This year the US Open was all about tennis rivalries. Jannik Sinner vs Carlos Alcaraz. Aryna Sabalenka vs. Amanda Anisimova. The honey deuce vs. the ace paloma.
What the classic Pimm’s cup is to Wimbledon, the Grey Goose Vodka-and-Chambord honey deuce has been to the US Open, since it was first introduced in 2007. But there is a new contender challenging the honey deuce for that title: the Dobel Tequila ace paloma. The classic and refreshing drink, which combines Dobel Tequila, grapefruit soda and fresh lime juice, made its debut in 2023 and has since been growing exponentially in popularity.
A who’s who of celebrity tennis fans, including Jon Hamm, Jeff Goldblum and Anna Kendrick were seen drinking the sessionable paloma during the Open.
Courtesy Dobel Tequila
This year an estimated 80,000 palomas were served during the tournament, which was an increase of 55 percent over last year. It took a veritable army of more than 150 bartenders to fix these drinks, which are served with tennis ball topped swizzle sticks. The magnitude of the ingredient list is staggering, including 8,688 bottles of Dobel Diamante Cristalino Tequila, 35,000 ounces of lime juice, 15,600 bottles of grapefruit soda, 130,000 dehydrated grapefruit slices and 504 pounds of black salt for garnish.
Dobel was one of the marquee sponsors of the US Open this year and to help get the word out about the drink the brand paired up with tennis players Sabalenka and Taylor Fritz. Fritz even has own favorite drink, a spicy margarita, which was also served at bars around the tennis center. At a pre-Open event Fritz stepped behind the bar and showed off his bartending skills, whipping up a round of margaritas. “I’ve gotten pretty comfortable doing it,” he says. While he likes the ace paloma, he admits that the spicy margarita is “my favorite one.”
Courtesy Dobel Tequila
It’s a natural partnership since Fritz has been a long-time tequila fan. “Any mixed drink with tequila has always been my drink of choice,” he admits. And given the meteoric rise in popularity of tequila the last few years, he’s not surprised by the success of the ace paloma. Could there be a time when the drink is synonymous with the US Open? “That would be awesome,” he says. “I hope we’re moving in that direction.”
Dobel Tequila Ace Paloma
Courtesy Dobel Tequila
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Maestro Dobel Diamante Cristalino Tequila
- .5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- Owen’s Rio Red Grapefruit Soda
- Garnish: Black lava salt and grapefruit wedge
- Glass: Tom collins
Directions:
Rub the rim of a Tom Collins glass with a piece of lime. Roll the rim of the glass through a dish covered in black lava salt and set aside.
Add the Maestro Dobel Diamante Cristalino Tequila and fresh lime juice to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into the prepared glass filled with fresh ice. Top with grapefruit soda. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Fritzy Spicy Margarita
Courtesy Dobel Tequila
Ingredients
- 2 oz Maestro Dobel Diamante Cristalino Tequila
- 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- .75 oz Agave nectar
- Garnish: Black lava salt and jalapeño slice
- Glass: Tom collins
Directions
Rub the rim of a Tom Collins glass with a piece of lime. Roll the rim of the glass through a dish covered in black lava salt and set aside.
Add the Maestro Dobel Diamante Cristalino Tequila, fresh lime juice and agave nectar to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into the prepared glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a jalapeño slice.
