Have you ever wondered how a Tequila Sunrise gets those interesting layered colors? The technique is fairly simple, involving just three ingredients. This guide to not only teaches you how to prepare the familiar tequila-orange juice-grenadine version, but introduces you to some interesting variations as well!

The Tequila Sunrise, as commonly prepared today, is a mixture of tequila and orange juice, with grenadine drizzled in to give the cocktail its characteristic appearance. The original version, reportedly served at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, did not include orange juice. It was a lighter beverage, simply a combination of tequila and cassis mixed with club soda and a dash of lime.

Both recipes are included here, as are a few other variations, so that you can enjoy finding the combination you like best!

Ingredients

• 2 ounces tequila
• 4 ounces orange juice
• 3/4 ounce grenadine
• Crushed ice
• Optional garnish: a slice of fresh orange and a maraschino cherry threaded on a long toothpick.

Equipment

• Highball glass, or other tall glass
• Spoon

Instructions

1. Fill a 12 ounce glass with crushed ice.
2. Pour tequila into glass.
3. Top with orange juice.
4. Stir with spoon.
5. Hold the spoon in the center of the glass.
6. Pour the grenadine down the spoon.
7. Pull the spoon straight up, and out of the glass, without stirring.
8. Give the grenadine time to sink to the bottom of the drink.
9. Garnish with sliced orange and maraschino cherry.

• This is a very different drink from the contemporary recipe above, with a lighter taste and slightly different appearance.

Instructions

1. Fill glass with ice.
2. Add tequila, creme de cassis, and a squeeze of lime.
3. Do not stir.
4. Fill glass with club soda.
5. Garnish with lime slice.

1. Tequila Sunset—use blackberry brandy in place of grenadine

2. Sunrise on the Volga—use vodka rather than tequila.

3. Astronaut Sunrise—use Tang instead of orange juice.

4. Diet Sunrise—replace the grenadine with pomegranate or cranberry juice.

5. Malibu Sunrise—substitute coconut rum for the tequila.

6. The Internet Cocktail Database Tequila Sunrise Variation modifies the Biltmore version by adding orange curacao.

7. One blogger created what he maintains is a more interesting tasting version, using gin mixed with a Honey-Jasmine syrup.

8. Make pitchers or punch for a tequila Sunrise-themed party.

Check out the videos below to learn more about making cocktail drinks.

1. How to Make a Vodka Cranberry
2. How to Make Kamikaze Shots
3. How to Make a Bloody Mary
4. How to Make a Lemon Drop
5. How to Make a Scotch and Soda
6. How to Make a Shirley Temple
7. How to Make a Scooby Snack
8. How to Make a Mojito
9. How to Make an Apple Martini
10. How to Make a Tequila Sunrise
11. How to Make an Adios Drink
12. How to Make a Rum and Coke
13. How to Make a Screwdriver
14. How to Make a Mimosa
15. How to Make a Fuzzy Navel
16. How to Make a Margarita
17. How to Make a Gin and Tonic
18. How to Make a Sex on The Beach
19. How to Make a Mai Tai
20. How to Make an Amaretto Sour
21. How to Make a Jello Shot