbury’s lists 4.4g per 100ml for Fentimans Ginger Beer.
Compare per-100ml labels, then decide whether to supply flavour with fresh citrus or a flavoured mixer.
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Opening more mixer than the gathering needs
After-opening instructions can affect how you plan servings. Sainsbury’s listing for Fentimans Ginger Beer specifies refrigeration and use within three days of opening.
Check the pack instructions and choose a container size that suits the number of drinks you expect to make.
Brand and retailer references
These examples show different mixer styles; they do not indicate which products a particular shop currently stocks.
Fever-Tree
Fever-Tree describes its Mexican Lime Soda as a Tahiti lime and yuzu mixer suited to tequila.
- A ready-made citrus direction for a tequila long drink or a serve over ice.
- Check the current product label for ABV and nutrition when either affects your choice.
Schweppes
Schweppes Soda Water is a plain carbonated base for building a drink with your own citrus additions.
- Coca-Cola Great Britain lists 0 kcal and 0g sugars per 100ml for Schweppes Soda Water.
- Add lime, grapefruit or another flavour component if you do not want a plain soda serve.
Fentimans
Fentimans offers both a plain Soda Water and a ginger-flavoured alternative.
- Fentimans lists 0g sugars per 100ml for its Soda Water.
- Sainsbury’s lists 4.4g sugars per 100ml for Fentimans Ginger Beer, so compare the two products rather than treating them as interchangeable.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s own-label Soda Water is a 1L option for drinks flavoured with ingredients added at home.
- Sainsbury’s lists less than 1 kcal and less than 0.5g sugars per 100ml for this soda water.
- Use the current pack label for ingredient or dietary checks, as product details can change.
Britvic
Britvic’s portfolio includes mixers and London Essence crafted sodas.
- Britvic describes London Essence pink grapefruit soda as suitable for a Paloma-style tequila serve.
- That description is the supplier’s suggested use; check the particular drink’s current ABV and nutrition label.
Joybuy options for Mexican-night serves
These citrus sodas and plain sparkling waters offer different starting points for a Mexican-night drink, with or without a separately measured tequila pour. Check each drink’s current label if complete alcohol avoidance matters.
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Fever-Tree Mexican Lime Soda, 6 × 150ml
A lime soda to consider for a citrus-led serve, either over ice or with a separately measured tequila pour. The pack contains six 150ml cans; check the current ABV and nutrition label for your intended serve.
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Jarritos Mexican Soda Lime, 370ml × 12
A lime-flavoured option for serving without an added spirit or using as a cocktail mixer. This pack contains twelve 370ml bottles; check the current ABV and nutrition label before serving.
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Jarritos Lime Soda 370ml
A single 370ml lime soda for a sparkling serve or a mixed drink. Check the current ABV and nutrition label if alcohol avoidance or sugar content is important to your choice.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, 6 × 0.5L
A plain sparkling base if you would rather add lime or grapefruit yourself. The pack contains six 0.5L bottles; it does not supply a citrus flavour.
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Buxton Sparkling, 8 × 500ml
A plain sparkling-water option for a serve flavoured with ingredients you add yourself. The pack contains eight 500ml bottles; add citrus separately for a lime or grapefruit drink.
Questions about mixers and alcohol
Does a sugar-free mixer make a tequila drink low alcohol?
No. Sugar in the mixer and alcohol in the tequila are different considerations. The NHS calculates alcohol units as ABV (%) × the volume of alcohol poured (ml) ÷ 1,000; adding more mixer does not remove those units.
How can I make a Mexican-night drink without adding a spirit?
Serve plain sparkling water over ice with lime, then add grapefruit or another flavour if wanted. If avoiding alcohol entirely matters, check the ABV on every packaged drink you use rather than relying on the absence of tequila alone.
Can citrus soda serve both guests who drink tequila and those who do not?
Yes, as a flexible base: serve it without an added spirit, and add a separately measured tequila pour only to the drinks intended to contain alcohol. Fever-Tree describes Mexican Lime Soda as suitable with tequila; check the soda’s own label when alcohol avoidance is required.
Does “low alcohol” mean “alcohol free” on a UK drink label?
No. GOV.UK guidance describes low-alcohol drinks as those at 1.2% ABV or below. Read the numerical ABV on the current pack when choosing a drink for someone avoiding alcohol.
What should I do with an opened bottle of mixer?
Follow that product’s storage instructions. For example, Sainsbury’s listing for Fentimans Ginger Beer says to refrigerate it after opening and consume it within three days; instructions for other mixers may differ.