Cocktails for The Game: The Gin Harbaugh and the Bourbon Meyer

Today the Michigan Wolverines face off for the 115th time against the Ohio State Buckeyes in The Game.  This is always a high stakes event, even when it isn’t from the perspective of the rest of the college football world, but this year a lot is on the line as both teams are 10-1 and the winner goes on to play for the Big Ten championship.  I’m a lifelong Michigan fan, and this year I decided to apply my passion for cocktails to this annual event and am pleased to bring you cocktails for The Game, named in honor of the teams’ head coaches:  The Gin Harbaugh and the Bourbon Meyer.

Since I live in D.C., which is now Big Ten country thanks to Jim Delaney, the league Commissioner and the mastermind of Big Ten expansion to College Park, I wanted to add a little D.C. flavor to these drinks and began with the idea of using gin and citrus in one drink and bourbon and citrus in the other, inspired by the rickey.  

I like the tangy flavor that lemon juice brings to a drink, but for the Gin Harbaugh I also wanted a drink that packs more punch in its flavor so it leaves a bit of a mark on you after each sip.  Enter Ancho Reyes Verde, the somewhat spicy poblano liqueur, which adds some depth of flavor and provides a spicy aftertaste.  I balanced it out with a little simple syrup and topped off the drink with soda water.  Add a lemon peel garnish shaped like the Michigan helmet and you’re good to go:

For the Bourbon Meyer I also began with lemon juice.  I wanted to make sure this drink had an unmistakable Ohio State red color, so Campari was next.  With equal measures of bourbon and Campari, the drink has the stems of a Boulevardier, but the lemon juice takes it in a slightly different direction.  To round it out, I finished it off with some Cherry Heering.  Then I found the loudest rocks glass I have in an homage to the UNIFORMZ that Ohio State tends to wear for The Game.  Last, I garnished with a star anise, which assaults the nose a bit (but in a good way) with each sip and vaguely evokes some kind of hybrid of the buckeye nut and leaf:

Put a few of these together and you’ll be ready for whatever happens in this year’s iteration of The Game.  (But Go Blue!)  Here are the recipes:

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Gin Harbaugh

Celebrate the 115th meeting of the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes with cocktails for The Game.  For Michigan fans, try the Gin Harbaugh, made with gin, Ancho Reyes Verde, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and simple syrup.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Sour

Keyword Cocktails for The Game

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cocktail

Calories 176kcal

Author Geoffrey Wyatt

Ingredients

• 1 oz. gin I used Botanist
• 3/4 oz. Ancho Reyes Verde
• 3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• soda water
• 1 lemon peel

Instructions

• Combine the gin, Ancho Reyes Verde, lemon juice and simple syrup in a mixing glass with ice and stir.
• Strain into a highball glass with ice and top off with soda water.
• Garnish with a lemon peel carved to look like the Michigan winged helmet.

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Bourbon Meyer

Celebrate the 115th meeting of the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes with cocktails for The Game. For Ohio State fans, try the Bourbon Meyer, made with bourbon, Campari, Cherry Heering and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Spirit-Forward

Keyword Cocktails for The Game

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cocktail

Calories 184kcal

Author Geoffrey Wyatt

Ingredients

• 1 oz. bourbon
• 1 oz. Campari
• 1/2 oz. Cherry Heering
• 1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 star anise

Instructions

• Combine the bourbon, Campari, Cherry Heering and lemon juice in a mixing glass with ice and stir.
• Strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube.
• Garnish by placing one star anise on top of the ice cube.