The Very Best Literary Cocktails for Freshers
If you’re looking to add a touch of class to your Pop! or Skool Dayz pre drinks, our resident Cocktail Expert Harry has the perfect fresher’s themes cocktails to get your evening started…
Paddington Beer
Poor little Paddington, all the way from deepest, darkest Peru, now lost in the confusing hustle and bustle of the great city of London! Of course, for a lot of you freshers, it could be very much the reverse: from great cities around the UK now lost on Warwick’s campus, located in deepest, darkest Midlands. But as with the plucky bear, there’s always people to help you learn strange new customs. Like Koan-worship. Or circling. Or drinking Purple; a drink containing both beer and squash, thereby perfectly straddling the line between child and adult that all uni students occupy. And in that spirit, here’s Paddington’s own marmalade-inspired take on it.
1 can beer, 1 ½ shots spiced rum, 2 shots (diluted) orange squash.
Simply pour the squash and the rum into a glass and then fill the rest with beer. Alternatively, for a pitcher full of it, just double everything. And if that fails you, be my guest to try and make your own Purple, because I can’t make head or tails of the stuff!
Archer’s for 10
This excellent little book, inspired by the ever-popular quiz show “University Challenge” and adapted into the critically popular film of the same name, is one of the best “going-to-uni” stories out there. Working class kid goes to uni, meets a politically conscious girl at a rally, joins the University Challenge team, struggles with what new and home mates will think of him, headbutts a postgrad and gets an ice-cream man as a stepdad. Okay, it’s not everyone’s average uni experience, but a lot of it is relatable. Also there’s plenty of parties and booze, so try busting this one out for those inevitable gatherings.
2 cups Archer’s (peach schnapps), ½ cup sour apple schnapps, lemonade, grenadine, vanilla ice cream.
Grab a bowl or a pitcher – something big – and pour all your liquids except the grenadine in over a lot of ice. Float three scoops of ice cream on top, and drizzle over with grenadine, letting it sink through. Cheers! And here’s to our own University Challenge team, past, present and future!
Grape Expectations
Now here’s a drink I’m sure you know about – there sure is nothing that gets to us like a good ol’ fashioned bildungsroman. Here’s a toast to one of Dickens’ greatest novels, for all us about to embark on this great year at Warwick, whatever stage you’re at.
Ingredients: 1 shot gin, 1 ½ shot grapefruit juice, Prosecco, grapes.
First thing you need to do, well in advance, is freeze those grapes. Then, while you’re making the drink, you’ll also need to chill the glass by putting it in the freezer (wine glass probably works best for this recipe, but I won’t judge – find your limits). Then, put the gin and grapefruit juice into a shaker with ice and shake it up till smooth. Grab your chilly glass and fill it with your frozen grapes – pour in the mixture from the shaker and then fill to the top with prosecco. Bust this one out and you’ll be even cooler than Miss Havisham! No, literally. It’s quite a cold drink…
Sparkshots
You thought this torture was over at A Level? That you’d left Sparknotes behind? That as a smart and responsible university student you’d never resort to those last minute revision crams on that god-given but god-forsaken website? Oh no, with Sparknotes you’ve got a friend for life. A great follow up for any of those literary libations, these little zingers will make sure you’ve got the message.
2 shots midori, 2 shots triple sec, 2 shots lemon juice
First, prepare the shot glasses: squeeze a slice of lemon around the rim of each shot glass (because this recipe makes a few shots, have some friends ready) and then coat the rim in sugar. Pour all your liquids into a shaker and shake dry. Pour the result into your shot glasses and… well, if you don’t know what to do then I’d say you need to do more revision.
Image Credits: Patrick Tafani / Flickr (Header)
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