Stir Sour Candy Into Your Tequila Shot For A Tangy Upgrade

Let's be honest — there's a reason that tequila shots come with a lick of salt before and a squeeze of lime juice afterward. With a few exceptions, tequila by itself isn't exactly easy to sip on, which is why so many tequila-based cocktails include sweet mixers and flavorful additions to counteract its relatively strong presence. Clever mixologists have gotten rather creative with surprising mix-ins that elevate tequila to new heights.

As if a shot of tequila wasn't enough to make your lips purse, one creator on Instagram went a step further to make extra sour tequila by using Sour Skittles. Simply add a handful of Sour Skittles into a shot of tequila and stir until the citric acid coating from the candy is adequately mixed into the liquor. You can enjoy a shot of this sweet-and-sour combination that the creator coined "toxic tequila" by itself or add it into a flavored beverage to create a unique cocktail that is brightly colored and full of flavor. Of course, adding candy to tequila isn't exactly a traditional mixer, so some users in the comments are skeptical of how well this toxic tequila actually tastes. Others, however, may see any flavorful addition to tequila as a step up, especially if candy is involved.

Stirring a handful of candies into your shot glass might work for the more "radioactive" candies like Sour Skittles, but for a truly potent candy flavoring, you will need to let the candy sit with your tequila through infusion. Infusion happens when an ingredient such as fruit, herbs, or even candy is combined with alcohol. Over time, the flavor from the additional ingredients is incorporated into the spirit and becomes "flavored." Most ingredients take between 4-7 days sitting in a sealed container to become properly infused with liquor, although the exact time varies greatly depending on the strength of flavor present in your desired ingredients. Chili peppers may take less than 24 hours to take hold of your tequila, while a sprig of fresh mint may need multiple weeks before you can identify any hint of flavor.

If you aren't much of a tequila drinker, this same infusion method can apply to other types of alcohol. Try sticking to lighter alcohols like vodka and gin when infusing candy — clear alcohols are more commonly used when infusing than dark liquors like whiskey and bourbon, as the subtle flavorings present in light liquor are a better pairing with sweet or sour candy flavorings. You can also reverse the process and enjoy tequila-infused candies, although you will likely need to consume a whole lot of candy to achieve the same buzz you get with just one candy-infused tequila shot.