Arizona's Signature Drink Is A Classic Tequila Cocktail

If you're dreaming of warm summer nights with a crisp cocktail in hand, Arizona has you covered. The Grand Canyon State may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of nightlife, but the state is home to plenty of party colleges and the perfect weather for sweating it out poolside. So it comes as no real surprise to learn that the state has a longstanding love affair with a charismatic gentleman who goes by the name tequila sunrise.

First conceived at the ritzy Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona by resident bartender Gene Sulit back in the 1930s, the first iteration of this cocktail classic involved tequila, creme de cassis, lime juice, and a splash of soda water. It wasn't until the drink made its way to The Trident, a restaurant in Sausalito, California, that the drink got simplified down to the modern version of the tequila sunrise we know and love today with tequila, orange juice, and grenadine while still incorporating the aesthetically pleasing layering of ingredients which calls to mind the titular sunrise. Make sure you're using the best tequila for the job, though.

Since the 1970s, Northern Arizona University students and Flagstaff, Arizona locals have been gathering before the crack of dawn to kick off homecoming week with a sun-up to sun-down rager aptly called Tequila Sunrise. The festivity's signature cocktail is dangerously sippable, though by the time everyone has clocked in a 14-hour drinking spree that may not be such a good thing.

Apart from the state being the birthplace of the drink, there isn't much tying the tequila sunrise to Arizona besides the locals' understandable love for it. The fact that they're so close to Mexico, where tequila reigns supreme, is clearly a factor at play, but tequila is currently the second-most popular spirit in America behind vodka — and closing the gap fast. But sometimes looking for the "why" of it all means you lose the forest for the trees. Looking for a rational explanation with clear historical events making Arizonans' preference for deliciously fruity cocktails understandable might be asking a bit much. Like a tequila-fueled bender, chaos and circumstance hold both reins in hand.

A lot of it comes down to being in the right place at the right time. Around the middle of the 20th century, Americans discovered a fondness for clear spirits. That was mostly vodka at first, but in the 1970s, small family-run tequila distillers morphed into international producers looking to cash in on the American market. This coincided with the rise of disco clubs where tequila drinks were popular, but the disco scene wasn't the only one hip to the agave spirit. Rock 'n' roll rallied around the tequila sunrise when The Rolling Stones discovered it at The Trident in 1972. Their love of the drink quickly spread, ultimately leading to the hit 1973 release by The Eagles "Tequila Sunrise" which solidified the cocktail's place in American history. Arizonans just haven't forgotten it, yet.