Official Cocktails for the World’s Sporting Events

For most American sporting events, spectators can make due with a round of cold beers or a few fingers of bourbon as they cheer on their favorite team. Certain sporting events, however, require a more refined drink of choice than the average six-pack. So whether you’re cheering on your favorite team in a big game or watching a major tournament, here are a few cocktails that will take your party to the next level.

Honey Deuce – The US Open

It’s a ton of fun to say, but the Grey Goose Honey Deuce is even more fun to drink. The official drink of the US Open since 2007, the Honey Deuce has become a favorite of tennis fans. Combining lemonade, raspberry liquor and vodka, this cocktail will have you hitting aces in no time.

Directions: Fill a highball glass with ice and then add 1.25 oz of Grey Goose vodka. Fill with lemonade below the rim and add a splash of Chambord. If you’re feeling fancy, garnish it with balls of Honeydew melon.

Mint Julep – Kentucky Derby

One of the more storied “official cocktails,” the mint julep has been the drink of choice at the Kentucky Derby since 1938. Each year, nearly 120,000 juleps are served at Churchill Downs during the two-day race. Traditionally, the julep is made with only four ingredients (bourbon, sugar, mint leaf and water) and served in silver julep cup. If you’re mixing at home, feel free to use a highball glass and straw in place of a silver cup.

Directions: Muddle 4 fresh mint sprigs, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons of water in a highball glass. Fill the glass with crushed ice and add 2.5 oz of bourbon. Garnish with a mint sprig and serve.

Team Specific Cocktails

Sometimes you need a different class of drink to effectively cheer for your team. If you’re a Green Bay Packers fan, you can try an Old Fashioned Wisconsin when the Bears come to town. If the Buccaneers are your team, try an Angry Pirate. You can mix up a cocktail for any of the 32 NFL teams, or make dueling cocktails for this year’s Super Bowl matchup.

The Pimm’s Cup – The Taste of Wimbledon

While summer in London isn’t too warm, one of the world’s hottest sporting events calls for a cool drink. Even if you’re not a tennis fan, you can serve up this tasty British export. The Pimm’s Cup is the official drink of Wimbledon, and it provides a clean, refreshing cocktail that is perfect for summer. The drink builds off a custom gin-based liquor, Pimm’s No. 1 Cup, named after London bar-owner James Pimm.

Directions: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 1.5 oz Pimm’s No. 1 Cup and a dash of lemon juice, and then shake well. Strain into an ice-filled glass and add chilled ginger ale. Garnish with 1 peeled cucumber wheel.

Pit Lane Lemonade – Indy 500

While you might associate most auto racing with the refreshing taste of Coors Light or another American macrobrew, the Indianapolis 500 is a completely different beast. The Indy 500, called the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, is one of the oldest and most important automobile races in the world, and it has a drink to suit. As the largest single-day sporting event in the world, the Indy 500 calls for a sophisticated drink, and Pit Lane Lemonade delivers. Using vodka and Limoncé Limoncello, the drink’s bright color celebrates the victory party’s bright yellow theme. Drinking and driving don’t mix, but drinking and watching driving is a tasty combination.

Directions:  Mix 1 oz Limoncello, 1 oz Grey Goose vodka and 3 oz fresh lemonade in a shaker with ice. Pour the mixture into a highball glass and garnish with a twist of lemon.

Azalea Cocktail – The Masters at Augusta

The Masters at Augusta is one of the most exclusive sporting events in the world, as tickets are not sold to the general public. Even if you don’t get to walk the course at Augusta, you can still get a taste of this legendary golf tournament. The Azalea cocktail, named after the azalea bushes that bloom during the tournament, is an easy cocktail to make for those playing along at home. Though the azalea might be poisonous, this cocktail will keep you coming back for more.

Directions: Mix 1 part lime or lemon juice, 1 part pineapple juice and 3 parts gin in a cocktail shaker with ice. Add grenadine to get an azalea shade of pink. Shake, and pour over ice in a highball glass.

Amy Nicole is a cocktail enthusiast and freelance writer for MyFantasyStable.com, the premier fantasy horse racing game. Naturally she enjoys a mint julep while enjoying the fastest 2 minutes in sports.