Mark your calendars and clear a little room in the freezer for extra ice. National Tequila Day lands on July 24th, and if there was ever a holiday that practically demanded a backyard gathering, this might be it.

Sure, you could celebrate with the same margarita you’ve been making since someone handed you a laminated recipe card in 2008. Or … you could mix things up.

Tequila Corralejo recently shared a pair of cocktails that lean into summer without requiring a degree in mixology. One keeps things refreshingly simple, while the other turns up the color and just enough heat to remind you it’s still July.

First up is the Ranch Water, the unofficial champion of “I want something cold, but I don’t want to think too hard about it.” Made with Tequila Corralejo Silver, fresh lime juice, and sparkling water, it’s crisp, clean, and dangerously easy to sip on a hot afternoon. Think of it as the tequila equivalent of rolling down the windows on a country road.

If your summer personality is a little more “bring on the fruit and spice,” the Watermelon Margarita is ready for its close-up. Built around Tequila Corralejo Reposado, it blends fresh watermelon juice, lime, agave nectar, and a few slices of jalapeño for a cocktail that’s equal parts refreshing and lively. Finish it with a Tajín rim if you’re feeling adventurous, or stick with classic salt if your taste buds appreciate a little less drama.

Neither recipe asks you to hunt down obscure ingredients or dust off specialty bar equipment. They’re approachable enough for a casual cookout, pool party, or simply celebrating the fact that it’s Friday and you successfully survived another workweek.

Tequila Corralejo itself has more than 250 years of tequila-making history rooted at Hacienda Corralejo in Guanajuato, Mexico, making National Tequila Day a fitting excuse to pour a glass from one of the country’s longtime producers. But regardless of what’s on your bar cart, the holiday is really about slowing down, enjoying good company, and raising a toast to summer while it lasts.

Tequila Corralejo Ranch Water

Ingredients

• 1½ oz. Tequila Corralejo Silver
• ½ oz. fresh lime juice
• 6 oz. sparkling water
• Lime wedge, for garnish

Directions

Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the tequila and lime juice, stir gently, then top with sparkling water. Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy.

Tequila Corralejo Watermelon Margarita

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Tequila Corralejo Reposado
• ¼ cup watermelon juice
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. agave nectar
• Jalapeño slices
• Watermelon wedge
• Salt or Tajín, for the rim

Directions

Rim an old-fashioned or lowball glass with salt or Tajín. Fill a shaker with ice and combine the tequila, watermelon juice, lime juice, and agave nectar. Shake well and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a watermelon wedge and a few jalapeño slices.

Whether you’re a margarita traditionalist or someone who’s always looking for the next summer sipper, National Tequila Day is as good an excuse as any to invite a few friends over, fire up the grill, and remind everyone that hydration is important … especially when some of it happens to come with tequila.