Tequila Sunrise Drinks Recipe

Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.

Tom wears many cocktail hats. He is a professional bartender, bar owner, recipe creator, and drink writer, though he prefers the title obsessive cocktail nerd.

There are many things to love about the tequila sunrise. It's easy to mix up at a moment's notice, and a beautiful, refreshingly fruity highball cocktail. You don't need any special skills to create the sunrise effect because it occurs naturally. Of course, there's also tequila. When you add all that up, it's no wonder that the tequila sunrise is one of the most popular tequila drinks.

Frozen Tequila Sunrise

There are a few stories behind the origin of the tequila sunrise. As with the history of most cocktails, things get a little cloudy at times and it's hard to know which story to believe.

One account claims that the drink welcomed tourists to Cancun and Acapulco in the 1950s. A more plausible story points to Gene Sulit, who tended bar at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in the 1930s and '40s. He likely created the original version.

Another credits it to bartenders Bobby Lazoff and Billy Rice at The Trident, a restaurant in Sausalito, California, during the tequila craze of the 1970s. It's thought that this is where the drink transformed into the popular version we enjoy today.

Tequila Sunrise Recipe {easy Beautiful Cocktail}

You might be interested to know that while the ingredients above make an undeniably great cocktail, the famous orange juice and grenadine version is not actually the original. If you want a taste of the first ever tequila sunrise, you'll need lime juice, crème de cassis, and club soda. It's equally delicious and includes the sunrise, but it has an entirely different taste (see this recipe variation below for all the details on how to make it). Both drinks make a fabulous brunch cocktail.

Quite often, tequila sunset is just another name for a tequila sunrise. Then again, it can be an entirely different recipe. Some use grapefruit juice instead of orange, while others use a blend of pineapple and orange. In all of those, though, the grenadine is at the bottom, just like in a sunrise.

For the opposite effect that places a red layer at the top of the drink (like a true sunset), you'll need to use a lighter ingredient than straight grenadine. One option is to mix a little soda with grenadine before adding it to the tequila mix. Blackberry brandy is commonly used as a substitute for grenadine in a tequila sunset, and most brands should be light enough to float on top.

Amazon.com: Rigoo: Tequila Sunrise

Other red liquors may work as well, depending ontheir specific gravity. You could even use dark rum; mix it with food coloring if you really want the red layer. With all of these tequila sunset options, create layers in the cocktail by pouring the top layer over the back of a barspoonso it floats.

With an attractive appearance and catchy name, the tequila sunrise lives on from the era of 1970s and 80s cocktails. I like to squeeze in a lime wedge or two to balance things out. Don't overthink the pouring of the grenadine. Dump it in; it'll fall right to the bottom of the glass. —Tom Macy

The original tequila sunrise is sparkling, light, and features crème de cassis, a sweet black currant liqueur with a deep red color. To make this drink, pour1 1/2 ounces of tequilaand thejuice of half a limeinto a collins glass filled with ice. Top withclub soda, then slowly pour3/4 ounce crème de cassisinto the drink. Garnish with alime wheel and maraschino cherry.

Tequila Sunrise Cocktail Drink Recipe Divine Lifestyle

Assuming that you pour an 80-proof tequila and end up with a 7-ounce drink, thealcohol content of either tequila sunrisewill be around 11 percent ABV (22 proof). You can pour as much tequila or as little juice and soda as you like to make stronger or weaker drinks, but it's almost always a relatively mild cocktail.

The signature sunrise effect of the tequila sunrise has inspired many drinks over the years. If you enjoy that touch of sweetness and the beautiful impression it leaves in your glass, give one of these recipes a try:

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2, 000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

How To Make Tequila Sunrise {delicious}

I don't like this at all. It's not the worst. Sure, this will do. I'm a fan—would recommend. Amazing! I love it! Thanks for your rating!

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The Tequila Sunrise cocktail, with its bright striations of color, evokes a summer sunrise. This classic drink has only three ingredients—tequila, grenadine, and orange juice—and is served unmixed to preserve the color of each layer.

Tequila Sunrise By Olmeca Barman

The Tequila Sunrise was created in the early 1970s by Bobby Lozoff and Billy Rice at the Trident bar in Sausalito, California. The cocktail achieved notoriety after a member of the Rolling Stones—in some tellings it was Mick Jagger, while others have it as Keith Richards—tasted it at a party to kick off The Rolling Stones’ 1972 tour. The band began ordering it at stops across the country and even dubbed the tour “the cocaine and Tequila Sunrise tour, ” which helped to propel the drink’s popularity.

In 1973, Jose Cuervo put the recipe on the back of its tequila bottles, and that same year, the Eagles released a song called “Tequila Sunrise” on their “Desperado” album. These infusions into popular culture resulted in the drink going mainstream, and it has been a part of the cocktail canon ever since.

The Tequila Sunrise is easy to make but must be constructed precisely in order to achieve the desired sunrise look. Tequila and then orange juice (fresh is best) are added to a highball glass filled with ice. Grenadine is applied last, but due to its density, it sinks to the bottom, creating a red layer at the base of the glass. If you want to spruce up the drink, skip the bottled bright-red grenadine available on store shelves and try making your own. It’s an easy exercise that’s worth the effort, as it imbues the cocktail with a richer flavor.

Don Julio Tequila Sunrise Drink

You don’t have to be a rock star to enjoy this tequila cocktail. It’s sweet, refreshing, and delicious, so mix one whenever the mood strikes. But putting on a Rolling Stones or Eagles record will really complete that ’70s vibe.

The Tequila Sunrise recipe calls for an un-aged blanco tequila. The fresh, bright notes of blanco tequila generally work best for cocktails with citrus juice as it will blend in well and highlight some of the same vibrant flavors. That being said, there are some reposados that can add some earthy, complex undertones and bring out some tropical flavors in your Tequila Sunrise. This may also render a slightly sweeter cocktail.

I don't like this at all. It's not the worst. Sure, this will do. I'm a fan—would recommend. Amazing! I love it! Thanks for your rating!

Tequila Sunrise Cocktail Recipe & Instructions

When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site.Tequila Sunrise cocktail! Made with tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup which provides the red colour in Tequila Sunrise, with avibrant colour that screams of summer!! One of thebest tequila cocktails that’s refreshing and dangerously easy to drink!

Am I the only person who wonders why it’s called a Tequila Sunrise when it looks just as much like a sun

Name aside, this is one of the most popular Tequila Cocktails around, the other being margaritas. Orange and tequila is a classic combination and it’s a refreshing drink that even people who don’t like tequila will enjoy drinking because really, you can’t taste the tequila at all!

Fiery Tequila Sunrise Cocktail Recipe

The signature red sunrise