Cocktail
Tequila Sunrise
Tequila, fresh orange juice and grenadine form this familiar layered highball. The red syrup is added after the other liquids to create the sunrise effect.
Tequila · Fruity · Sweet
Ingredients
- 45 ml Blanco tequila
- 90 ml Orange (fresh juice)
- 15 ml Grenadine (alcohol-free)
- 1 piece Orange (half slice, for garnish) (Optional)
Ice and water are assumed. Add everything else you have.
Method
Build
Equipment: Jigger or measuring spoon · Bar spoon
- Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the tequila and orange juice, then stir briefly.
- Slowly pour the grenadine down the inside of the glass so it settles near the base.
- Leave the layers unstirred for presentation. Add the optional orange half-slice.
A small detail
Build each glass separately to keep the layers. Stir before drinking if you prefer an even sweetness.
Estimated strength
Medium
What does this mean?
Per serving: ≈ 10.9% ABV · ≈ 14.2 g alcohol
An estimate, not a measurement. Dilution lowers concentration but does not remove alcohol. Check your bottle label. These typical alcohol levels can vary by brand and market.
Added water from ice: 10%. Water added as a percentage of the measured liquid before mixing. Ice melt varies with temperature, time and technique.
Plan for a party
Prep the base
Measure the base ahead. Fresh additions and the final mixing happen per glass.
Guests: 6
Measure the base ahead. Fresh additions and the final mixing happen per glass.
One recipe serving per guest. Choose the amount you want to prepare.
Base only: 270 ml · Per serving: 45 ml. Use a container larger than the volume shown; allow room for fruit and stirring.
Prepare the base
- 270 ml Blanco tequila
Keep separate for serving
- 540 ml Orange (fresh juice)
- 90 ml Grenadine (alcohol-free)
Optional garnishes · Optional
- 6 pieces Orange (half slice, for garnish)
Water for the batch
No pre-added water. Chill the ingredients, build over fresh ice and add the cold sparkling mixer last, except where the original recipe specifies a different order.
Prepare and serve
- Measure the base ingredients into a clean, covered container and stir to combine. Keep the quantities in the serving section separate.
- Prepare for today’s service. Label and refrigerate the covered base; follow ingredient storage labels. Keep ice out of the container and chill the glasses before serving.
- For each glass, use 45 ml of base in place of those ingredients in the original method. Add the separate ingredients at their per-serving amounts. Do not measure the base ingredients a second time.
- Prepare fresh juice close to serving and keep it chilled separately unless it is explicitly in the base. Fresh batches are for this service, not an overnight storage promise.
- Keep the float or layered ingredient separate. Follow the original pouring order in each glass.
The list saves ingredient names, not party quantities. Check the totals above against how much you have. Garnishes and ice are not added.
Bartender sources: Campari Academy: batching techniques · Dave Arnold: measuring dilution and batching · Simon Difford: water and dilution · Jeffrey Morgenthaler: batch calculator
Sources & inspiration
About this recipe
Recipes and house adaptations have source links. Measures, substitutions and estimated strength are explained separately. Images are AI-generated illustrations.
We do not claim every recipe has been physically tested. Community reviews are moderated user reports, separate from recipe sources.
Suggest a correction