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Tequila Sunrise

Tequila Sunrise is a fruity-sweet cocktail that was first prepared in Mexico, Tijuana, in the 1920s. The name “Sunrise” is derived from the cocktail’s attractive colour gradient. It is yellow at the top and then turns orange in the middle of the glass. At the bottom of the long drink glass, the drink turns red – just like the sunrise. The drink is known worldwide and can be bought in various bars. The Tequila Sunrise Cocktail owes its fame to the song of the same name by the country rock band “Eagles”.

Tequila Sunrise Cocktail Recipe

  • 4,5 cl tequila
  • 9 cl orange juice
  • 1.5 cl grenadine

Step by Step Guide

  1. Pour tequila, orange juice and ice into a long drink glass.
  2. Add the grenadine and serve. This is how easy it is to prepare the Tequila Sunrise Cocktail.
tequila Sunrise cocktail

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First, take a long drink glass and pour the tequila into it. Then add orange juice and fill the glass with ice cubes. Finally, add the grenadine syrup to the glass. The red syrup sinks to the bottom of the glass due to its high sugar content. This creates the classic sunrise effect. The cocktail can now be grained with an orange slice and/or a cocktail cherry without stirring and then served.

Bar Accessories:

  • Long drink glass
  • Ice cubes

This is what the Sunrise Cocktail tastes like

4.8/5

42 Reviews

The Tequila Sunrise is a very sweet and fruity cocktail in which hardly any alcohol can be tasted. The fruity notes of the orange juice are further supported by the sweet and fruity aroma of the grenadine syrup. The flavour of the tequila can be guessed at, but not clearly tasted.

Tips for the best preperation

Freshly squeezed orange juice

Be sure to use freshly squeezed orange juice to prepare the tequila cocktail. This is much fruitier and more aromatic. It also makes the drink even more refreshing. Therefore: Spend a little more time and prepare the drink with freshly squeezed orange juice.

Cheap Tequila

The taste of tequila is more or less lost in the Sunrise Cocktail. Light, mild flavours can be tasted. However, the fruity-sweet taste of orange juice and the grenadine is in the foreground. It is better to enjoy high-quality tequila neat from a tumbler.

Mexican food

Even though it is more of a cliché to eat Mexican food with a Mexican cocktail. Nevertheless, we recommend enjoying burritos or tacos with your cocktail. You will be surprised how well the food harmonises with the cocktail.

More information about Tequila Sunrise - History

The inventor of the Tequila Sunrise is still not exactly known. Not even the date can be determined exactly. Rumour has it that the drink was invented in Mexico around 1920. As the cocktail spread to America, it was refined and modified. After several attempts, the recipe was prepared that is still used to make the tequila cocktail today. Discover it now and enjoy!

Other voices say that a man named Gene Sulit invented the drink in the hotel bar of the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix. This is said to have been in the late 1930s or early 1940s. But no matter who invented the Tequila Sunrise, it has not lost its delicious fresh fruity taste over the years. The drink became popular through the song of the same name by the Eagels and the film of the same name. After that, the drink could be ordered and drunk in various bars. This tequila cocktail is even prepared in restaurants and clubs. But it still tastes best homemade, doesn’t it?

The food to go with the Tequila Sunrise

A cocktail that was originally invented in Mexico goes best with Mexican food. Burritos are the perfect food to enjoy with the Tequila Sunrise. Burritos are large tortillas made from wheat flour and filled with beef, potatoes and/or beans. They are usually served already rolled. The burrito is especially popular in northern Mexico and is often served with tequila cocktails or mezcal.

Another Mexican dish that goes well with the tequila cocktail is tacos. Tacos are small tortillas filled with different types of meat. You can also add onions and cilantro to a taco. In addition to a hot sauce, tacos are often served with a Tequila Sunrise or Mezcal.

Is tequila sunrise a woman's drink?

It’s not so easy to say. Tequila Sunrise is enjoyed by both women and men. However, since the drink tastes less alcoholic and more fruity and sweet, it is preferred by women. A classic “man’s drink” is the Old Fashioned, the Manhattan Cocktail or the Dry Martini. This is what the “Sunrise” in the name stands for the English word “sunrise” translates as sunrise. This word alludes to the colour of the cocktail, which becomes increasingly reddish from top to bottom. This colour gradient is on the one hand the trademark of the drink and on the other hand elementarily important for the taste of the cocktail.

Where does the name tequila come from?

The spirit is named after the town of Tequila. This place is located northwest of the better-known city of Gudalajara. Rumour has it that the first tequila was produced in this town. Tequila is actually only a subcategory of the well-known mezcal cocktail. Other sources assume that the distillate from agave juice was already produced by the Aztecs and should therefore have a much longer history. Today, the agave spirit is known and popular above all in tequila cocktails. You can find out more about Tequila on our Tequila page, and more about Mezcal on our Mezcal page.

Different Tequila colours

Tequilas come in different colours. You can buy colourless (blanco), golden (reposado) or dark golden Tequila (anejo). The colourless tequila is not stored and therefore retains its transparent colour. The golden variety is either stored for a very short time or has dye added to it, giving it a beautiful golden-yellow colour. Tequila anejo is stored for a minimum of one year and a maximum of three years. The rich golden colour comes from the barrel in which the distillate is stored. A Tequila Blanco is particularly suitable for a sunrise cocktail.

More Drink Recipes

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Tequila Sunrise - FAQ

When can you drink the Tequila Sunrise?

Tequila Sunrise is best drunk in the summer. Its fresh, cool character makes it perfect for this time of year. Alternatively, the drink can also be enjoyed in clubs and bars at any time of year.

What is a Tequila Sunrise?

Tequila Sunrise is a classic and very popular tequila cocktail that can be ordered in bars, restaurants and clubs. But because it is so easy to prepare, you can also make it at home.

What does the Tequila Sunrise cocktail taste like?

The Tequila Sunrise is a sweet and fruity cocktail. Due to its ingredients, the taste of alcohol is clearly in the background. For this reason, the drink is particularly popular with women.

Who invented the Tequila Sunrise?

The drink is said to have been invented by Gene Sulit at the end of the 1930s. Whether this bartender is actually the inventor of the drink cannot be fully clarified.

How do you prepare a Tequila Sunrise?

Simply pour the tequila and orange juice together with ice cubes into a long drink glass. Stir all the ingredients lightly with a bar spoon and add the grenadine syrup. Then serve immediately.

Are there other Sunrise drinks?

Yes, there are various Sunrise Cocktails. Most of them simply replace the base spirit (tequila) with another spirit (such as gin, rum, vodka or whisky). This creates a different, alcoholic-harmonious flavour profile.

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Recipe by Chris