Big game, big drinks: Large-batch cocktail recipes for your Super Bowl crowd
Mackensy LunsfordYou don't need to love football to love the Super Bowl — or at least Super Bowl parties. Even if you're not sure who's playing, celebrating around a table laden with delicious food and drink is always in season.
When I've thrown Super Bowl parties in the past, I've often ordered up small kegs to put on the back porch. But now that I'm older and run with an older crowd, just about everyone I know tries to limit how much beer they drink. These large-batch cocktails are just the ticket for a crowd like that.
As always, a reminder to not drink and drive. With that in mind, the first large-batch recipe in our roundup makes a gallon of nonalcoholic sweet tea punch so you can have something for the designated drivers to drink.
Southern sweet tea punch
This is a booze-free punch but, for those not limiting alcohol, you can add about 1.5 ounces of bourbon or vodka per drink to spike it. Yes, that was a football pun.
Recipe courtesy of Gladys Adams of Adams Catering & Event Services.
Serves: 16 (makes 1 gallon)Hands on time: 5 minutesTotal time: 2 hours
Ingredients
2 family-size tea bags1/2 cup granulated sugar1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate1 (12-ounce) can pineapple-orange concentrate1 lemon or orange, sliced (optional)2 mint sprigs (optional)
Instructions
Bring 8 cups water to boil. Add the tea bags; steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour the tea into a gallon plastic jug with a tight lid. Add the concentrates, stir and chill, up to 24 hours in advance.
Before the picnic or event, fill the rest of the jug with ice cubes and add the fruit slices and mint sprigs. This recipe calls for at least 2 hours of chilling time.
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Beer-garitas
Yes, these are margaritas made with beer, which is perfect if you have a lot of brewskies on hand for a crowd but you're hosting a few people who don't like the taste.
You can reduce the tequila to your preference if you'd like a lower-grade drink. To make a frozen beer-garita, reduce the total number of beers to two, and combine the limeade concentrate and tequila in a blender with crushed ice.
Serves: 8Hands on time: 5 minutesTotal time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate6 to 12 ounces tequila3 (12-ounce) Mexican-style beers, such as CoronaIceLime slices for garnish
Instructions
In a pitcher, stir together the limeade and tequila until well-combined. Add the beers. Pour into individual glasses over ice; garnish with lime slices.
Peachy Keen Punch
If your party planning is Pinterest-worthy, this refreshing peach-filled punch is the drink for you. If you'd like to get extra creative with your ice, freeze lemon rounds and herbs in a Bundt pan filled with water.
Courtesy of Coopers' Craft "Bourbon Ambassador" Michael Ring.
Serves: 12 to 18Hands on time: 20 minutesTotal time: 13 hours
Ingredients
Herbed Simple Syrup:2 cups water2 cups sugar5 sprigs fresh mint3 sprigs fresh rosemary6 fresh basil leaves1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cocktail:2 cups Coopers’ Craft Bourbon20 frozen peach slices4 cups fresh lemonade1 cup Herbed Simple Syrup (above)10 lemon rounds1 ounce citrus bitters of your choice5 pounds ice5 fresh rosemary sprigs 5 fresh thyme sprigs1 (375-ml bottle) Korbel extra dry Champagne
Instructions
To make the herbed simple syrup:
In a large saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Let steep for 1 hour and then strain into a storage container. Discard the spent herbs and store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
To make the punch:
In a large bowl, combine the peaches and bourbon. Cover, and let sit at room temperature overnight.
The next day, transfer the bourbon-soaked peaches and any remaining juice and bourbon to a punch bowl. Stir in the lemonade, herbed simple syrup, lemon rounds and bitters. Stir to combine and add the ice. Float the herbs on top of the punch and top with the Champagne. Serve.
Sparkling gin punch
This classy sparkling punch is perfect if you have a tale of two parties going on, with a screaming bunch in the basement but a more subdued cocktail crowd in the living room. The flavored ice cubes transform this cocktail's flavors as they melt, keeping it cold without watering it down.
This recipe is courtesy of Sinema in Nashville.
Serves 10-12
For punch:1/2 cup Old Dominick Formula No. 10 gin1/2 cup Italicus Rosolio bergamot liqueur (Lillet Rose or an elderflower liqueur would make a fine substitute)1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice1 to 1 1/2 cup soda water750 ML bottle brut sparkling wine
For ice cubes:2 cups lemonade2 cups ginger ale1/2 oz Fee Brothers mint bitters
Instructions
For the ice:
Combine lemonade, ginger ale and bitters. Put in ice tray overnight to form flavored cubes for serving.
For the punch:
Combine gin, bergamot liqueur and pomegranate juice in a pitcher overnight to chill.
When ready to serve, use either a large pitcher or bowl, and add juice/liquor mixture to sparkling wine and soda water. Serve over lemon ginger mint ice cubes (cubes can be served crushed or whole).
Mackensy Lunsford is the food and culture storyteller for USA TODAY Network's South region and the editor of Southern Kitchen.
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Reach me: mlunsford@southernkitchen.com