Sangrita

Not sure what day it is? Got any guesses from the picture above?

It’s Cinco de Mayo!

We thought we’d celebrate by showcasing a Mexican drinking tradition that features the non-alcoholic and spicy drink: the Sangrita.

Traditionally the Sangrita is enjoyed alongside a blanco tequila to help cleanse the palate and contrast the peppery qualities of the tequila with its own spicy acidity. But the folks at Casa Noble took it a step further with their Casa Noble Ritual:

• One sip of Sangrita
• One sip of Casa Noble Crystal
• A couple sips of Corona Extra beer

In San Francisco the “beer and a shot” is currently the Bartenders’ secret handshake – so mixing the tradition of Sangrita with Tequila with beer just makes sense.

The Sangrita

Translated as “little blood”, this non-alcoholic drink is often the subject of confusion. The name is often confused with “Sangria” (which as we know is a very different drink) and the recipe is often confused with the Bloody Mary – where folks mistake the red appearance for tomato juice. In actuality, there is no tomato juice in a true Sangrita – the red color comes from chile powder and pomegranate juice, and the pulpy texture from the orange juice.

That said – drink what you like! If you’ve found a Sangrita variation with tomato juice that you enjoy – go for it. I’m not going to tell you what to drink!

Check out the Sangrita recipe below and I definitely encourage you to give it a try – it’s great on its own, it’s great alongside any blanco tequila and it’s fantastic in the “Casa Noble Ritual” as described above!