Tailgating has to be one of America’s favorite pastimes, especially when football season rolls around. (Go Ravens!) As defined by Wikipedia, tailgating is a “social event held on and around the opening of a vehicle.” It’s basically a party around your car. Drinks, food, music and fun with friends involved. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
Whether you have tickets to the big game, enjoying it from your home team’s tailgating parking lot, at home or your local bar, drinks are a must in order to watch the day’s game(s) properly. Here are a few of my favorite football tailgating drinks:
1) SCREWDRIVER – This is the perfect drink for early morning and afternoon games. And it’s so easy to make!
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces vodka
- 5 ounces orange juice
- A pinch of salt (if desired)
Directions:
Combine ingredients and drink. Keep in mind that the smoother your vodka, the better your Screwdriver will taste.
2) BEER JELL-O SHOTS – The last time you had Jell-O shots were in college, but hey, game days are supposed to be fun!
Ingredients:
- 16 oz malt liquor
- 2 (3 oz) packages of Strawberry Jello
- 2 cups boiling water
Directions:
Stir boiling water into Jello until dissolved. Add malt liquor. Pour mixture into shot glasses or paper cups. Let set in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Beer Jell-O Shots
3) BLOODY MARY – A Bloody Mary requires a few more ingredients than a Screwdriver, but it’s a quintessential tailgating drink.
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces tomato juice
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- 1 dash of Worcestershire sauce
- Celery salt
- Ground pepper
- Hot pepper sauce to taste
- Horseradish to taste (if desired)
- Celery stalk and/or pickle spear for garnish
- Lemon and/or lime wedge for garnish
Directions:
Combine the liquid ingredients in a highball glass over ice cubes and stir. Add the seasonings to taste and garnish with lemon or lime and celery or pickle.
4) IRISH COFFEE – An Irish Coffee is great for cold weather. Yum.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 Irish whiskey (1 1/2 ounces or 3 tablespoons)
- Heavy cream, slightly whipped
Directions:
Fill a mug with hot water to preheat it, then empty. Pour piping hot coffee into warmed glass until it is about 3/4 full. Add the brown sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Blend in Irish whiskey. Top with a collar of the whipped heavy cream by pouring gently over back of spoon. Serve hot.
5) LAGERITA – A beertail, a Lagerita is the best of both worlds.
Ingredients:
- Salt (if desired)
- 2 oz Tequila
- .75 oz Cointreau
- 1 oz Fresh lime juice
- 4 oz Beer
Directions:
If desired, coat the rim of a glass with salt, fill with ice and set aside. Add the tequila, Cointreau and lime juice to a shaker and fill with fresh ice. Shake, and strain into the prepared glass. Top with the beer and garnish with a lime wheel.
The key to a good tailgate is pacing yourself. Football lasts all day on Sundays, so it’s important to drink slowly. I can attest that these drinks will ensure game day fun with friends and family. Do you have any tailgating favorites? Please share!
P.S. Did I mention…GO RAVENS!