This article was co-authored by Bryan Sullivan. Bryan Sullivan is a Bartender and the Owner of Bryan Sullivan Bartending in Seattle, Washington. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in craft cocktails and has a thorough knowledge of beer, wine, and champagne. He currently holds a MAST Class 12 Mixologist Permit and has provided bar service for 100s of events. Additionally, his business has a 5-star rating and is a listed vendor on The Knot.
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In Mexico, tequila's homeland, people often drink it straight, sometimes with a side of sangrita.[1] Outside Mexico, however, it's common for tequila to be served as a shot, along with salt and a slice of lime or lemon. These additions help to compensate for the harshness of lower-quality tequila, and are consumed in a specific order, as outlined below.
Things You Should Know
- Take a traditional tequila shot by licking a little salt, drinking the tequila, and biting on a lime slice.
- Enjoy a serving of tequila blanco with a small glass of sangrita. Sip the tequila instead of downing it like a shot.
- Drink "The Mexican Flag" by sipping glasses of sangrita, tequila blanco, and lime juice.
Steps
With Lime or Lemon
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1Lick the skin between your thumb and forefinger or the back of your hand.
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2Sprinkle a small pinch of salt onto the area. The saliva will help it stick.[2]Advertisement
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3Hold one slice of lime/lemon with your thumb and index finger, using the same hand that contains the salt.
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4Breathe out, lick the salt, down your tequila shot and bite the lime. Some people prefer biting the lime before they breathe in, so they don't taste the liquor as much.
- When you drink the shot, throw your head back and try to swallow all of the tequila in one gulp. You are taking a shot, after all.
- Try using pineapple juice as a chaser to the tequila instead of a lime. Enjoy the shot of tequila but before taking a breath, drink the pineapple juice. It will cut the taste of the liquor.[3]
With Sangrita
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1Prepare the Sangrita you'll enjoy along with your tequila. "Sangrita" means "little blood" in Spanish, called this way because of the color of the liquid. The Sangrita is non-alcoholic. In a separate cup, mix together and refrigerate:
- 1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 1 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 1 tsp grenadine
- 12 dashes hot sauce (Cholula is best)
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2Portion out the sangrita so that each shot of tequila is paired with a shot of sangrita.[4]
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3Serve sangrita with tequila blanco. Traditionally, this is what sangrita is served with, although tequila reposado can also pair with sangrita.
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4Sip, don't shoot, the tequila and sangrita. Native Mexicans tend not to shoot their tequila, preferring instead to sip it.
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5Pair the sangrita and tequila with a shot of lime juice for "The Mexican Flag." This combination gets its name because the three shots each represent one color of the Mexican flag — red, white, and green.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do you make a tequila shot go down easier?
Bryan SullivanBryan Sullivan is a Bartender and the Owner of Bryan Sullivan Bartending in Seattle, Washington. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in craft cocktails and has a thorough knowledge of beer, wine, and champagne. He currently holds a MAST Class 12 Mixologist Permit and has provided bar service for 100s of events. Additionally, his business has a 5-star rating and is a listed vendor on The Knot.
BartenderYou don’t have to do shots if you don’t want to. Tequila shots aren’t really meant to be enjoyed, they are meant to be a type of willing torture that a group of people engage in as a means of bringing them together over shared misery and trauma. -
QuestionCan I mix tequila with other alcoholic beverages?
Community AnswerYes, but only try this once you have tried both beverages separately. They might not taste good mixed. -
QuestionTequila is a brand?
Saranz DahalCommunity AnswerNo, it is the name of a drink. Tequila is a regionally specific name for a distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant.
Warnings
- This way of drinking, specially if low quality tequila is involved, can lead to a long talk with the toilet.⧼thumbs_response⧽
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Things You'll Need
- One shot glass
- One shot of tequila
- Slice of lemon or lime
- Small quantity of sea salt
- Courage
Sangrita
- 1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 1 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 1 tsp grenadine
- 12 dashes hot sauce (Cholula is best)
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about drinking a tequila shot, check out our in-depth interview with Bryan Sullivan.
References
- ↑ https://www.diffordsguide.com/encyclopedia/995/bws/tequila-traditional-serves
- ↑ https://www.playadelcarmen.org/mexican-tequilas/
- ↑ https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Craig%20David
- ↑ https://www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/sangrita-recipe/
- http://www.esquire.com/features/drinking/making-tequila-0809#slide-2
About This Article
To drink a tequila shot, start by licking the skin on the back of your hand, then sprinkle a small pinch of salt over the area—the saliva helps the salt stick! Next, grab a lime or lemon slice with your salted hand and pick up the tequila shot with your other hand. Then, lick the salt off your hand, throw your head back, and down the shot. Try to swallow it all in one gulp! Bite immediately into the lime or lemon slice to temper the sharp taste of the tequila. Drink responsibly and have fun. If you want to learn how to take a tequila shot with sangrita, keep reading the article!
