NCAA’s March Madness is coming to an end this weekend in both the women’s and men’s divisions. If you are like most people, your bracket was blown up after the first round. Now you can sit back and enjoy the final games with an ice-cold beverage in hand. There’s nothing like a cocktail to take the edge off of realizing you will never predict a correct bracket.
Women’s Final Four
The NCAA women’s basketball tournament is down to LSU, Virginia Tech, Iowa, and South Carolina. Let’s go over some regional cocktail recipes so you can find some team spirit.
LSU – Hurricane
LSU is located in the heart of Baton Rouge. You can’t go to Louisiana without trying a hurricane. Give this recipe a try while you watch the #3 Tigers take on the top-seeded Virginia Tech Hokies.
2 oz. light rum
3 oz. dark rum
6 oz. passion fruit juice
6 oz. orange juice
2 tbsp. grenadine
Ice
2 orange slices
2 maraschino cherries
Virginia Tech – The Huntsman
Virginia is known for its whiskey. George Washington distilled his own whiskey at his Mount Vernon estate and the tradition has stuck around ever since. The Huntsman is a refreshing, simple cocktail that can be enjoyed with your bourbon of choice.
2 oz. bourbon
¾ oz. grapefruit juice
¾ oz. honey simple syrup
Garnish with French tarragon
University of Iowa – Frozen Blue Water Margarita
The naturally blue waters of Iowa’s West Okoboji Lake are the inspiration behind this frozen blue water margarita. The cocktail is similar to a traditional margarita and gets its bluish hue from Blue Curacao. The #2 seeded Hawkeyes are looking to advance to the championship over the top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks.
1 ½ oz. tequila
1 oz. blue curacao liqueur
1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
Lime wedge to garnish
University of South Carolina – Charleston Fizz
The Gamecocks came into the tournament as the top seed in their division and have impressed throughout. You can enjoy their semifinal against the Iowa Hawkeyes with a delicious Charleston Fizz, a light cocktail with fresh ingredients.
3 sprigs of fresh tarragon
2 oz. gin
3 oz. Ruby Red grapefruit juice
½ oz. elderflower liqueur
1 oz. simple syrup
Club soda
Grapefruit slices for garnish
Men’s Final Four
The men’s Final Four is a bit more unexpected in terms of competition. This year’s tournament saw all the top-seeded teams eliminated in some of the wildest upsets ever seen in NCAA history. #9 Florida Atlantic University, #5 San Diego State, #5 University of Miami, and #4 UConn are left standing and will be fighting for championship glory.
Florida Atlantic University – Mojito
While Boca Raton is technically just outside of Miami, it still contains that quintessential Miami flair. FAU is the last underdog left standing and has been the Cinderella Story of the tournament. Fans may need a strong mojito to make it through their game against San Diego State.
5 mint leaves
2 oz. white rum
1 oz. fresh lime juice
½ oz. simple syrup
Ice
Club soda or sparkling water
Lime slices
San Diego State – San Diego Cocktail
San Diego State was expected to perform well in the tournament, but most people didn’t have them going this far. This cocktail is similar to an old fashioned with a slight twist. The Aztecs have to defeat the underdogs in the FAU Owls for their shot at glory.
1 oz. bourbon
1 oz. Red Dubonnet
½ oz. orange curacao
1 dash aromatic bitters
University of Miami – Miami Vice
The University of Miami Hurricanes have been another underdog in this March Madness tournament. Fans are hoping for another upset against #4 UConn and this delicious Miami Vice cocktail should be enough to get the fans rallied behind their team.
2 oz. rum, divided
1 cup strawberries, chopped
1 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed
½ oz. simple syrup
2 oz. cream of coconut
2 oz. pineapple juice
University of Connecticut – Moscow Mule
The UConn Huskies are arguably the favorites to win it all out of the remaining teams. Interestingly enough, the Moscow Mule can be traced back to John G. Martin, president of Heublein Inc. in Hartford. This company eventually acquired the rights to distribute products from the then-struggling company, Smirnoff. It launched a campaign for the Moscow Mule to sell its product and now those copper tins are in every bar across America.
1 ½ oz. vodka
½ oz. lime juice
Ice
½ cup ginger beer
1 lime wedge for garnish
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March Madness is an incredible time of year and is always packed with excitement and underdog stories. Fans can enjoy their teams leaving it all on the line for a championship with some delicious cocktails in hand.
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