Tailgate Drinks: How to Pack a Cooler of Canned Cocktails This Fall

Tailgate drinks should be easy to pack, easy to keep cold, and easy to hand out from the back of a car. That is why cans make so much sense in a parking lot: no glass to break, no pitchers to spill, and no bartending while everyone else is at the grill. AYO™ Lemonade + Vodka is a 12 fl oz can at 5% ABV, made with vodka and natural flavors, and produced and packaged by Hidden Still in Hershey, PA. Here is how to plan, pack, and serve tailgate drinks for adults this fall, whether you are set up outside a stadium in Philly or a high school field in Montgomery County.

Why Cans Win for Tailgate Drinks

A tailgate is a small party with no kitchen and no sink. Every extra tool you bring is one more thing to clean and carry home. Cans solve most of that:

• They are lighter than bottles and stack neatly in a cooler.
• Many stadium lots and venues do not allow glass, so check the rules before you go and plan on cans.
• Each can is already mixed, so the drink tastes the same from kickoff to the final whistle.

How to Pack a Cooler for Tailgate Drinks

A well-packed cooler keeps drinks cold for hours, even on a sunny October afternoon.

• Pre-chill everything. Put cans in the fridge the night before. A cooler keeps cold drinks cold; it is slow at making warm drinks cold.
• Start with a layer of ice on the bottom, then add a layer of cans, then more ice. Repeat until the cooler is full, and finish with ice on top.
• Use two coolers if you can: one for drinks and one for food. The drink cooler gets opened all day, and you do not want raw burgers sitting in melting ice.
• Keep the cooler in the shade, under a table or behind the car, and keep the lid closed between trips.
• Do not drain the cold water right away. Ice water touches every side of the can and chills faster than ice alone.

Label the Drink Cooler Clearly

Lemonade-flavored drinks can look like soft drinks at a glance. At a tailgate, where families and kids may be walking by, keep AYO™ in a cooler that is clearly marked for adults 21 and over, and keep sodas, juice, and water in a separate cooler that anyone can open. The person who brings the drinks should keep an eye on who is reaching in.

Easy Tailgate Drink Serves

Most people are happy with a cold can straight from the ice. If you want something a little different without bringing a bar kit, try one of these:

• Over ice with a lemon wheel: pack a bag of lemon wheels in a small container and a sleeve of cups. Pour half a can over ice and add a wheel.
• Iced tea half and half: bring a jug of cold unsweetened iced tea. Fill a cup with ice, add half a can of AYO™ and top with iced tea.
• Ginger fizz: bring a few cans of ginger beer. Pour half a can of AYO™ over ice and top with a splash of ginger beer and a squeeze of lime.

Each of these uses half a can per cup, so a single can covers two smaller drinks, and nothing goes flat in a pitcher.

What Food Goes With Tailgate Drinks

A bright, lemony drink pairs well with salty, smoky, grilled food, which is most of what shows up at a tailgate.

• Cheesesteaks or chicken cheesesteaks off a flat-top griddle
• Wings, sausage and peppers, or burgers off the grill
• Soft pretzels with mustard
• Chips, salsa, and a cold pasta salad

Lemon cuts through the richness, and the bubbles reset your palate between bites.

Pace It Like a Long Day

Tailgates often start hours before the game and run into the evening. Keep food on the grill all day, put water out next to the drinks, and pace yourself. A 12 fl oz can at 5% ABV is meant to be enjoyed one at a time, not raced. Plan a sober driver, a rideshare, or public transit before anyone opens a can.

Bars and Venues: Ready for Football Season?

If you run a sports bar, brewery, or venue near a stadium, a canned cocktail is an easy addition to game-day service. Ordering is not open yet, but businesses can join the waitlist or send an order request on ayospirits.com. AYO™ is $48 per case of 24 cans, and terms and minimum order are confirmed directly with AYO™. You can also call us at (484) 854-2326. Bourbon + Lemonade is coming soon.

Please serve responsibly to guests 21 and over.