Okay, so the grub is all prepared, the TV is on, and everyone is arriving to watch the big game. What drinks do you serve to hold them off until kick-off time? Here are ten suggestions representing our favorite submissions and covering a variety of tastes… and including a cocktail for each team’s fans. Give each person a different drink to spark up a bit of pre-game conversation.

Verde Chelada
1 ½ parts Ancho Verde Green Chile Liqueur
½ part lime juice
1 big pinch of salt
12 parts Mexican lager beer (or green chile beer if it is available in your area)
salt for rim

Rim a cold beer glass with kosher salt. Add salt, lime, and Ancho Verde to a cold beer glass and stir to mix. Add ice and then beer. Garnish with a lime wheel.

The Touchdown
2 parts Svedka Cucumber Lime
4 parts Voluptuous Mix*

*Voluptuous Mix
3 cups V-8 juice
3 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4 limes)
1-1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1-2 lemons)
1/2 tsp. prepared horseradish
2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
4 Tbsp. half-sour pickle brine
1 cup chopped peeled cucumber (run through food processor)
4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
2 Tbsp. kosher salt

Build in a highball glass rimmed with Voluptuous Salt. Garnish with cooked peeled shrimp, 2 slices of lime, a cucumber wedge, and a sprig of cilantro.

Grilled Grapefruit Paloma
2 parts Hornitos Plata Tequila
1 part fresh lime juice
¾ part ginger sage syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
top with grapefruit beer (appx. 1 part)
grapefruit
sage sprigs

Combine equal parts sugar and water with 1 ginger slice and 4 sage sprigs and bring to a boil to create ginger sage syrup. Allow the mixture to cool; combine all ingredients except grapefruit beer in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain the mixture into a highball glass filled with ice and top with grapefruit beer. Garnish with a grilled grapefruit slice.

For New England fans:
Paul Revere’s Mule
1 1/2 parts Stoli Vodka
3 parts Stoli Ginger Beer
lime wedge

Pour vodka and ginger beer in a mule glass with ice. Gently stir and then garnish with the lime wedge before serving.

For Atlanta Fans:
Matty Iced Tea
1 1/2 parts Stoli Peach Vodka
3 parts iced tea
¾ part fresh lemon juice
¾ part simple syrup
lemon wedge

Mix all ingredients into a tall tea glass. Garnish with lemon wedge and serve.

The Mayor’s Lament
1 ½ oz. Rittenhouse 100 Proof Rye
1 oz. Nardini Amaro
Generous six dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters
Another six dashes Woodford Reserve Spiced Cherry Bitters
2-3 dashes Peychaud’s

Mix all ingredients in a rocks glass with ice and serve.

The Effen Red Zone
1 part Effen Original Vodka
1 part grapefruit juice
1 part orange juice

Build over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange wheel.

The Dixie Firefly
This one’s spicy!
1 1/2 oz. Dixie Black Pepper Vodka
1 1/2 oz. ruby red grapefruit juice
3/4 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup

Shake and pour over ice. Garnish with fresh jalapeno slices.

Planter’s Punch
2 parts Banks 7 Golden Age Rum
3/4 part pineapple Juice
3/4 part cranberry syrup (equal parts fresh cranberry juice and simple syrup)
5 parts orange juice
½ part lime juice
1 dash of Angostura bitters
mint sprig
cranberries

Shake with ice and strain into a terra cotta cup filled with pebble ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and three cranberries.

Whiskey Beer Sour
From Karen Miner
1 lemon wedge
1/4 cup lemonade
1 oz. whiskey
8 oz. amber ale

Squeeze lemon wedge into glass. Lightly mix lemonade, whiskey, and beer together in glass. Serve immediately.

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