Looks great. Tastes great. Feels great. Party people have been satisfying their senses with the iconic Tequila Sunrise for over 50 years.
This colourful (and potent) classic was created in Sunny California, at a party thrown by the Rolling Stones. The band liked the cocktail so much that they drank them all across America, even calling the tour itself their “Cocaine and Tequila Sunrise Tour”!
The Tequila Sunrise is traditionally a tall cocktail, made with tequila, orange juice and grenadine syrup, served unmixed in a tall glass. Good news for shot-lovers though is that you can also enjoy it in a single, deliciously eye-watering, gulp.
We’re going to give you our favourite Tequila Sunrise shot recipe and show you just how to make it. And then you can prove to yourself that dynamite does come in small glasses, and stay up partying all night, till you toast the dawn with your Tequila Sunrise shot.
Ingredients for Tequila Sunrise Shots
Now, as we mentioned earlier, the Tequila Sunrise is a simple drink, with few ingredients. You’ll be chuffed to know that the Tequila Sunrise shot is equally easy to make, with the same three ingredients, just less of them!
You’ll need:
- 15 ml Silver Tequila
- 10 ml Fresh orange juice
- 5ml Grenadine Syrup
Tequila Sunrise Shot Recipe: The How-to-of-Happy!
First, don’t be intimidated! Yes, the Tequila Sunrise does have a long and storied history, with a movie, a hit song, a quilt pattern, and even several flowers named after it! But really, it’s very simple to make for yourself, and add your name to the Tequila Sunrise legend!
- Get your ingredients close to hand. You’ll, no doubt, be making quite a few of them, so you don’t want to waste time hunting around every time someone shouts, “Another!”.
- Rim your shot glass with lime and coarse salt.
- Pour in the tequila.
- Pour in the orange juice.
- Finally, pour in the grenadine syrup.
Don’t worry. It’s not difficult to get that sunrise effect that makes this drink so easy on the eye. No special qualifications are required! The process occurs naturally.
Thanks to the thick pomegranate-flavoured grenadine syrup, when it’s poured into the glass, it sinks to the bottom and, only then, slowly rises up, its rich red colour just like a glorious sunrise.
Tips to Make the Perfect Tequila Sunrise
If you’re wondering how you can enjoy your Tequila Sunrise shot at its maximum, here we bring you the keys to success:
- Tequila Sunrises can sometimes be a bit too sweet for your taste. Fear not! A dash of lime or a squeeze of lemon juice will ride to the rescue. They balance the taste without messing with the drink’s glorious beauty or its central flavour.
- The great thing about making a Tequila Sunrise Shot is that there’s no need to break the bank on buying the finest tequila. No, sir! No, ma’am! Don’t spend a fortune. Don’t look at the top shelf! A standard silver tequila is perfectly fine.
- You can also, and this is a handy cheat, make your Tequila Sunrise Shots by the pitcher, as the ingredients and the recipe remain exactly the same. Simply retain the 1-part tequila to 2-parts orange juice mix. And away you go. It’s best though to add the grenadine into each glass as you serve it. That way everyone gets to greet the sun!
What’s the Difference Between a Tequila Sunrise and a Tequila Sunset?
As sure as the sun will rise, the sun will set! That’s good news for tequila cocktail drinkers because it adds a new drink to your day: the Tequila Sunset. Yes, sometimes, people do use these two names to mean the same drink, and that’s okay because the sun at dawn and sun at dusk share that same rich red hue.
But why not mix it up a bit? Use grapefruit juice instead of orange, or a blend of pineapple and orange. Just remember, always add the grenadine at the end so it sinks to the bottom.
You can also, if you’re feeling adventurous, go for the opposite effect, and have a red layer at the top of the drink (like a true sunset). Here, you’ll need a lighter ingredient than grenadine.
Add a little soda water to the grenadine before adding it to the tequila mix. Blackberry brandy is another handy substitute, as most brands should be light enough to rise to the top. With all of these Tequila Sunset alternatives though, be sure to pour the top layer over the back of a barspoon, so the colour floats.
Best Tequila for Tequila Sunrise Shot
So what’s the best tequila to make your Tequila Sunrise Shot? Olmeca Tequila Silver, of course. Our Olmeca Blanco is just one of the varieties of Olmeca Tequila, which are lovingly made in the Los Altos Highlands of Jalisco, in Mexico.
If you want to experience the feeling of the first sun rays after a night full of fun, grab a bottle of Olmeca and give this Tequila Sunrise a chance! We promise that you will become a huge fan from now on!
Enjoy More Tequila!!