If you’ve never experienced Tequila with a Sangrita chaser then you are truly missing out. Chances are if you have never been to Mexico you may have never even heard of Sangrita. It is incredibly hard to find it here in the states even in the most authentic and high end Mexican establishments. It seems to be most popular in Mexico City where you can seemingly find it in any bar.
Sangrita (not to be confused with Sangria) is a citrusy mix of usually orange juice, tomato juice and many other ingredients. It is similar to bloody mary mix but much more citrusy and sweet. My father first introduced me to this many years ago as a way to accompany Tequila. Although its a great way to sip tequila that isn’t the most “sippable” (see my suggestions for great sipping tequilas here) it goes well even with higher end tequilas.
This is also a great way to introduce newbies to the world of tequila where you can savor the great tequila taste then the Sangrita chaser masks the burn. Also is you’re ever in the mood to just sip tequila but don’t have a good one on hand, you can use Sangrita and just about any tequila for a nice combination.
Below is my recipe which my wife always reminds me is inferior to my dad’s classic. But I think its pretty good 🙂
- 16oz Tomato Juice
- 8oz Orange Juice
- 4oz Lime juice
- 2 tsp Tabasco Sauce or equivalent (Valentina is my favorite)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire
- Salt and Pepper to your liking
Mix this all together and then let it sit in the fridge for ideally several hours. I usually make a batch then drink it over several days or for a party.
Even though Sangrita goes great with just about any tequila, I have a list of my favorites. My general rule is not to chase high end tequila with Sangrita. If your sipping a $100 bottle of tequila you want to taste every little bit of it and not have Sangrita change that experience. Here are the optimal tequilas for Sangrita:
Siete Leguas
My buddy Juanito first introduced me to this tequila many years ago. However I really fell in love with it when I visited Mexico for my mom’s 80th birthday party. On the drive to the restaurant, as is traditional in Mexico, we picked up a couple bottles of tequila for dinner. My uncle Hugo who of course is a tequila connoisseur chose this brand and specifically the silver version. It was surprisingly affordable probably because it is not popular outside of Mexico. We sipped it all night and didn’t even worry about chasing it with much more than a bit of salt and an occasional bite on the lime. I was blown away by how smooth it was for a Silver and at this price range. Sangrita makes the perfect addition.
Corzo Silver
As I mentioned in the tequila shooting section, this is one of the smoothest Silver tequilas you will find. For that reason it deserves to be savored slowly and the Sangrita gives it a great finish. Definite great high end choice for Sangrita.
Patron Silver
Again Patron is a solid decently priced silver tequila. I enjoy it often on the rocks with a twist of lime but with Sangrita its even better. Its not the most smooth but definitely smooth enough to enjoy with the chaser.
Herradura Blanco
A tequila brand that is starting to become more and more well known Herradura Blanco is a great option. A traditional Mexican chaser goes great with a traditional Mexican tequila brand.
This is an amazing site!! I didn’t know you were doing this. I’d like to try to make your dad’s sangrita so I could compare it to yours. Will you post that recipe or is it a family secret?
He doesnt really have a recipe. He just kind of mixes everything together and tastes. Old school.