Tequila Sunrise

Am I the only person who wonders why it’s called a Tequila Sunrise when it looks just as much like a sunset when it’s certainly more appropriate to be drinking these??! 😂 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!

What goes in a Tequila Sunrise

Here’s what you need for this deceptively potential cocktail:

Tequila – use a mid range one which, in Australia, is around the $40 to $50 range. Reserve the better stuff for drinking straight! I use Jose Cuervo which is a top-mid range Mexican tequila; orange juice – the fresher the better! Avoid the sweet reconstituted stuff with loads of added sugar; grenadine syrup – a non alcoholic red sugar syrup made from concentrated pomegranate juice. This is what makes Tequila Sunrise red – see below for how!

What makes Tequila Sunrise red?

The signature red sunrise effect is created simply by pouring Grenadine in. Because it’s a heavy syrup, it sinks to the bottom when poured into the tequila-orange juice. To achieve the “cleanest” sunrise effect ie. red on bottom, retain orange colour on top, drizzle the syrup down the side of the glass using the back of a teaspoon. Otherwise, just drizzle it down the inside of the glass straight from the bottle. Don’t just pour it in the middle of the glass – if you do this, the syrup discolours the orange juice more.

Garnishes

And here’s what is traditionally used to garnish Tequila Sunrises:

orange slices; and Maraschino Cherries – sold in Dan Murphys in Australia! If you can’t find them, just use normal glace cherries sold in the baking aisle of supermarkets – it won’t have the stems but they still look good!

Potency

Each drink contains 1 part tequila to 2 parts orange juice. Being what’s called a “long drink” (a drink with relatively large volume as opposed to, for example, whisky on ice which is a “short drink”), Tequila Sunrises aren’t as potent as other cocktails. But it’s dangerously easy to drink vast volumes because they’re so refreshing and you can’t taste the alcohol!

When to serve Tequila Sunrise

Make Tequila Sunrises all through the warm months, by the pool, for tropical themed gatherings and just anytime you want to pick up the mood with a vibrant colourful drink to get the party started! It’s a good drink to serve that’s not overly potent so it’s a sensible choice for outdoor functions on hot summer days (dehydration and potent cocktails is never a good thing!).