An Authentic Tequila Sunrise Cocktail

All you need to know on Tequila Sunrise and Tequila Sunset cocktails

Visit El Arenal for a tequila tasting

A Tequila Sunrise cocktail reminds me of Mexico’s Jalisco region.

El Arenal is the gateway to the Jalisco region in Mexico and the home to agave plants. For instance, one of the best things to do in El Arenal is to visit the tequila Distillery for a guided tour and tequila tasting. Which we’ve done.

Our guide did not teach us how to make a Tequila Sunrise Cocktail, but he was most informative and presented the information with sheer joy and pride. Furthermore, you actually get to see the process involved in making tequila – see pics below.

And then, upon your return home, you can make your own Tequila Sunrise cocktail from the plenty of tequila shopping!

Mexico is known for its tequila, so no wonder the best brands are from Mexico and made of 100% from the blue agave plant. The first production in the 16th century was near Tequila city, northwest of Guadalajara, in the highlands of Jalisco.

TEQUILA SUNRISE COCKTAIL RECIPE

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Mexican

Serving: 1 Person

Time: 3 mins

Ingredients

Ice cubes
60 ml Tequila
120 ml Orange juice
15 ml Grenadine
Orange Slice Garnish
Maraschino cherries Garnish

Method

Fill a highball glass with the ice cubes.
Pour the tequila and orange juice into the glass.
Stir well.
Slowly add the grenadine around the inside edge of the glass. (It will go down and gradually rise again to mix with the orange juice and the tequila.)
Garnish with a slice of orange and a maraschino cherry.

Notes: The alcohol content of the Tequila Sunrise Cocktail is about 11% ABV (22 proof).

Wine from Mexico

Travel and Home was in Mexico and visited Parras, the well-known wine region.

Tequila Sunset vs Tequila Sunrise

The Tequila Sunset and Tequila Sunrise have exactly the same ingredients (originally), but if you mix the grenadine with a splash of soda water, the red hue will be at the top of the drink instead of the bottom.

Definition of a Tequila Sunrise

According to Wikipedia the tequila sunrise “is a cocktail made of tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup. It’s served unmixed in a tall glass. The modern drink originates from Sausalito, California in the early 1970s after an earlier one created in the 1930s in Phoenix, Arizona. The cocktail is named for its appearance when served—with gradations of color resembling a sunrise.”

What mixes well with Tequila

Tequila and…

Soda
Orange Juice
Pineapple
Grapefruit Soda

Do you stir a Tequila Sunrise before you drink it

Whether you stir it or not, it is a personal preference. But according to the general beliefs, the drink got its name because of the colors forming in the glass that resemble the sunset or sunrise. Therefore, it should actually not be stirred.

How to serve a Tequila Sunrise

If you are hosting a Mexican event, try the Mexican glasses below. However, if you are looking for a more tropical feeling (the one we like most), you need to have long stem glasses. Serve it with a slice of lemon and an umbrella.

Now have your camera ready for those memory moment photos.