Pull up your playlist and get ready to party...well...pre-party. Pregame drinks shouldn't be difficult to make - you're too busy playing games, amping up for a night out, or getting gussied up for the party. And you certainly don't want to come home to a mess in your kitchen, so we've kept the recipes easy. Save a few bucks before heading out with the best pregame drinks around.
Vodka or Tequila & Soda Pregame Drink
Keep it classic with a vodka soda, or think outside of the box with a tequila soda for something a little different.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces vodka or tequila
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Lemon slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice and vodka.
- Top off with club soda.
- Stir once to mix.
- Garnish with a lemon slice.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Pregame Shot
No pregaming festivity is complete without a shot or two. But don't enjoy one more than one, or else your night out will be cut short. This is the perfect shot for those who want something sweeter.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce peanut butter whiskey
- ¾ ounce raspberry liqueur
- Ice
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, peanut butter whiskey, and raspberry liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a shot glass.
Classic Snaquiri Pregame Shot
Don't worry about slowly sipping your way through a daiquiri, especially not when you're pregaming. The snaquiri shot is the bite-size buddy of the classic cocktail.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce white rum
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce strawberry liqueur
- Ice
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, white rum, lime juice, and strawberry liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a shot glass.
Rum and Cola: A Pregame Classic Highball
Few drinks are more classic and reliable than the rum and cola, especially great for when you want a little boost from caffeine without an energy drink to send your heart rate skyrocketing. Rum doesn't speak to you? Consider using whiskey, or going for a whiskey and ginger.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces spiced rum
- Ice
- Cola to top off
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass or highball glass, add ice and spiced rum.
- Top off with cola.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Pregame Jungle Juice
You're pregaming to save yourself a few bucks, so why not save a couple more dollars for the Uber surge pricing later by downing some jungle juice as your pregame?
Ingredients
- 2 ounces rum
- ½ ounce vodka
- ½ ounce orange liqueur
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- 3 ounces pineapple orange juice
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Mint sprig for garnish OR lemon slice
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, pineapple orange juice, and lime juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a mint sprig.
Tart Pregame Vodka Cranberry
Cranberry juice goes a long way when you're pregaming. If vodka isn't your spirit of choice, mix your cranberry juice with rum, tequila, gin, or whiskey. Not all of them together, though. You still have a night ahead of you. You can stretch your cranberry juice even further by using equal parts cranberry juice and a plain or flavored club soda.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces vodka or other spirit
- Ice
- Cranberry juice to top off
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice and vodka.
- Top off with cranberry juice.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Refreshing Pregame Tequila Limeade
If you're feeling ambitious or you want something a little more elevated, go all the way and make a limeade margarita by adding in a half ounce of orange liqueur and a quarter ounce of agave or honey syrup. Otherwise, get pouring for an easy pregame limeade cocktail.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Limeade to top off
- Lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, tequila, and simple syrup.
- Top off with limeade.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with a lime wheel.
Classic Pregame Gin and Tonic
Sometimes the best friendships happen over the love of gin. It's not often you find someone that loves this juniper spirit as much as you do. Don't forget to text them to rally and pregame for a night out together soon. Give this a tasty spin by subbing the lime juice for elderflower liqueur.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces gin
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Tonic water to top off
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, gin, and lime juice.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with tonic water.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Salty Dog
Indulge in another drink that can go the distance when you're pregaming with friends. Swap the vodka for gin or tequila to make a pregame suited for anyone.
Ingredients
- Grapefruit or lime wedge and salt for rim
- 2 ounces vodka
- 4 ounces grapefruit juice
- Ice
- Grapefruit wedge for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the citrus wedge.
- With the salt on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the salt to coat.
- In the prepared glass, add ice, vodka, and grapefruit juice.
- Stir gently to mix.
- Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Pregame Drink Inspiration
You don't need a cocktail shaker or much work to enjoy a pregame drink or two with friends. These are a few easy ideas if you don't want to indulge in hard liquor. You can sip a glass of wine, make it light with a wine spritzer, or make it juicy with some sangria. If beer is your drink of choice, you can enjoy that as normal or transform it into a beer-cocktail or "beertail." And never underestimate the simplicity of a hard cider or hard seltzer. Bottoms up!
Getting a Leg Up With Pregame Drinks
Start your night of fun with a pregame session with your friends. Get the night going with some music and bust out a game of Kings. Whether you're pregaming for a football game, a night of partying, or gearing up for any other festivity, a pregame drink will get the party wheels turning.
