Of course “it never rains in Tiger Stadium,” but outside of it, the Dark and Stormy is a worthy addition to any tailgate. This simple cocktail is a real winner. Mix dark rum—spiced rum, if you’re into that—with ginger beer and some squeezes of lime. And, well that’s about it. This drink is especially refreshing on a hot day—so, pretty much all those September and early October contests—and it’s got plenty of kick from the ginger beer to keep you on your toes.
Basically a Bloody Mary that uses beer instead of vodka, the Michelada has nearly countless variations. The one aspect that remains mostly the same is employing a light Mexican beer, like Modelo. Here’s a simple plan: Before leaving home, prepare a pitcher of tomato juice, plenty of lime and several squirts of Worcestershire and hot sauce. Bring it with you, along with your beer of choice, lime wedges and celery salt to rim the cups.
Let your tailgate guests determine how much beer to add to the tomato mixture, but our suggestion is half and half with plenty of ice. The taste is not as heavy as a typical Bloody Mary, which will help you last all day and transition easily to straight beer-drinking closer to kickoff.
