Drinks for tailgates should survive the cooler, the crowd, the pregame, and everything that happens before kickoff. If your game day drink requires a shopping list, a cocktail shaker, and a dedicated bartender, it probably does not belong at the tailgate.
What Makes a Great Game Day Drink?
A good tailgate drink has a pretty simple job. It needs to be easy to chill, easy to grab, and good enough that people actually want another one later.
That is where ready to drink cocktails make sense. They arrive prepared, so there is no need to bring liquor, mixers, fruit, ice for shaking, glassware, or a recipe just to make one drink.
You can put them in the cooler before you leave home and get on with the important stuff, like figuring out where everyone is parking.
For a closer look at why this format has taken off, check out what a spiked juice box is.
Start With the Cooler
Your cooler is basically the bar at a tailgate.
Keep the alcoholic drinks together, leave room for ice, and make sure there is plenty of water for anyone who wants to alternate between drinks. If you are bringing food too, you do not want half your cooler taken up by ingredients for cocktails that still need to be made.
This is one reason tailgate ready to drink cocktails work so well. You can chill them ahead of time and hand them out without stopping the party to mix another round.
Sidewayz also gives you a range of fruit forward flavors, so the cooler does not have to be a wall of identical drinks.
Bring More Than One Flavor
Not everyone at the tailgate wants the same thing.
One person might reach for Blue Raspberry. Someone else might want Mango Pineapple. Another might go straight for Strawberry Lemonade.
Sidewayz also offers Fruit Punch, Tropical Blast, and Watermelon.
Mixing flavors gives people a choice without turning the tailgate into a full drink station. Grab what sounds good, keep the rest cold, and get back to whatever argument the group is having about the game.
If you want more ideas for keeping the drinks simple, see low effort, high fun drinks.
Keep the Pregame Moving
The pregame is when everyone arrives at different times.
Someone is setting up the grill. Someone is looking for a parking spot. Someone brought snacks but forgot plates. Someone is already talking about the first quarter like the game started an hour ago.
This is not the moment for complicated drinks.
Ready to drink options let people grab something when they arrive without waiting for somebody to mix a cocktail. That matters when your group is spread out, people are moving between tailgates, or you are trying to get everything packed up before heading inside.
For more portable drinking ideas, check out drinks that go wherever you do.
Know When to Restock
Nobody wants to discover that the cooler is empty ten minutes before kickoff.
If you have a larger group, keep part of your supply chilled separately rather than putting every drink out at once. That way, you have cold drinks available later instead of one giant cooler that has been opened every five minutes since the first person arrived.
It also gives you an easy way to keep track of what is left.
And when you are packing up, you are not digging through a cooler full of melted ice looking for the last drink.
Make the Walk to Kickoff Easy
Eventually, the tailgate ends.
The grill gets packed away. The chairs go back in the car. Everyone checks the time. Then the group starts heading toward the stadium or back to the vehicle for the rest of the game day.
This is another place where ready to drink cocktails make sense. There is nothing else to carry around just to finish your drink. You are not leaving behind a half assembled cocktail station or trying to figure out what to do with an open bottle of mixer.
You can also check out throw it in the cooler and go for more of the same grab and go mentality.
Why Sidewayz Fits the Game Day Cooler
Sidewayz was made for occasions where you want bold fruit flavor without turning the drink into a project.
The lineup includes six fruit forward flavors, including Blue Raspberry, Fruit Punch, Mango Pineapple, Strawberry Lemonade, Tropical Blast, and Watermelon. The portable format makes them easy to work into a cooler setup, whether you are meeting friends in a parking lot or watching the game somewhere else.
The bigger point is simple. Game day already has enough moving parts.
Your drinks do not need to be one of them.
A Simple Game Day Drink Setup
For a straightforward tailgate, start with cold ready to drink options, enough water for the group, and a cooler that can keep everything chilled throughout the pregame.
Add your food, chairs, music, and whatever else your group considers essential.
Then leave the complicated cocktail setup at home.
The goal is not to build a professional bar in a parking lot. It is to have good drinks available when people want them and enough flexibility to enjoy the day without constantly stopping to prepare something.
That is what makes a ready to drink setup work from the first arrival through kickoff.
Drink Responsibly on Game Day
Game day can run for hours, so pace yourself. Eat before and while drinking, alternate alcoholic drinks with water, and know your limits.
Game day can run for hours, so pace yourself. The CDC’s guidance on alcohol use offers additional information on responsible alcohol consumption. Eat before and while drinking, alternate alcoholic drinks with water, and know your limits.
If you are drinking at a tailgate, plan your ride before the first drink. Designate a sober driver, use a rideshare service, or make another safe transportation plan.
The best game day is the one everyone gets home from safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Best Drinks for Tailgates?
The best drinks for tailgates are easy to chill, easy to serve, portable, and simple to enjoy. Ready to drink cocktails are a convenient choice because they do not require mixing or additional ingredients.
What Are Tailgate Ready to Drink Cocktails?
Tailgate ready to drink cocktails are prepared alcoholic beverages designed to be enjoyed without mixing additional ingredients. They are convenient for outdoor game day setups because they can be chilled and served straight from the cooler.
Why Are Ready to Drink Cocktails Good for Tailgates?
Ready to drink cocktails reduce the amount of equipment and ingredients needed at a tailgate. There is no cocktail shaker, mixer, recipe, or glassware required to prepare each drink.
What Should I Pack in a Tailgate Cooler?
A tailgate cooler can include chilled alcoholic drinks, plenty of water, and ice or cooling packs. Keeping some drinks aside for later can help maintain a cold supply throughout the pregame.
Should You Bring Multiple Drink Flavors to a Tailgate?
Bringing multiple flavors gives guests more choice without requiring a separate drink station. Fruit forward options can also add variety when several people are drinking together.
What Sidewayz Flavors Work for Game Day?
Sidewayz offers Blue Raspberry, Fruit Punch, Mango Pineapple, Strawberry Lemonade, Tropical Blast, and Watermelon. Mixing several flavors can give a group more options from the same lineup.
Do Ready to Drink Cocktails Need To Be Mixed?
No. Ready to drink cocktails are prepared in advance, so they can be chilled and enjoyed without adding mixers or following a cocktail recipe.
How Do You Keep Tailgate Drinks Cold?
Use an insulated cooler with enough ice or suitable cooling packs, keep the cooler closed as much as possible, and avoid leaving it in direct sunlight. Keeping some drinks in reserve can also help maintain a cold supply later in the day.
What Should You Drink Before a Football Game?
There is no single drink that everyone needs to choose before a football game. If you drink alcohol, choose something you enjoy, eat beforehand, stay hydrated, pace yourself, and arrange safe transportation.
When Should You Stop Drinking Before Kickoff?
There is no universal cutoff because people, games, and circumstances differ. If you are drinking at a tailgate, pace yourself, stay hydrated, know your limits, and make sure you have a safe transportation plan before drinking.
Ready for Kickoff?
Pack the cooler. Pick your flavors. Get the food ready. Then let the pregame take care of itself.
Explore the Sidewayz lineup and find your game day flavor. Drink responsibly and make a safe ride home part of the plan.