Friendsgiving Drinks: Easy Canned Cocktail Ideas With AYO™ Lemonade + Vodka

Planning Friendsgiving drinks shouldn't take more time than the turkey. Friendsgiving is usually a potluck: everybody brings a dish, the table gets crowded, and the host is juggling oven space and folding chairs. The last thing you need is a full bar with a dozen bottles and a shaker. Building your drinks around a canned cocktail like AYO™ Lemonade + Vodka keeps it easy, so you can spend the evening at the table instead of behind it.

AYO is a 12 fl oz (355 ml) can at 5% ABV, made with vodka and natural flavors, and produced and packaged by Hidden Still in Hershey, PA. Every idea below starts with one cold can.

Why canned cocktails work for Friendsgiving drinks

A potluck dinner has a lot of moving parts. Canned cocktails take a few of them off your plate.

• Every can is the same, so there's no guessing how strong a mixed drink came out.
• Guests can grab one without waiting on the host.
• Cans chill fast in a tub of ice and take up less room than bottles and mixers.
• Cleanup is a recycling bin, not a sink full of sticky shakers.

Bright lemonade also cuts through rich holiday food. Gravy, stuffing, mac and cheese, and buttery rolls all feel lighter next to something cold and citrusy.

Three easy fall serves

Each of these takes about a minute and uses ingredients you probably already bought for dinner.

The Cranberry Lemon

• Fill a glass with ice.
• Drop in a small spoonful of fresh or frozen cranberries.
• Pour in one can of AYO Lemonade + Vodka and stir once.
• Garnish with a lemon wheel.

The cranberries add a pop of holiday color and a little tartness without adding more liquor.

The Orchard Glass

• Fill a short glass with ice and add two thin apple slices.
• Pour in one can of AYO.
• Finish with a cinnamon stick.

Apple and cinnamon make the drink smell like the dessert table, and the fruit is fun to eat at the end.

The Sage and Citrus

• Gently press two or three fresh sage leaves in the bottom of a glass. Rosemary or thyme left over from the turkey works too.
• Add ice and one can of AYO.
• Garnish with a sprig of whatever herb you used.

It ties the drink to the meal, and it's a good way to use up the herbs you bought for the stuffing.

Set up a self-serve drink table

A self-serve table keeps people out of the kitchen while you're carving. Put it in a separate corner from the food so the line doesn't block the buffet.

• A tub of ice with cans of AYO, labeled clearly as an alcoholic drink.
• A second tub, labeled just as clearly, with water, seltzer, cider, and other non-alcoholic options.
• Small bowls of garnishes: cranberries, apple slices, lemon wheels, and fresh herbs.
• A cup of cinnamon sticks and a cup of cocktail picks.
• Extra ice, a scoop, and plenty of glasses or sturdy cups.
• A small card that lists the three serves above.

Separate, clearly marked tubs matter. A lemonade drink can look like a soft drink at a glance, and nobody should grab the wrong one by mistake, especially if families with kids stop by earlier in the day.

What to eat with it

Lemon and vodka work well with the salty, savory side of the table. Try AYO next to roast turkey, glazed ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, or a cheese board. If your crew does Friendsgiving Philly style, a tray of mini cheesesteaks or roast pork sandwiches as an appetizer pairs great with a cold, citrusy can. Keep food coming all night. Guests have a better time when there's always something to eat.

Hosting Friendsgiving responsibly

• Serve alcohol only to guests 21 and over.
• Put water and non-alcoholic drinks right next to the cans, not hidden in the fridge.
• Encourage guests to pace themselves and enjoy their drinks with food.
• Talk about rides home before dinner starts. Line up a designated driver or share a rideshare plan.
• Have a couch or spare room ready for anyone who decides it's better to stay over.

Coming soon

Bourbon + Lemonade is coming soon. Keep an eye on ayospirits.com for news.

The takeaway

Great Friendsgiving drinks don't need a bartender. Start with cold cans of AYO Lemonade + Vodka, add a few fall garnishes from your grocery list, set up a clearly labeled self-serve table, and spend the night with your friends.

Please serve responsibly to guests 21 and over.