IBA
Tequila Sunrise – IBA
Build ∙ 2 min ∙ 10% ABV ∙
The Tequila Sunrise is a built highball of tequila blanco and orange juice, with grenadine added last and left unstirred to sink into a sunrise gradient.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Pour Tequila blanco 45 ml and Orange juice 90 ml directly into the highball glass filled with ice cubes
- Add the Grenadine syrup 15 ml to create a chromatic effect (sunrise). Do not stir
- Garnish with an orange slice or an orange twist
Tips
- Fill the glass all the way with ice cubes first, so the grenadine sinks slowly through the cold juice and settles in a layer.
- Fresh orange juice gives a cleaner line between the colors and a truer citrus flavor than juice from concentrate.
History
The Tequila Sunrise – IBA is the International Bartenders Association's official codification of the modern Tequila Sunrise, listing tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup built unmixed in a highball glass under its Contemporary Classics category.
That modern drink is the Tequila Sunrise, which replaced an earlier Tequila Sunrise made with crème de cassis and lime juice.
FAQ
How do you make the perfect Tequila Sunrise?
Fill a highball glass to the top with ice, pour in 45 ml tequila blanco and 90 ml orange juice, then add 15 ml grenadine slowly and do not stir. The grenadine sinks through the cold juice into a sunrise gradient. With fresh orange juice the colors separate more cleanly. Garnish with an orange slice or twist.
What is in a Tequila Sunrise?
Tequila blanco (45 ml), orange juice (90 ml), and grenadine syrup (15 ml), served over ice in a highball glass.
Does a Tequila Sunrise need grenadine?
Yes, grenadine is essential to this drink, not optional. It is what creates the layered sunrise gradient as it sinks through the orange juice and tequila, and without it the drink is really just a tequila screwdriver.
How strong is a Tequila Sunrise?
Fairly light: about 10% ABV, because the 45 ml of tequila is stretched with 90 ml of orange juice.
