Get your brackets ready: It’s March Madness time, and this post will prepare you to host a watch party like a pro. This is the Division 1 of game day cocktails, so get your playbook ready.
Whether you’ve been following college basketball all season or you selected your bracket based on whose mascot you liked the most, we can all enjoy a self-serve cocktail station.
March Madness watching is a marathon, not a sprint. Start things off with the best Bloody Mary recipe around. It’s the MVP of brunch for good reason. We make our Bloody Mary Seasonings with all-natural, real ingredients—the same ones you’d use if you were making a mix from scratch, but luckily you don’t have to! Lea and Perrins Worcestershire, freshly grated horseradish, lemon juice, black pepper, a hint of celery seed, and our special spice mix make perfectly zesty and flavorful Bloody Marys.
To set up a March Madness drinks station, you’ll need:
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Demitri’s Bloody Mary Seasonings. We recommend the Demitri’s Bloody Mary Party Kit so you can try our Classic, Chilies & Peppers, and Chipotle Habanero variations—plus you’ll get margarita mix for later in the evening (and more fun additions like Rimshot Rim Salt and pepperoni straws).
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Tomato juice
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Quality vodka. If you have a comprehensive home bar, also set out tequila (for Bloody Marias) or gin (for Red Snappers).
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Garnish. We think it goes without saying, but we’ll say it regardless: No game day party is complete without plenty of garnish options. Check out this post for classic and unique options.
If you want, you can whip up a big pitcher of Bloody Marys and keep it chilled so people can help themselves throughout the game. But you can also write out a recipe card and some shaker cans so people can fully customize their drink from the type of seasoning and rim salt to the type of spirit (or choose to keep it non-alcoholic). Our standard recipe is 6-8 ounces of tomato juice, 1-2 teaspoons of seasoning, 2 ounces of vodka, and all the garnish your heart desires. Combine everything with ice in a shaker can and gently pour between two glasses to combine. It’s an easy layup.
Once your game day party moves into happy hour territory, it’s time to break out the margarita mix. Try our Organic Margarita Mix made without preservatives, gluten, or high-fructose corn syrup—just simple, all-natural ingredients with the ideal combination of tart and sweet. Our 38-Calorie Margarita Mix is a lightened-up version with the same fantastic taste. All you need is your mix of choice and Margarita Rimshot Rim Salt—all included in the Demitri’s Bloody Mary Party Kit—and a quality tequila. Shake, shake, shake and serve it with plenty of fresh lime. To get in the game day spirit, add mix-ins to make colorful margaritas that match your team’s colors (orange slices, pomegranate juice, fresh mint, etc.)
And that’s all you need for a slam-dunk watch party. We’ll see you at tip-off!
