Most people think of Gatorade as a beverage for children participating in team sports or maybe something to drink when sick. The only association it has with a cocktail is when Gatorade is used as a hangover cure after having too many cocktails. But the flavored sports beverage actually works beautifully in mixed drinks as a Gatorade cocktail.
Is Gatorade a good cocktail mixer?
Gatorade has all the components you want in a cocktail — sweetness, acidity, flavor, and salt, bartender and author John deBary explains in a TikTok posted by Bon Appetit. Salt is actually a critical ingredient in cocktails, because it balances out the bitterness, deBary adds.
Gatorade is also affordable, easy to find, and comes in a variety of flavors so you can experiment with different taste profiles. Plus, if Borg lovers are to be trusted, the electrolytes in Gatorade might just ease your hangover the next day.
How to make a Gatorade cocktail
People on TikTok have been creating Gatorade cocktails for a while, and they’ve gotten pretty creative. There’s the “Arctic Blitz,” which combines Sprite, Arctic Frost Gatorade, and Bacardi Superior. And of course, the viral “mystery flavor” blend of cucumber-lime Gatorade and Mike’s harder lemonade. My personal favorite, which I’m calling the “Electric Avenue,” combines original-flavored Soju, pineapple juice, and blue Gatorade. TBH, this sounds delicious and I would totally do it, and everyone in my family would make fun of me for it.
Though the idea of a cheap ingredient like Gatorade blended with bougie booze like Bacardi Superior might make fancy drink connoisseurs cringe, I am all for this trend. The flavor profile of Gatorade honestly balances really well with alcohol, and the hydrating, refreshing nature of it is perfect for summer beverages.
I’ve met many people (particularly men) who get some kind of sense of moral superiority out of ordering bitter, alcohol-forward, and often, boring drinks like “bourbon, straight, on the rocks” or “single malt scotch, neat” (I’m not an expert, clearly, so please don’t come for me). If you genuinely enjoy those drinks, that’s great! Really, whatever floats your boat. I won’t judge you, as long as you don’t judge my juicy Gatorade cocktail.
As deBary (an expert bartender!) explains, cocktails should be fun. You shouldn’t be afraid to get creative, try new things, and incorporate ingredients you love, even if they aren’t considered “traditional.” If cocktail connoisseurs aren’t willing to try such “lowbrow” ingredients like soda and Gatorade in mixed drinks, their loss. More for the rest of us.