Sangrita & Coronarita & Sergio's Tower Recipe

Make sangrita

In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine 1 cup fresh tomato juice, 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, and 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice. Stir in 1 tablespoon grenadine (for sweetness and color) and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Add 1 tablespoon finely diced white onion and 1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeño (leave seeds for more heat). Add 2 dashes hot sauce and 4 grinds of black pepper. Stir thoroughly to dissolve the salt and distribute flavors.

Taste and adjust: if you want sweeter sangrita, add up to 1/2 tablespoon more grenadine or 1/2 teaspoon agave; for brighter citrus, add another 1/2 tablespoon orange juice; for more heat, add another pinch of jalapeño or another dash of hot sauce. If using orange zest, stir in 1/2 teaspoon and let sit 5–10 minutes to marry the flavors.

Chill: Refrigerate the sangrita for at least 15 minutes or serve over ice. Strain if you prefer a smooth liquid without onion and jalapeño pieces; otherwise serve with the solids for texture.

Prepare glass

Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a large Collins or margarita-style glass. Dip the wet rim into the coarse salt + chili powder mixture to coat. Fill the glass with ice.

Build the cocktail

In a shaker filled with ice, add 2 oz tequila, 1 oz fresh lime juice, 1 oz triple sec, and 1/2 tablespoon agave syrup. Shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted.

Strain the shaken margarita into the prepared glass over fresh ice, leaving about 2–3 inches of headroom so the beer bottle can be inverted. Garnish the rim with a lime wheel (reserve one lime wheel for Sergio's Tower if building there).

Add Corona

Quickly open a 6–12 oz bottle of Corona, invert it, and insert it gently into the glass so the neck rests against the inner wall and the bottle is held upright by the ice and margarita volume. The beer will slowly stream into the cocktail as you drink, balancing flavors.

Assemble tower base (if making a shared Coronarita pitcher)

If serving Sergio's Tower as a shared presentation for 4 servings, scale the Coronarita components: 8 oz tequila, 4 oz lime juice, 4 oz triple sec, 2 tbs agave, and plenty of ice. Rim four glasses with the salt + chili powder mix. In a large pitcher, combine tequila, lime juice, triple sec and agave; stir well and chill or add ice. Place the pitcher in the center of your serving tray as the 'tower base.'

Invert four Corona bottles into four individual glasses as described above, or if using the pitcher, balance 2–3 small Corona bottles upside down in chill holders next to the pitcher so guests can top their drinks—this is the visual of Sergio's Tower.

Garnish and finishing touches

Thread lime wedges and optional jalapeño slices onto skewers for guests to perch on the glass rim or drop into the drink. Provide a small bowl of extra sangrita on the tray so guests can sip the sangrita as a chaser between margarita/Corona sips or pour a splash into their drink (about 1–2 tbs per drink) for added savory citrus heat. If you strained your sangrita, provide the strained and unstrained options as preferred.

Serve: Present the Coronarita(s) with the inverted Corona(s) and a shot glass or small pourer of sangrita. Advise guests to sip the sangrita between margarita sips or to add small amounts into their drink to taste. Replace beer bottles as they empty to maintain the tower look.