How To Infuse Tequila Slideshow

Peel off and remove the cucumber skin, then slice the cucumbers into thin rounds. "If you left the skin on you would expect that bitter flavor from the skin," Day says. Use two to three large cucumbers per 3-liter batch of tequila, and let it sit for roughly 48 to 72 hours.

To make a cucumber margarita:
Muddle 1 slice of cucumber, mix 1 1/2 ounces of cucumber-infused tequila, 1 ounce agave nectar, ½ lime squeezed, 2 ounces of homemade sour mix, and serve.

For a spicy tequila, Day uses five to six jalapeños for 3 liters of tequila, thinly slicing the jalapeños and removing the seeds, which allows the mild, vegetable taste of peppers to sink in. If you're looking for more heat, Phil Ward at Mayahuel simply puts the seeds and white membranes of four jalapeños into a bottle of tequila for about 15 minutes and then strains it so it doesn't get too hot.

Serve a mild jalapeño tequila in a spicy mango margarita:
Mix together 1.5 ounces jalapeño-infused tequila, juice of 1/2 a lime, 1 ounce of agave nectar, 1 ounce of mango purée, and a splash (2 ounces) of homemade sour mix.

This fruity, somewhat savory concoction works with both girly fruit drinks and tougher mezcal mixtures. Cut quarter chunks of one and a half pineapples (no skin or leaves), remove the seeds and slice seven to 10 serrano peppers, and let sit in 3 liters of tequila. 

To make a Pineapple Pepper Paloma (topped with Squirt, which we love):
Shake together pineapple and serrano pepper-infused tequila (1.5 ounces), juice of 1/2 a lime, 1 ounce agave nectar, and top with 3 ounces of Squirt.

This infusion will give tequila a pretty pink color, which makes it perfect for those girly drinks. "You want the tequila to hit the flesh of the strawberry," Day says, recommending that you slice 1 pound of strawberries into quarters, remove the leaves, and let sit in 3 liters of tequila for three days.

For the girliest drink, make a pink strawberry margarita. Men can enjoy it, too:
Shake together 1 1/2 ounces of strawberry-infused tequila, juice of 1/2 a lime, 1 ounce agave nectar, 1 ounce strawberry purée, and 2 ounces of house-made sour mix. Please garnish this with an umbrella.

Nothing says summer like watermelon and cucumber (you just need some mint), so this infusion would be perfect in tipplers through all the warm months. Use one cucumber and anywhere from a quarter to half a watermelon (about 1 pound of watermelon) for infusing 3 liters of tequila. Cut squares of watermelon fruit, peel and slice the cucumber, and let the infusion do its thing.

To make El Centro's Sandia Pepino Margarita:
Shake together 1 1/2 ounces of watermelon- and cucumber-infused tequila, 1 ounce of agave nectar, juice of 1/2 a lime, and 2 ounces of homemade sour mix.