Our Ultimate Guide Whiskey Cocktails That Will Keep Your Team Spirits High

Whiskey is the perfect liquor for tailgating. It’s extremely versatile and can be used in hot drinks, like the hot toddy, when you’re tailgating during football season, and iced drinks, like the whiskey smash, when you’re tailgating for baseball.

People also love whiskey because of the wonderful range of flavors and styles. You’ll be amazed at how many great cocktails you can make. So grab a bottle of whiskey and some highball glasses, and get ready to becomes a master whiskey cocktail mixologist.

7 Whiskey Cocktails for Tailgating

Here are just some of the best whiskey cocktails that are perfect for tailgating. Cheers!

1. Whiskey Sour

We’re starting off with one of our favorite tailgating essential cocktails. This classic was developed in the late 1800s and remains as one of the most popular whiskey cocktails. 

As far as cocktails go, the Whiskey Sour is one of the simplest. Brought about more than a century ago,  it is merely the combination of whiskey, citrus juice of some kind (though 9 times out of 10 it will be lemon) and a sweetening agent, usually granulated sugar or simple syrup.

Most of the time, it is the proportions of these ingredients that differentiate one recipe from another. Conservative examples call for a 1:2:3 ratio for the sweet, sour, and liquor elements, while some up the pucker factor to a whopping 6 to 1 sour to sweet.

Love whiskey sours? Try this variation that includes red wine and optional egg white.

2. Irish Maid 

The Irish Maid and the Whiskey Sour have a lot in common. However, with the addition of cucumber, this cocktail is very refreshing for summer. The cocktail is absolutely perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Similar to a whiskey sour, this cocktail uses whiskey, lemon, honey syrup, and cucumber for a refreshing drink.

It’s perfect for cooling down your guests on hot summer days. We love this cocktail for tailgating because it’s super easy to make but is really impressive. Cheers!

3. Fearless Redneck

The name alone piqued our tailgating essentials interest and we knew we had to try this bourbon cocktail. Using Jim Beam, this cocktail is a great option for your next tailgate. It can be a challenge to find a new cocktail that will be a hit with your friends. To meet this challenge, we ventured into Jim Beam country and came up with this killer cocktail to liven up your party, not to mention keep you wide awake when the work week catches up to you midway through the second half!

Inspired by the Kentucky and UCLA match up during March Madness, the Fearless Redneck is not just perfect for watching basketball, it’s a great cocktail to bring to a tailgate.

4. Night & Day

We love digging around in classic cocktail recipes. This particular cocktail was a crowd favorite and was inspired by one of our favorite celebrities. Cole Porter, American composer and lyricist would have loved to tailgate. Of course, he wouldn’t have partied at a sporting event, but a pre-show cocktail event would have been right up his alley. As one of Broadway’s main songwriters, Porter was known for the wit and sophistication of his songs. His musicals include Anything Goes, Kiss Me, Kate and countless others.

The Night & Day is one of his favorite drinks. We love this drink for tailgating especially on a Fall evening. The warm flavors and touch of maple syrup are rich and a great way to stay cozy during the game. Garnish this smooth sipper with with orange and lemon peel for a party-ready finishing touch.

5. Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned cocktail is probably the most popular whiskey drinks. There are tons of different variations of this cocktail, but here is our favorite. Robb Spewak, co-host of The Mike O’Meara Show is well known for drinking an occasional Old Fashioned. And it is a drink that pairs well for any event.

Old Fashioned’s were invented in the 1800s and the simple blend of bitters, warm whiskey, and citrus was a hit. It’s also the official cocktail of Louisville, so it’s a perfect cocktail for rooting for the Cardinals. We love sipping on an Old Fashioned during a homegate. It’s the ideal drink to enjoy while watching the game. There are a lot of different takes on the Old Fashioned, but here is our take on it.

6. Hibiscus Bourbon Tea

As we move into the hot summer months, we want something cool to sip on during our tailgates. Hibiscus Bourbon Tea is extremely refreshing. Made with hibiscus-infused whiskey, black tea, and lemon, it’s like a boozy Arnold Palmer.

This is the perfect cocktail to make in a large batch to serve the whole team. Find the infusing kit here (and check out some of their other fun flavors at Rokz) to add to your favorite whiskey. Then you can whip up this cocktail. Just make sure to serve over ice!

7. Belmont Breeze 

We love checking out the cocktail menus at some of our favorite sporting events. This whiskey cocktail comes straight for the Belmont Stakes race. The Belmont Stakes race happens every year, although it doesn’t seem to have the national prominence that the Kentucky Derby or Preakness Stakes have. At least not in terms of a party atmosphere. 

Perhaps it’s the lack of older women in hats that show at the Derby? Maybe it’s the extreme partying, like the Preakness Infield debauchery.

Personally, I think it’s a well known signature cocktail.

Either way we here at Inside Tailgating want to make the Belmont a good party. Enjoy the horse racing at Belmont park while sipping on this delicious cocktail, the Belmont Breeze.

This drink was created by Dale DeGroff in 1998 to act as the new official cocktail of the Belmont Stakes. I am sure you will enjoy it as much as we do.

Check out these other delicious cocktails:

• The Preakness
• Azalea Cocktails
• Summer Southern Cocktails

With these great cocktail recipes, it’s no wonder whiskey has become one of our favorite tailgating essentials. Try some of these drink recipes and let us know what your favorite whiskey cocktail is for tailgating. Leave your answer in the comments or tag us on social media. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more recipes and tailgating tips.