Step by Step Guide: How to Make A Paloma

Are you familiar with the Paloma cocktail? In America, this cousin of the Margarita has long been kept under wraps. So who exactly is this slightly bitter, savory tequila beverage?

This delightful drink is a Mexican favorite that’s infused with a tart secret ingredient—grapefruit juice. 

If you’re looking to become acquainted with the Paloma, this guide will go over everything you need to know about how to make a Paloma perfectly and how to pair it with an alcohol ice pop from SLIQ. Plus, we’ve added a few fun paloma recipe variations to the mix, too. 

Step #1: Prepare Your Ingredients

If you look into the history of the Paloma, you’re likely to find a tangled web of false claims, a book from the Rio Grande that may or may not have ever existed, and a man named Evan Harrison who was born long after he supposedly created the grapefruit flavored soda cocktail.¹ 

Thankfully, making a Paloma is a lot easier than discerning its origin story.

First things first, you need to make sure you have all the necessary ingredients. While some people claim all you need to make a Paloma is tequila and some grapefruit soda,² our recipe will be a little higher end.

Still, there aren’t too many Paloma drink ingredients for you to assemble:³

• 2 ounces Blanco tequila
• 2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
• 1 SLIQ Spirited Ice Agave Classic Margarita Pop
• ½ ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce club soda
• Salt
• Simple syrup or sugar (optional, to taste)
• Lime wheel or grapefruit wedge (for garnish)

Once you have these ingredients, all you need is a glass, cocktail shaker, and a spoon, and you’re ready to start crafting your cocktail.

Ingredient Substitutions

One of the beautiful things about the Paloma is that there’s no one definitive way to make it. Do you prefer reposado tequila to Blanco? Go ahead and use it. You can even use mezcal to add a slightly smoky flavor.

Want something a little fruitier? Substitute a SLIQ Spirited Ice Agave Strawberry Margarita Pop for the original. And don’t be afraid to experiment. After all, the perfect cocktail for you is the one you enjoy the most! If you’re also looking to explore other cocktail options, or are wondering what the difference is between a paloma vs. margarita, we’ve got you covered!

Step #2: Craft the Cocktail

Once you have all your ingredients assembled for the Paloma cocktail recipe, it’s time to put them together and start creating your Paloma. Unlike many cocktails, there’s no need for fancy equipment—you can make the drink right in your glass with a few simple steps:

• Add your tequila and lime juice to the glass. If you’ve chosen to use sugar or simple syrup, you can add that now, as well.
• Break up your SLIQ frozen cocktail pop and add it to the glass. No need to worry about it melting as the great taste of your SLIQ pop will only enhance your drink as it melts.
• Add the fresh grapefruit juice.
• Top off your drink with club soda. You can adjust the amount from the above recipe based on your preferences.
• Add a pinch of salt.
• Give the drink a quick stir or shake in a cocktail shaker.

That’s it! You’ve got yourself the perfect Paloma. You can start drinking right away, but to achieve the full effect and look like a true mixologist, you still need to consider your garnish.

Step #3: Garnish Your Paloma

As the saying goes, we taste first with our eyes. And while that statement is generally used when talking about food, it most certainly applies to cocktails, too. 

To that end, consider garnishing your Paloma with something that makes it stand out from the rest. You have a few options to choose from:

• Wedge – Simply place a lime wedge, lime wheel, or grapefruit wedge on the edge of your glass.
• Peel – Use a peeler and take off some of the rind of your grapefruit. Squeeze this rind over your glass to release the aromatics and fresh juice before placing the rind atop your drink.
• Salt – Salt lovers can add a salt rim before making the drink. Rim your glass with a lime wedge first, then rub the glass over your preferred salt. Then go on to make the drink. If you do choose to salt your glass, you can omit the pinch of salt in the drink.⁴

Step #4: Consider Batching

This recipe is perfect if you just want to enjoy one Paloma by yourself, but what if you want to impress a few friends? Luckily, this is an easy recipe to batch. Just multiply your ingredients by the number of drinks you want to make. Then you can batch them in a couple of ways:

• Option #1 – Combine your tequila, lime juice, and any sugar ahead of time. Then add the grapefruit juice, SLIQ pop, club soda, and salt as you prepare each drink.
• Option #2 – Combine all the ingredients except the salt in a punch bowl or pitcher. All you have to worry about is garnishing the glasses and putting a pinch of salt in each as you serve.

Enjoy Better Cocktails with SLIQ

There’s no feeling quite like making the perfect cocktail—that first delicious sip says it all. Palomas can definitely be added to your list of Cinco de Mayo cocktail recipes and are really just perfect for any occasion! 

If you’re looking to elevate your cocktails game, throw SLIQ into the mix. Our frozen cocktail pops are undeniably flavorful, whether you’re enjoying a frozen margarita pop inside a Paloma or savoring a Blue Raspberry Vodka pop on its own. There are also numerous easy tequila recipes that pair well with our frozen cocktail pops.

Keep the good times flowing with SLIQ frozen cocktail pops. 

 

Sources: 

1. Alcademics. Paloma History – Tracing the Facts and Fiction about this Tequila Cocktail’s History. https://www.alcademics.com/2017/11/paloma-history-tracing-the-facts-and-fiction-about-this-tequila-cocktails-history.html 
2. Bon Appetit. Paloma. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/paloma 
3. Food & Wine. Paloma. https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/paloma 
4. Liquor.com. Paloma. https://www.liquor.com/recipes/paloma/