ThirstyforKnowledge

An encyclopedia of drinks — mixed, poured, brewed and whisked

No. 054 Cocktails · Tequila

Tequila Sunrise

Tequila and orange juice over ice with grenadine poured in to sink, creating the sunrise effect.

A Tequila Sunrise showing its orange-to-red gradient, with an orange slice
A Tequila Sunrise Photo: Nicor, CC BY-SA 3.0

Recipe card

ml oz

Makes 1 drink · about 2 min to make

Ingredients

Ounces are US fluid ounces (29.57 ml), rounded.

Method

  1. Pour the tequila and orange juice directly into a highball glass filled with ice cubes.
  2. Add the grenadine to create the 'sunrise' effect. Do not stir.
  3. Garnish with half an orange slice or an orange zest.
Glass
Highball glass
Garnish
Half orange slice or orange zest
Technique
Built
Difficulty
Easy

Printable recipe card Quantities as given in the IBA's official specification.

About the Tequila Sunrise

Pour the grenadine last and don't stir: it sinks through the orange juice and gives the gradient that names the drink.

Background

The modern drink originates from Sausalito, California, in the early 1970s, after an earlier version created in the 1930s in Phoenix, Arizona.

Tags: layered orange long drink

Sources

  1. IBA — Tequila Sunrise (official specification)
  2. Wikipedia — Tequila sunrise

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