When it come to big game cocktails, most tailgaters are more than happy with a few cases of Bud Light. But if you want to throw a football bash that will be the talk of the parking lot, it's time to work on your game.
Credit: Envision/Corbis
Turns out that beer -- that game day staple -- can be served a lot more ways than in a can (or a helmet, of course). We found 10 recipes for beer cocktails, shooters and punches - some classy, some just killers - will have your guests cheering well before kick-off.
Frank's World-Famous Beer Margaritas
Vanderbilt football fan Jim Voorhies shared his friend Frank's recipe for beer margaritas with Party Central. And though the Nashville resident wasn't particularly looking forward to the first batch Frank whipped up at a recent party, he was pleasantly surprised by the "semi-slushy" results. Better still, it's an incredible easy recipe that's easy to multiply to serve to tailgating masses.
Frank's World-Famous Beer Margaritas
From Jim Voorhies
- 1 container of frozen limeade
- 1/2 of the lime-ade container's worth of tequila
- 2 beers (Voorhies suggests a light beer like Corona or Michelob)
- Mix all ingredients, pour over ice and drink.
Dessert in a Glass
As the founder of the blog The Beer Philosopher, Shawn Connelly takes his brews seriously. So when this Carbondale, Ill. beer-lover actually mixes a beer-based cocktail, you can expect it to be elegant. The most recent concoction he's enjoyed, says Connelly, is a riff on the classic Black and Tan, a layered mix of a stout and an English pale ale, his choice for when tailgating weather turns cold. Connelly suggests using a chocolate stout made with real chocolate, not just flavored malts, resulting in a "nice, full mouth feel and subtle balance; not cloying, yet not as dry as an Irish-style stout." Mixed with a sweet raspberry lambic, this beer cocktail is "truly dessert in a glass," says Connelly.
Dessert in a Glass
From Shawn Connelly
- 1 bottle Young's Double Chocolate Stout
- 1 bottle Lindemans Framboise (Lindemans cherry or peach beers work equally well, says Connelly)
- Pour the stout into a glass until it is two-thirds full. Gently pour in the Framboise to fill the glass. (You can adjust the ratio of the two beers based on your preference.)
The Snakebite
Connelly calls himself a "beer purist," so it's no surprise that his favorite beer cocktails are simple, more traditional pairings that show off the suds, rather than punch bowls full of mixers and bubbly sodas. Luckily their simplicity makes them super-easy for tailgating, though Connelly might not be so glad to see you drinking this cider-beer Snakebite out of plastic cup.
The Snakebite
From Shawn Connelly
- 1 bottle lager beer
- 1 bottle dry cider
- Pour equal amounts of both beers into a cup, and enjoy.
The Bloody Bastard
While he doesn't drink beer cocktails himself -- except for the occasional Black and Tan -- Kurt Missun does collect recipes from his customers at Bay Country Liquors, the beer and spirits shop he owns in California, Md. This one is a riff on a Bloody Mary, perfect for Sunday afternoon games that require an early start.
The Bloody Bastard
- 1 cup filled with ice
- 2 ounces Bass Ale
- Bloody Mary mix
- 1/2 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- Salt for the rims, lime wedges and peeled shrimp garnish optional.
- Pour the beer into the ice-filled cup and top with Bloody Mary mix. Add horseradish and stir.
The Lockhart Zoo
Most tailgaters, says Missun, are usually too lazy to make something as elaborate as a punch, but for those overachievers out there, this concoction is sure to get the tailgate party started, and quickly.
The Lockhart Zoo
From Bay Country Liquors
- Ice
- 3/4 ounce vodka
- 3/4 ounce gin
- 3/4 ounce tequila
- 3 ounces cranberry juice
- 1 beer, preferably a lager or ale
- Shake all ingredients with ice, except beer, and strain into a cup. Top with beer and serve.
Beer Punch
As the New York-based editorial director for one of the world's biggest media companies, you might not expect Colleen Curtis to promote a drink she terms "white trash-tastic." But her beer punch recipe -- received from a friend she can't remember "ages ago" -- is just that, and delicious. She serves it at the beach and when sailing, but we think it's perfect for a tailgate party, too.
Beer Punch
From Colleen Curtis
- 1 can of frozen lime-ade concentrate
- Tequila
- 1 bottle of Corona (or similar light beer)
- 1 can of Sprite (Curtis use diet Sprite)
- Empty the concentrate into a large jug filled with ice. Fill the empty container with tequila and add to the jug. Pour in the beer and soda and drink up!
Shandygaff
Drunk throughout Britain and the Caribbean, the lemony, spicy shandygaff (it's also calls a shandygaff or simply a shandy) is a perfect drink for tailgaters: It's easy, lower in alcohol and super-refreshing. Traditionally made with ginger beer, you can also opt for lemon-lime soda or lemonade.
Shandy Gaf From "The Bartender's Black Book," by Stephen Kittredge Cunningham
- 1 beer
- 1 ginger beer or lemon-lime soda or lemonade
- Fill a cup three-quarters full with beer. Top with ginger beer and serve.
Hop Skip and Go Naked
The editors at the fine blog Drunkentailgate.com - "your guide to college football tailgating - obviously know a thing or two about putting together a parking lot spread. They call the Hop, Skip and Go Naked, from Fine Living Magazine, the most "manly" punch they've ever tasted, and we know they mean that as a compliment.
Hop Skip and Go Naked
From Stephen Phillips and Fine Living Magazine
- 6 12-ounce cans of beer
- 1 pint of Canadian whiskey
- 1 12-ounce can of frozen lemonade concentrate
- 2 liters of lemon-lime soda
- In a gallon container add beer, whiskey and frozen lemonade (and optional lemon-lime soda). Stir and serve over ice.
The Scumbucket
A classic, though perhaps not classy, beer cocktail is the Scumbucket, a heady mix of beer, bourbon, Sambuca, red wine and cream shaken and poured into a shot glass. For tailgaters who wish to actually remember the game, you might consider using just one of the above.
The Scumbucket
From "The Bartender's Black Book," by Stephen Kittredge Cunningham
- 1 ounce beer
- Dash of bourbon
- Dash of Sambuca
- Dash of red wine
- Dash of cream
- Shake over ice and strain into a shot glass.
The Michelada
Mexicans often shake a bit of spice into the top of their bottled Coronas and drink it straight, but the more advanced version of this spicy beer cocktail is called the Michelada. It's made with both soy sauce and Worchestershire, adding a salty kick that's perfect with tailgating classics like chili-cheese nachos and seven-layer dip.
The Michelada
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 12-ounce can beer
- Limes for garnish
- Fill cup half full with ice. Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Top with beer and stir until just combined.
