Is Apple Juice Really The Secret To Making Tequila More Palatable?

Tequila, for many people, is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of beverage. Especially if you're buying inexpensive tequila, you might not be able to stomach the sometimes harsh flavor of this spirit. This is why tequila is often mixed with strongly flavored juices, like lime and pineapple juice, as in a Caupona cocktail, or tangerine and lemon juice, as in a La Mandarina. And, of course, we can't forget the classic margarita, which uses a double punch of lime juice and triple sec to even out that agave kick.

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But imbibers on TikTok claim to have found another juice that makes an unexpected dream mixer for tequila: apple juice. Content creators on the platform are saying that adding a bit of apple juice to your tequila prevents you from tasting the spirit at all, creating an effortlessly chuggable beverage. And the claim holds up — this pairing is dangerously effective, and an efficient way to make use of subpar tequila.

Though apple juice isn't a super common mixer in cocktails, juice aficionados have known about its uses as a flavor MVP for ages. The majority of mixed juices contain a large amount of apple juice because of its high sugar content and mild flavor, which make it a drink that plays well with others. Apple juice isn't there to steal the show — it's there to level out strong flavors while boosting overall sweetness.

This makes apple juice a truly great match for tequila. It's effectively the same strategy as chasing a shot with salt and lime, by overpowering the base flavor. But instead of doing this with acid, apple juice's intense sweetness does the job. And since tequila has some natural fruitiness, and can have notes of honey, caramel, or vanilla, it gets easily folded into the warm, autumnal flavor of apple juice, sparkling apple cider, or hard apple cider.

There are many ways to use apple juice in tequila drinks to take advantage of the "canceling out" effect. You could, of course, mix apple juice and tequila over ice with a 50:50 ratio. But a traditional margarita spiked with apple juice is one way to further balance that sharp tequila sting.

Alternatively, you might as well lean into the warm baking spice palate that often accompanies apple-based cocktails. A bit of apple cider and lemon come together nicely with a sprinkle of cinnamon to accompany the tequila. Or perhaps you could add a touch of lime juice, maple syrup, and Cointreau to your apple juice and tequila mixture.

For something a little boozier, hard apple cider would make for an interesting swap, adding sweetness as well as carbonation. Or you could sub tequila in for whiskey in a hot toddy, garnished with some star anise or a cinnamon stick. You're sure to have any tequila hater asking, how do you like them apples?