SHATLER’s Cocktails - Tequila Sunrise

Tequila Sunrise

The Tequila Sunrise is well-known by all cocktail-lovers: The classic comprised of tequila, orange juice and grenadine captivates with its special coloring, which – as the name already gives away – is similar to that of a sunrise. The typical coloring from yellow-orange in the upper part of the glass to orange and finally orange-red at the bottom of the glass is created by the grenadine. By adding the pomegranate syrup last, it sinks through the ice to the bottom of the glass.

Tequila Sunrise – A contemporary classic

The Tequila Sunrise belongs to the most famous cocktails and won’t be missed on any cocktail menu. This is probably partly due to being added to the list of the worldwide most popular cocktails of the International Bartender’s Association (IBA). There the Tequila Sunrise is listed as a contemporary classic.

Tequila Sunrise: From Mexico to the US and around the globe

A lot of legends are told about the origin of the long drink. One says that, during the time of the prohibition in the US from 1919 to 1933, many Hollywood actors visited the border town of Tijuana, where alcohol wasn’t prohibited. One of the most popular meeting points there was the race track of “Agua Caliente”, which included a very good cocktail bar. One of the drinks offered there was the Tequila Sunrise, whose recipe in the 1920’s consisted of the ingredients tequila, lemonade, crème de cassis, grenadine and soda. With the end of the prohibition, the Tequila Sunrise recipe was eventually imported from Mexico to the United States – but in a different form. This was mostly due to the fact, that some of the ingredients weren’t as easily available and because barkeepers in the US weren’t experienced in mixing the cocktail. Therefore they mixed the drink with orange juice instead of lemonade and the Tequila Sunrise that is known internationally today was created.

Barkeeper Gene Sulit created the Tequila Sunrise for a hotel guest

A different history of origin says that the drink was created in the late 1930’s/ early 1940’s in the hotel bar of the Arizona Biltmore Hotel – then and now a port of call for the rich and famous. A man called Gene Sulit worked there as a passionate barkeeper, who loved to create new cocktails. As the story goes, a guest of the hotel once told him that he liked tequila and would like a refreshing drink at the pool. He then asked Sulit to surprise him with one of his inventions. Then he mixed the cocktail made of tequila, soda, crème de cassis and fresh lime juice – the Tequila Sunrise as it is still listed at the hotel today under the name “The Biltmore Original”.

Grenadine as the last ingredient creates the characterizing coloring of the Tequila Sunrise

Independent from the genesis of the typical Tequila Sunrise as it is known today, the drink is made of 4.5 cl of tequila, 9 cl of orange juice and 1.5 cl of grenadine according to the list of the IBA. To prepare the drink, you give the tequila and orange juice in a glass of ice and add the grenadine last. To achieve the characterizing coloring, the cocktail may not be stirred. The drink is garnished best with a slice of orange and a cocktail cherry.

Tequila Sunrise and its varieties

Apart from the classic Tequila Sunrise recipe, there are a few variations. One well-known and popular variation also includes as much lemon juice as grenadine.

SHATLER’s Tequila Sunrise – a fruity-fresh long drink

The SHATLER’s Tequila Sunrise is closely oriented in its composition to this variation of the original recipe. Made of tequila, grenadine, orange and lemon a fruity-fresh long drink was created, with which you can enjoy a perfect sunset on a relaxed evening and leave the stress behind you.

Our tip

Serve the SHATLER’s Tequila Sunrise garnished with a slice of orange on the rim and a cocktail cherry. Enjoy the sunrise! SHATLER’s offers the perfect cocktails for every occasion.