In Mexico, where tequila originates, people often drink it straight, sometimes accompanied by sangrita. But outside of Mexico, tequila is usually served in a shot, along with salt and a wedge of lime or lemon. These additions help to compensate for the harshness of low-quality tequila, and are consumed in a certain order, as outlined below.
Step
Method 1 of 2: American Style with Lime or Lemon
Step 1. Lightly lick the skin between your thumb and forefinger or the back of your hand
Step 2. Sprinkle some salt on the area you licked earlier
Saliva will help the salt to stick.
Step 3. Grasp a slice of lime/lemon with your thumb and forefinger, using the same hand you salted
Step 4. Exhale, lick the salt, drink your shot of tequila and take a bite of the lime
Some people prefer to take a bite of the lime before they take a breath, so they don't feel too strong of the liquor.
- As you drink the shot, throw your head back and try to swallow all of the tequila in one gulp. Finally, you downed a shot.
- Try using pineapple juice to reduce the harshness of tequila (as a chaser) instead of lime. Enjoy that shot of Tequila but before taking a breath, drink the pineapple juice first. This will reduce the taste of the liquor.
Method 2 of 2: Mexican Style with Sangrita
Step 1. Prepare the Sangrita which you will enjoy along with your tequila
"Sangrita" means "little blood" in Spanish, so named because of the color of the liquid. Sangrita is a non-alcoholic drink. In a separate cup, mix and cool the following ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 30 ml of fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp grenadine (pomegranate syrup)
- 12 splashes of hot sauce (best is Cholula brand)
Step 2. Divide the sangrita so that each shot of tequila is paired with one shot of sangrita
Step 3. Serve the sangrita with the tequila blanco
Traditionally, this type of tequila is served with sangrita, although reposado tequila can also be paired with sangrita.
Step 4. Sip the tequila and sangrita, don't drink it
Native Mexicans don't tend to down their tequila, they prefer to sip it.
Step 5. Pair the sangrita and tequila with a shot of lime juice to get a concoction called "The Mexican Flag"
The concoction is so named because each shot represents one color of the Mexican flag - red, white, and green.
Tips
- You can also try the "Tequila Strong Love" method. One person put salt in his mouth, then kissed a tequila drinker. After that the person puts the lime in his mouth, slightly sticking out, so that tequila drinkers can bite it easily. Do it casually, because you might even bite the tongue instead of the lime or lemon.
- For a fun variation, ask someone to lend a hand (or other body part) to sprinkle with salt.
- Another way to chug tequila is to add a little tabasco sauce to your tequila shot. This sinus-cleansing tequila concoction is called "the Prairie Fire."
- If you're buying a high-quality tequila like Patron, you don't need salt and lime. The salt and lime will take away the good taste of this high-quality tequila.
- Suggestions on how to chug tequila quickly can vary; some people suggest that you inhale before gulping, while others suggest that you exhale first.
- This is often done in groups, with everyone following these steps simultaneously.
Warning
- This way of drinking, especially when using low-quality tequila, can result in frequent trips to the bathroom.
- Drink responsibly, don't make trouble.
