What's A Tequila Sunrise Vs A Tequila Sunset?

Once you start exploring the world of cocktails, you won't make it too far until you encounter tequila. Of course, there's the classic margarita, but the tequila sunrise is another all-time favorite. One of the most immediately-recognizable drinks around, the tequila sunrise is a no-frills cocktail that combines only a few ingredients, yet it's known for its characteristic appearance. Tequila and orange juice is fine enough, but the addition of grenadine is what gives the tequila sunrise the gradience that it's known for, mimicking the orange-to-red ombre of an earthly sunrise. The tequila sunrise has permeated pop culture, coming to fame in the 1970s and '80s when Rolling Stones frontman, Mick Jagger, supposedly favored them while on tour, and when an Eagles song of the same name hit the Hot 100. But the tequila sunrise has an oft-neglected relative, a drink that comes with promise, but is a little bit harder to pin down.

The tequila sunset, unlike its famous counterpart, carries a degree of uncertainty as far as its recipe goes. The sunrise is simple enough — tequila, orange juice, and grenadine. However, a quick search will bring you several different ways to create a tequila sunset. Some recipes call for blackberry brandy in place of grenadine, while others call for grapefruit or even pineapple juice instead of orange. There's some room for variation here it seems, and the kind of tequila sunset you receive when ordering one may entirely depend on the bartender mixing it.

It's not entirely certain why (or how) several different versions of the tequila sunset came to be. But one reason you can't forget is that tequila matches quite effortlessly with many different fruity flavors. In fact, if you've read up on the 14 best mixers for tequila, then you'll know that tequila is surprisingly versatile and adaptable. Heck, it's even a sneaky-good base to mix with apple juice. So when it comes to the tequila sunset, perhaps the only "rule" is that it's a variation on the tequila sunrise in some regard. But the sunrise isn't the only tequila drink that could've inspired the tequila sunset.

The tequila sunset isn't the only tequila-based cocktail that utilizes different kinds of liqueurs and mixers. The El Diablo cocktail uses creme de cassis — a currant-based liqueur that has some similarities to blackberry liqueur or brandy. And then there's the paloma, another revered and refreshing tequila cocktail that famously uses grapefruit in its assembly. Now, while you can't outright prove that the tequila sunset was derived from one or more of these drinks, it can be interesting to see how different ingredients and cocktails are in conversation with each other. In this way, the world of cocktails continues to evolve!