Georgia Bulldogs Mixology: Your Tailgate’s Next Great Cocktail
By Josh Johns
Louisiana-Monroe Edition
Georgia Bulldogs looking for that perfect tailgate cocktail or the perfect drink addition to a Dawg Game Viewing Party will check in with us each week for the newest and best Bulldog mixes.
Related: If Georgia Football Were a Song
Annnnnnnnnnd we’re back. Way to survive the long football-less, recruit chasing, migraine inducing, Mad Max style desert wasteland that is the off-season everyone.
Good for you, you look great, really. Your struggles are nearly over, the season is upon us and though you have wandered through desert, parched for Georgia football, brothers and sisters I am here to tell you that it is finally time to drink up!
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Welcome to Georgia Bulldogs Mixology, your weekly game day cocktail guide. Each week this season join me right here as we preview our upcoming opponent while sampling from a brand new custom Georgia cocktail ready to serve at your next game day party or tailgate. You will be the envy of your neighbors, the pride of your tailgate, the toast of your sorority, and the subject of incredible mockery at your fraternity. It’s going to be a great season, y’all.
But we will not be taking this journey alone! No. I have enlisted my dear friend Joey Vargas, the head bartender at American Whiskey NYC and nationally renowned cocktail innovator and craftsman who will be creating our signature cocktails. Let’s check out what Joey’s got for us this week…
The Champ Bailey Julep
INGREDIENTS
-Whole Peach-
-Fresh Mint Leaves-
-Simple Syrup-
-Bourbon-
-Crushed Ice-
What better way to welcome yourself and your tailgate back to beautiful and not at all hung-over Athens, Georgia than this beauty? As the Bulldogs take the field against lowly Louisiana Monroe and inevitably make the game far more interesting than it has any right to be, you won’t break a sweat. You have no worries my friend; you’re the peach julep guy. Hey peach Julep guy, how’s it hanging? Totally.
This twist on a classic summer cocktail is simple and easy to make. As told by our friend Joey…
- Cut yourself a nice slice off of a juicy Georgia peach.
- Put it into cup of your choice. Even a solo cup, we don’t judge here. Do your thing girl. No one can hold you back anymore, not even Brad.
- Muddle Gently. We mean gently. Try a little tenderness here. As Joey reminds us “contrary to popular belief, and those cute Mojito commercials, when we muddle we don’t want to hear that crunching sound”. Drake level softness, y’all.
- Add four nice sized fresh mint leaves, gently muddle.
- Add a half ounce of simple syrup *
- Add two ounces of your favorite bourbon**
- Swizzle the drink around a bit with a spoon or a straw blending the flavors.
- Top with crushed ice and garnish with a large mint spring***
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- Nick Chubb is America’s running back, and he will return
- Georgia Football: Should laundry list of injuries be a cause to panic?
- Georgia Football: Report cards for Week 3 game against South Carolina
In your hand you now hold the Champ Bailey Julep, an elegant take on the mint julep with a truly Georgia twist. Your whole life is ahead of you. You can be anyone you want to be. The only thing standing in your way is the Warhawks of Louisiana Monroe.
I’m not here to tell you that Georgia is going to come away from this bout with anything but a win; I mean c’mon I’m the peach julep guy! I am, however, here to tell you to be careful.
Remember 2012? Heady times. A nation was introduced to Carley Rae Jepsen as Marvel’s Avengers burst from the big screen and into our hearts. Facebook went public and everyone was Gangham Styling in the streets… except for Arkansas. The #8 Razorbacks fell to Louisiana Monroe in front of a sold out stadium in Fayetteville, AK. I’m serious, this happened.
And I wont even get into 2007…
Coming off of last year’s 4-8 record even with an aggressive, blitzing defense the Dawgs should have no problem handling the scrappy Warhawks. With a putrid run game and no answer for UGA’s defense or running back depth Georgia should have a light afternoon of winning, staying healthy (please?), and praising Brice Ramsey, I mean Faton Bauta, no wait Jacob Park, YES Greyson Lambert on a job well done. So don’t sweat it too much, I know you won’t. Delicious cocktail in hand, just get out there and be the peach julep guy that The University of Georgia deserves.
Catch us next week as we head down to Nashville for a cocktail with the Commodores. If you enjoy the Champ Bailey peach julep this Saturday, snap a picture and send to joshjohns112@gmail.com we will feature the best pics in our next column.
Cheers!
Additional notes from Joey:
*Simple syrup is essentially just sugar diluted with water. At American Whiskey we make ours equal parts sugar to hot water to make the syrup.
**Evan Williams Black Label is what we use at American Whiskey.
***Before you add the sprig on top just slap the mint a few times across your wrist or hand. you smell that mint goodness? by breaking down the cell’s of the mint it releases more of the great mint smell. As you may or may not know, a lot of flavor actually comes from the smell.
Joey Vargas: As head bartender at American Whiskey NYC, Joey Vargas brings his signature approachable charm to the crafted cocktail. A former Baseball player at USF, and a self-described “shot and a beer guy,” Joey became accidentally enamored with bar tending while working as a bartender at the John Dory Oyster Bar between 2011 and 2013. Wanting a craftsman not simply a mixologist behind the bar, Joey quickly rose through the ranks in NYC. Now, a head bartender at American Whiskey NYC, Joey spends his free time with his kickball team “The Rescue Rangers” and watching his dog Delgado chase squirrels.
Josh Johns: A University of Georgia graduate Josh works for Valiant Comics in New York City. Josh apologizes for his actions during the South Carolina game.
Special thanks to American Whiskey, NYC. Your home for the Dawgs in NYC. Located at 247 West 30th street follow them online at http://www.americanwhiskeynyc.com/, on Twitter at @WhiskeyAmerican, and on Instagram at @AmericanWhikseyNYC.