Tequila Sunrise Recipe

Before you start

The tequila sunrise is a simple highball of tequila and orange juice with a pour of grenadine that sinks to the bottom and bleeds upward, giving the red-orange-gold gradient that names the drink. The flavor is fruity and easygoing; the appeal is mostly in that layered look, so technique matters more than in most three-ingredient drinks.

The gradient depends on density. Grenadine is far heavier than juice and spirit, so it drops straight down if you pour it gently down the inside of the glass after everything else is in. Do not stir it. Use a good orange juice, ideally not from concentrate, and a real pomegranate grenadine if you can find one or make it; bright red corn-syrup versions taste mostly of sugar.

Ingredients

• 45 ml (1½ oz) blanco tequila — 100% agave
• 90 ml (3 oz) orange juice — chilled, not from concentrate
• 15 ml (½ oz) grenadine — pomegranate-based if possible
• 1 glassful ice cubes
• 1 each orange slice and cocktail cherry — optional garnish

Method

1. Fill the highball glass with ice cubes, right to the top. Plenty of ice gives the grenadine a slower path down and a cleaner gradient.
2. Pour in the tequila, then the orange juice, and stir these two together for a few seconds so the top half of the drink is evenly mixed.
3. Hold the bar spoon against the inside of the glass and pour the grenadine slowly down the spoon, or straight down the side of the glass. It will sink to the bottom.
4. Wait about 10 seconds and leave the glass alone. The red will settle, then start to rise slightly into the orange, making the sunrise effect.
5. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry if you like. Serve with a straw so the drinker can stir it when they are ready.

Tips for success

• Real pomegranate grenadine is tart as well as sweet, which keeps the drink from tasting like candy. You can make it by simmering pomegranate juice with an equal weight of sugar until dissolved.
• Squeeze in 5 ml of lime juice with the orange juice if your juice is very sweet.
• Serve right after building. The gradient fades within a few minutes as the grenadine diffuses.

Substitutions

Blanco tequila

Reposado tequila adds light vanilla and oak; mezcal gives a smoky version. Vodka makes a much plainer drink.

Grenadine

Crème de cassis sinks the same way and gives a darker purple layer with blackcurrant flavor.

Orange juice

Blood orange juice gives a deeper, more dramatic red color and a tarter taste.

Variations

Tequila sunset

Float 15 ml dark rum on top after the grenadine for a dark top layer.

Lime-forward sunrise

Replace 30 ml orange juice with 15 ml lime juice and 15 ml soda water for a tarter, lighter drink.

Troubleshooting

The drink turned all pink

The grenadine was poured too fast or the drink was stirred. Pour it slowly down the side of the glass and do not stir.

It tastes too sweet

Cut the grenadine to 10 ml and add a squeeze of lime. Check that the orange juice is unsweetened.

The grenadine floats in the middle

A very light, diet-style syrup may not be dense enough. Use a full-sugar grenadine so it reaches the bottom.

Storage

Serve immediately. Homemade grenadine keeps in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 weeks; discard it if it looks cloudy or develops mold.

Safety notes

Contains about 45 ml of 40% ABV tequila, roughly 1 U.S. standard drink. Serve only to adults of legal drinking age and never drink and drive.