29 Super Bowl Cocktails to Drink No Matter Who’s Winning (or Losing)
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Simply put: You need a signature Super Bowl cocktail. For any normal game, we’d put out a cooler full of ice-cold beers and call it a day. But Super Bowl Sunday is football’s biggest party of the year, and that calls for something special. So once you've got your Super Bowl appetizers squared away (the hot wings, the queso, and the baby back ribs…) this list will help guide you to the best drink to wash it all down.
Each of these Super Bowl drinks channels the true spirit of a tailgate: They’re laid-back, highly sippable, and stealthily strong. We’ve got beer cocktails like shandies and Micheladas, daytime sippers like Bloody Marys and margaritas, and punches to keep you quenched through every touchdown, every pass interference, and even the halftime show. But we’re not suggesting you station yourself at the bar and miss any of the action. Most of these effortless drink recipes can be batched ahead of time, helping you cater to a crowd while still catching every last commercial. And if things onscreen start to go downhill, that’s what the pitcher of manhattans is for.
Photo by Zachary James Johnston1/29Attitude Adjustment
If the score is looking dismal, raise everyone’s spirits with a big batch of Attitude Adjustments. The game may not turn in your favor, but this Super Bowl cocktail—made with rum, green Chartreuse, lime juice, and Miller High Life—might change your mindset.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht2/29Classic Shandy
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert3/29The Classic Margarita
A well-made margarita is refreshingly tart and appropriately salty. We’ll shake up a batch no matter the occasion, but this cocktail does happen to pair well with some of our best Super Bowl snacks, like fresh tomato salsa.
Photo by Andrea Fazzari4/29Beer Americano
This take on an Americano (a classic Italian cocktail made with Campari, vermouth, and club soda) swaps the soda for lager to make a dark, frothy drink. It’s a real crowd-pleaser, just like the original.
Photo by Eric Medsker. Images Courtesy of Penguin Randomhouse Publisher & Getty Images.5/29Green Bay Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary meets green juice in this cucumber-based concoction, which gains its ultragreen hue from tomatillo, parsley, and green Tabasco. It pays tribute to the Green Bay Packers, but it’ll be a favorite no matter which team is playing. Just maybe don’t serve it to a room full of Bears fans.
Photo by Laura Murray6/29Beer's Knees
Beer, but better. To make a big batch of these pilsner cocktails for your Super Bowl party, scale the recipe up sixfold and mix the gin, lemon juice, and honey in a pitcher; top it off with a six-pack.
7/29Classic Michelada
In this spicy Mexican cocktail, pale lager gets a flavor boost from lime, tomato juice, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Don’t forget the Tajín rim.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton8/29Rosie Ranch Water
Ranch water—the signature drink of the Lone Star state—is made with tequila, lime juice, and soda water. This recipe adds sotol or mezcal for extra earthy, herbal flavor, complementing the herbs and Aleppo-style pepper in the herbed salt rim.
Photo by Peden & Munk10/29Batched Manhattan
If you love a classic manhattan but don’t want to measure and stir all afternoon, stash of batch of the whiskey drink in the back of the fridge. Whether you’re celebrating or commiserating, it’ll hit the spot.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt11/29Cherry-Bourbon Soda Can Cocktail
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi12/29Blue Smoke Bloody Mary
The secret ingredient to this Bloody Mary? Zatarain’s powdered crab boil. The supercharged spice mix adds real kick to a batch of Bloodys—if you can’t find it, substitute Old Bay.
Photo by We Are The Rhoads16/29Bloody Beers
Bloody Mary meets michelada in these tomato juice–spiked lagers, garnished with spicy pickled green beans and fennel.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton17/29Old-Fashioned
Every whiskey drinker has a preferred old-fashioned ratio—ours involves a spoonful of simple syrup (not a sugar cube) and a cocktail cherry to garnish. But feel free to customize to your taste: One commenter recommends replacing the simple syrup with maraschino cherry juice from the jar.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele18/29Life of the Party
This bitter, lightly spiced punch recipe might not contain any alcohol, but make no mistake—it’ll still be the life of the party. There’s no shame in the zero-proof game (just please don’t call it a mocktail).
Photo & Food Styling by Joseph De Leo19/29The Most Refreshing Gin and Tonic
Making a good gin and tonic is an art, but making the best gin and tonic comes down to science. The colder your ingredients, the longer your gin and tonic will keep its fizz: Store gin in the freezer and small bottles of tonic in the fridge for the most refreshing drink.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne20/29Aperitif Scorpion Bowls
There’s no better way to pregame nachos and baked chicken wings than with a boozy, lightly bitter aperitif. With amaro, sweet vermouth, and bitters, this scorpion bowl is a punch for fans of Italian classics like negronis.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano21/29Jam Session
Keep things light and pleasantly fruity with this low-ABV cocktail, combining fino sherry, ginger kombucha, and fresh watermelon juice.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt22/29Spiked Ginger-Lemonade Soda Can Cocktail
Photo by W&P Design23/29Americano-Americano
Keep the game day energy high by mixing your morning Americano with…well, an Americano. Here, we give the classic Americano cocktail a caffeinated boost from cold-brew concentrate.
Photo by Paul H. Christian, Food Styling by Michele Figliuolo24/29Cold Toddy
If you like to start your morning with a cup of tea, start your game day with a glass of Earl Grey–infused whiskey. It’s served cold, not hot, because the game will inevitably get heated.
Photo by Kelly Puleio25/29Perfect Circle
This bittersweet spritz pairs well with salty appetizers like potato chips, making it the ideal companion to your spread of game day dips.
Photo by Kelly Puleio28/29Islay and Olive
This batched dirty martini is proof that you should be adding scotch to your cocktails. It yields 12 servings and can hang out in your freezer for a while—add the olive oil just before serving.
