In honor of the Fourth of July, we bring you nine reasons to leave mixto tequilas on the shelf and, instead, pour something a 1776 patriot would have raised a glass to. Let’s celebrate the freedom to skip the additive-loaded, sugar-pumped, headache-inducing bottles that have been crowding back-bar shelves for decades.
1. Additives Were Not in the Original Declaration
The founding documents made no mention of glycerin, caramel coloring, sugar syrup, or oak extract. Yet most mass-market tequilas include all four to fake the flavor. As you consider your beverage options this holiday, remember that Mexican law allows up to 1% additives in tequilas, and many brands take full advantage of that loophole.
2. No Founding Father Would Settle for Mixto
A mixto tequila legally needs to contain only 51% Blue Weber agave. The rest is cane sugar, corn syrup, or fermentable sweetener. Settling for the bare minimum has never been the American standard.
3. Your Liberty Includes Skipping the Sugar Syrup
Sweeteners pumped into cheap tequila do not improve the spirit. Instead, they mask flaws, hide thin agave content, and trick your palate into believing the bottle has depth. Borracho Tequila skips all of that. Our meticulous process, which includes slow-cooking Blue Weber agave, brings out the succulent’s natural sweetness and depth, rather than the harshness that cheap tequila tries to bury under salt and lime.
4. Mass Production Has Zero Patriotic Loyalty
Most industrial tequila factories use diffusers to extract scratches and sugars from raw agave within a few hours, chemical accelerators to rush fermentation, and high-temperature shortcuts to get tequila into a bottle ASAP.
It takes seven to ten years for an agave plant to mature under the Jalisco sun. Borracho Tequila respects that timeline. After the long yet worthwhile wait, we cook the piñas (the heart) at low temperatures, ferment them naturally, and double-distill the result. Nothing about the process is rushed.
Learn more about our tequila-making process here.
5. The Hangover Is Not the Price of Freedom
Tequila has unfairly taken the blame for some of history’s worst hangovers, but the truth is, what brands put into the bottle alongside the agave does the damage. Glycerin, added sugars, and artificial flavorings catch up to you the next day.
A word to the wise: Your Fifth of July should not be a casualty of your Fourth. Skip the pounding headache by switching to 100% blue agave, additive-free tequila, and drinking responsibly.
6. Cheap Tequila Cannot Salute a Single Cocktail
The greatest Paloma, margarita, or espresso martini ever poured started with a top-quality base. Cheap tequila ruins everything downstream, no matter how fresh the lime or how good the bartender is.
7. Mixto Tequila Wraps Itself in Stars and Stripes in Hopes You Buy It
Some brands hide low-quality tequila behind frosted glass, heavy bottles, and loud marketing. Borracho Tequila lets the taste do all the work. Our Borracho Tequila Blanco Artesanal won Gold at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Double Gold at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and Gold again at the 2026 Latin American World Spirits Competition. Our other expression, Espresso Cristalino, also received Double Gold at the 2026 Latin American World Spirits Competition.
8. Like How Patience Makes the Brisket, It Makes the Agave Too
Ask anyone who takes barbecue seriously, and they will tell you the same thing: You can’t rush a good brisket! The second you try, everyone at the cookout can taste it.
Preparing freshly harvested agave needs time and patience, too. When a distillery slow-cooks the piñas, the agave’s natural sweetness comes forward, and the flavor becomes rounder, richer, and a lot less “chase this immediately!” Since factories blast through the process to save time and money, you’ll taste the shortcuts in every flat, harsh sip.
9. Liberty Tastes Like 100% Blue Weber Agave
Honesty is freedom. If you haven’t tasted real, honest tequila, make the Fourth the day you upgrade. Choose a bottle with zero additives, that leads with agave, and leaves the cheap stuff to fend for itself at somebody else’s cookout (though we wouldn’t wish a bad bottle on anyone, even the guy who parks between two spots). Choose Borracho Tequila.
This Fourth of July, Go Red, White, and Blue (Agave)
When the grill is going, the playlist is loud, and somebody is arguing about whose hot dogs are better, do your guests a favor and open a bottle of Borracho Tequila.
Pour our Blanco Artesanal while everyone eats. Its bright, agave-forward flavor pairs beautifully with grilled corn, brisket, and almost everything else on your Fourth of July spread. You can save our Espresso Cristalino for later, when the crowd settles in, and a smooth, slower sip suits the moment better than another beer.
Whichever one fills your glass, you are toasting freedom with a tequila that earned its honors the same way the United States of America did—by refusing to take the easy way.
Celebrate with Borracho Tequila and make your Fourth of July unforgettable. Head to borrachotequila.com/store-locator to find a bottle near you.
FAQs About Tequila and the Fourth of July
What is the best tequila for a Fourth of July celebration?
Look for three things on the label. First, the bottle should say “100% Blue Agave.” Second, find an NOM number (Norma Oficial Mexicana) that identifies the bottle’s distillery in Mexico. Third, go with brands that openly state they don’t use additives. Don’t worry, Borracho Tequila checks all three boxes and more.
Does additive-free tequila cause less of a hangover?
While additive-free tequila does not prevent hangovers completely, it causes milder symptoms compared to mass-market spirits. The added sugars, glycerin, and congeners in mixto tequilas are mainly responsible for more brutal, regret-filled mornings.
Is tequila or beer the better Fourth of July drink?
Beer is the classic, but a good bottle of tequila is more versatile. You can pour cocktails during the day (click here for recipes!), sip it neat at night, and skip the bloating that beer’s carbonation and carbs cause.
Can I serve tequila to guests who say they hate it?
The Fourth is a good day to change their minds, but only if they’re willing. Most people who dislike tequila grew up on cheap mixto shots. A smooth 100% blue agave pour like Borracho Tequila could flip them in one sip.
