Cocktailgate! The Best Tailgate Cocktails: Ideas for Drinks to Bring Your Friends Before the Next Football Game

Are you ready for some tailgating?

It’s football season. The weather is turning colder. The leaves are changing color. The marching band is filling the air with melodious tunes. The pageantry is out of sight. The only thing left before kickoff is the tailgating. You’ve got your grills going and the smell of meats and other delicious cooking fills the parking lot. The only thing missing is the perfect drink to go with this atmosphere.

The first thing you’ll need to decide is how much prep you want to do at the back of your car. Can you put your drink together there? Or do you need to prepare a big batch ahead of time and transport it to your parking lot gathering? Good thing for you that our list at Tipsy Bartender has some elements of all of these.

On our list, you’ll find:

Pitcher cocktails that only require a few ingredients and can be made ahead of time
Single-serve option for those who like to keep things simple or don’t want to share
And for the truly adventurous tailgater, we’ve got a recipe that will let you infuse your own alcohol with some pre-game excitement.

So get ready for kickoff with these tasty tailgate drinks:

Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary

A classic for a reason, the Bloody Mary is perfect for a tailgate because it can be made ahead of time in a pitcher and transported easily. It’s also a great drink to have before a game because it’s packed with vitamins and minerals from tomato juice.

There are so many different kinds of bloody marys! You’ll be surprised at how much variety you can get in just one drink. If your taste buds have been yearning for something new, try out any or all these tasty options: the Bloody Beer, the Bloody Maria, the Bloody Geisha, the Sriracha Bloody, and the Bloody Mary Oyster Shooters.

Beer Margarita

Chill out with this refreshing Margarita cocktail. You’ll enjoy the taste of Mexico in every sip! Combine beer, tequila, and frozen limeade from concentrate for an extra-special treat that’s sure to please any palate – not just yours. Check out our pitcher ideas to match your team colors: Strawberry Beer Pitcher and Mango Beer Margarita Pitcher.

Screwdriver

Here’s a super easy, tasty highball. It requires just one thing: vodka and orange juice poured over ice with an added garnish of course! A screwdriver cocktail is made by mixing together equal parts clear hard liquor or white spirits mixed in VP liquids – plus they look cool too but we won’t tell anyone if you don’t want us to. Spice it up with the Pink Screwdriver or the Bloody Screwdriver.

Spiked Mimosa Pitcher

For a delicious and festive tailgate drink, make a pitcher of mimosas! This bubbly cocktail is perfect for any occasion. Just add your favorite champagne or sparkling wine to orange juice. If you want to get really creative, try adding other juices like cranberry or pineapple. And don’t forget the vodka!

Madras

The Madras is the perfect drink for when you are in need of something with a little more oomph. With its flavorful, fruity-looking appearance and easy recipe, this classic will be sure not to disappoint! The best part about making it? You can garnish it however your heart desires – maybe an orange peel or even some strawberries would look beautiful on top!

Alabama Slammer

The Alabama Slammer is one of those classic cocktails that’s ultra-beautiful and delicious. And you don’t need to be in Tuscaloosa to watch the Crimson Tide in order to enjoy it. This gorgeous red mixed drink combines Southern Comfort, sloe gin, amaretto, orange juice with a little extra tropical flair from cherry garnish to make this perfect for any occasion!

Pool Party Punch

This great take on our Electric Lemonade is the perfect tailgate cocktail recipe to serve up early in the season, whether you have a pool at your tailgate or not. This incredible mixed drink combines light and refreshing lemonade with tangy blue curacao, and sweet lemon wheels, and orange wedges mixed in for good measure! It’s also big enough that you can share it with friends – so grab some drinks and glasses before we run out of bowls!

Irish Lemonade

Get your sour whiskey and lemonade on with this awesome Irish cocktail! To make the perfect yellow drink, mix up some best quality alcohols like Jameson or Crown Royal. Then add in some fresh lime juice from our tree out front as well as sugar syrup made by cooking together grenadine and club soda until it reaches desired consistency (don’t overdo it). Finally, top off each glass before serving by adding quarters of an inch worth into the bowl – just enough so they can see how fancy we really are at this tailgate!

Game Day Super Bowl Jungle Juice

This is the ultimate party punch and it’s perfect for your next tailgate or game day get-together! It’s super easy to make and only requires a few ingredients: vodka, tequila, rum, gin, triple sec, fruit juices, and lemon-lime soda. Simply combine all of the liquids in a large punch bowl or container and add your favorite fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, cherries, and berries. Let everyone know it’s time to drink up – it’s game day!

Super Bowl Margarita Jungle Juice

This is the perfect drink for your next game day get-together! It’s super easy to make and only requires a few ingredients: tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and lemon-lime soda. Simply combine all of the liquids in a large punch bowl or container and add your favorite fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, cherries, and berries. Let everyone know it’s time to drink up – it’s game day!