Don’t fumble on drinks during tailgate season. Kick off the season with game day drinks that go long for the win. Tailgate drinks should be tasty and super easy to make. I’m a huge fan of making batches of drinks ahead of time. This makes party time fun for everyone.

Neutral Zone Drinks

Stay in the neutral zone. Even though there has been so much talk about how bad sugary drinks are for the body, everyone has downed a rum and cola at some point in their life. Pick your favorite base spirit and pair it with a carbonated beverage of your choice. Viola! You have an easy drink.

The following combination is something friends of mine drink.

C-Dew

2 ounces Coconut Rum

5 ounces Mountain Dew

Build in a glass filled with ice. Easy peasy!

More combinations to try: Cherry vodka with cola, tequila and grapefruit soda, gin and tonic, cranberry and citrus vodka, lime vodka with cola, ginger beer and whiskey, etc. You get the idea.

Go Long Punches

Make sure the drinks you serve go long. Make batch drinks like punch and sangria ahead of time. The balance of alcohol to fruits and juices keep guests hydrated without going overboard on liquor. Long drinks also keep refills to a minimum which means more time for fun and conversation. Less time spent on making individual drinks. It’s also a good idea to have an alcohol free drink for minors and designated drivers.

The following recipe can be made without the added alcohol. This gives guests the option of drinking it as is, or adding the rum to individual glasses. Rum should be a ratio of about 1 ounce rum to 5 ounces punch.

Spiced Lemonade Punch – recipe by Cheri Loughlin

Serves 10

1 cup Spiced Syrup*

6 Lemons – juiced

1 Orange – Juiced

32 ounces Water

10 ounces Spiced Rum – optional

Place syrup and juices in a large pitcher or use a container with lid for easy travel. Top with water. Refrigerate until ready to use. Pour into glasses over ice.

*Spiced Syrup: 1-1/2 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup water, 15 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, and a thin sliced peel of one orange. Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continually while bringing to a hard simmer. Remove from heat. Strain to remove spices and orange peel. Allow to cool. Use immediately or place in a glass container with lid. Seal and refrigerate.

More punches and sangrias to consider: Ginger Thyme Cider Rum Punch (multiply each ingredient by 10 to make into batch size. Multiplied it makes approximately 12 – 6 ounce drinks), Red Reindeer Punch (batch size measurements and individual drink measurements included), and Jack Daniel’s Pigskin Punch.

Special Teams Shots

Every tailgate needs a special shot for touchdown celebrations. Choose a shot with your team colors to show your spirit. Try to stay clear of creamy shots that require refrigeration. If you plan on pouring individual shots, chill the ingredients including liquors ahead of time. But it’s best to make it easy. Make your special team shot in a large batch, store in a container with lid and refrigerate overnight. Keep the container on ice at the tailgate until time to celebrate.

The following recipes are those I’ve adapted from long standing shot recipes. These adaptions include juice or mixers so the shots are not quite as strong.

Red Receiver

1/2 ounce Jägermeister

1/2 ounce Blackberry Brandy

1 ounce Cranberry Juice

Combine pre-chilled ingredients. Pour into shooter glass. Serve.

Multiply each ingredient measurement by 64 to fill a gallon size container.

Big O

1/2 ounce Southern Comfort

1/2 ounce Raspberry Liqueur

1 ounce Orange Juice

Combine pre-chilled ingredients. Pour into shooter glass. Serve.

Multiply each ingredient measurement by 64 to fill a gallon size container.

Green Guard

1/2 ounce Citrus Vodka

1/2 ounce Melon Liqueur

1 ounce Pineapple Juice

Splash of Club Soda

Combine pre-chilled ingredients. Pour into shooter glass. Serve.

Multiply the vodka, liqueur and pineapple juice measurements by 64 to fill a gallon size container. Top each shot with club soda when serving.

Blue Blitz

1/2 ounce Tequila

3/4 ounce Blue Curacao

3/4 ounce Limeade

Combine pre-chilled ingredients. Pour into shooter glass. Serve.

Multiply each ingredient measurement by 64 to fill a gallon size container.

The Mini Beer and Baby Guinness are two popular shots but both are layered shots. Go for team colors: green Cheeky Tart, red Alabama Slammer shot or Camarena’s Kiss, orange Alligator shot or Kitten Heel, blue Blueberry Buckle shot, Blue Balls shot or Blue Lagoon, Gold Rushing shot, etc.

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All content ©2015 Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist. All Rights Reserved. Chat with Cheri @Intoxicologist on Twitter and facebook.com/Intoxicologist