For those not addicted to sports talk radio or the endless loop of Sportscenter on ESPNews, a Super Bowl is brewing down in the bayou, a classic East vs. West, sibling rivalry showdown that is sure to attract more than 100 million sets of eyeballs on Sunday. Sure, beer is the great liquid companion for watching the brain-bashing taking place on the gridiron, but sometimes a watered-down Bud Light just doesn’t cut the mustard—at least not on this, the holiest of Sundays. So we’ve compiled a handful of cocktails for you to tie one on, each representing a team and the host city of Super Bowl XLVII. Enjoy, be responsible and if you call in sick on Monday, have a good excuse—one too many Sazeracs won’t cut it.
The Baltimore Ravens—Black-Eyed Susan
You may say this drink is reserved for the sport of kings—American thoroughbred’s smallest jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness—but when talking about Baltimore, this drink is pretty much engrained in the fabric of the city (besides, of course, the tasty brews from Dogfish Head). Though Maryland's official state drink is milk, the Black-Eyed Susan (consequently the state flower) is much more fun than replenishing some calcium with a glass of milk. What’s more, with Ray Lewis hocked up on deer antler velvet, a hit from the legendary linebacker is sure to feel like a kick from a rodeo bull, leaving fellow “U” alum runningback Frank Gore with a black eye—ah, get it?—in the process.
Black-Eyed Susan
Serves 2
- 1½ oz. vodka
- 1½ oz. light rum
- 1 oz. triple sec
- 6 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice (about three oranges)
- 4 oz. pineapple juice
- ¼ lime, juiced
Mix ingredients in a large mixing tin. Pour into a Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and maraschino cherry.
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For a larger soiree, make a punch for 10 large servings
- 1¼ cup vodka
- 1¼ cup light rum
- ¾ cup triple sec
- 4 cups orange juice
- 2½ cups pineapple juice
- 1 lime, juiced
Chill ingredients and combine in a punch bowl. Serve over crushed or chipped ice in a Collins glass. Garnish with an lime slice and maraschino cherry.
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A few more fun facts about Maryland: The state dinosaur is the Astrodon johnstoni, a brontosaurus-like herbivore with star-shaped teeth, and the state exercise is walking—because, as they say in the Old Line State, slow and steady wins the race.
The San Francisco 49ers—The Gold Rush
When it comes to San Francisco, there is certainly no short order of cocktails to tag to the quirky city. But for this sip, the goal was to tie it to the 49ers—the original ones.
Gold is the theme of this drink, in honor of the reason people flocked to San Fran in the first place: the Gold Rush of 1849. This is a simple cocktail, just four ingredients, but sometimes life’s greatest pleasures come from the simple things.
The Gold Rush
Serves 2
- 4 oz. bourbon
- 3 tbs. honey
- 2 tbs. boiling water
- 1½ lemons, juiced (roughly 2 oz.)
Add honey to a small mixing bowl. Pour in boiling water and whisk until a thin syrup. Whisk in bourbon and lemon. Let cool.
To serve, add mix to a cocktail tin over ice; shake. Strain over an ice ball in a rocks glass. Enjoy.
New Orleans—Sazerac
It is always important to raise a glass for the host city of the Super Bowl. After all, the city turns itself inside out to accommodate the throngs of people who migrate for the week. Although most stumbling along Bourbon Street may say the Hurricane or Hand Grenade is the official drink of New Orleans, the Sazerac, through an act of Congress, takes top billing.
This classic cocktail, a southern twist on the Old-Fashioned, is a marriage of classic American flavors (rye whiskey) influenced by the French (absinthe) with just a dash (or three) of Cajun gumption—Peychaud’s Bitters, a concoction whipped up by Creole apothecary, Antoine Amédée Peychaud. Some boldly state the Sazerac is the oldest-known American cocktail; to that, we say, neat. Now pour one up already and lets enjoy some commercials.
Sazerac
-
2 oz. rye whiskey (for a Sazerac, use Sazerac rye) - 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
- 1 sugar cube
- Splash of absinthe*
Fill an old-fashion glass with crushed ice and top with water; set aside to chill. In another old fashion glass, muddle sugar cube and bitters. Add rye and stir to combine.
Empty ice from first glass. Pour in absinthe and swirl to coat the sides of the glass; dump excess. Pour in the rye/sugar mix. With a lemon twist, wipe rim of glass and drop into the cocktail. Now sit back and enjoy one of the finest cocktails known to man.
*If absinthe is not handy, substitute with Herbsaint. If Herbsaint is not handy, stick with beer because you blew it!
If you would like to nominate a cocktail recipe to appear in our latest series “Weekend Cocktails,” email the online editor here.
Tools of the Trade
Become a master mixologist, or at least look like one, with the tools that make the trade.
- Muddler: This little tenderizing stick is a godsend and a must for any home bar. If fruity cocktails are in your future, the muddler is the only way to unlock fruits’ flavor.
- Handheld Citrus Juicer: Nothing beats freshly squeezed juice, but it can be a pain. Invest in a handheld citrus juicer; they are cheap and do the trick tout de suite.
- Cocktail Shaker: Don’t be a chump stirring your martini like a noob; purchase a nice shaker and become a master home barkeep.
- Jigger: This little apparati will make mixing the perfect drink as easy as pie. It's equipped with 1½ oz. and ¾ oz. cups for perfectly measured pours every time.
*Pictured available at Williams-Sonoma
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