The Colleges That Have Their Own Signature Cocktails

Many people's memories of college drinking include hazy recollections of cheap keg beer, jungle juice, and intense pregaming. College students are often strapped on cash and don't have the most discerning of palates. But there are more discriminating sorts out there, too. And not everyone is looking for quantity over quality (there's always Parents' Weekend, after all). When students graduate, older and much wiser (of course), they often start looking for something a little better: more worth their time, money, and tolerance, while still managing to fly their school colors. For college graduates, what could be better than a signature cocktail named after their alma mater?

A number of higher-education institutions have signature cocktails. Some hearken back to the first half of the 20th century and could be considered historic. Others have been invented more recently by tailgaters looking to produce a Pinterest-worthy tippler. Sometimes, traditional favorites have become emblematic of a particular university, while others are mired in mystery or — like the Vanderbilt cocktail — weren't actually named for the college, though die-hard college fans may not care (per Difford's Guide).

Despite the number of universities that have eponymous beverages, there are many more that don't. If your school's not on the list, don't worry — this may be the time to start a cocktail klatsch to see if you can come up with a beverage worthy of its institutional namesake.

Not to be outdone in the blue department is the UCLA Blue and Gold Punch (per Delish). This drink mixes it up by layering the drink: gold on bottom, with a stripe of blue on top. Tequila is the spirit of choice this time, and it's combined with pineapple juice for the base layer. Gatorade or another blue sports drink finishes it off with its distinctive coloring, providing a break from Blue Curaçao's intense blue sweetness.

While UCLA may be indifferent to the brand of sports drink incorporated into its cocktail, the University of Florida is most decidedly not. Gatorade was created at the college and the name itself pays homage to the school's mascot. So it's only natural that the university's signature drink should include Gatorade: the UF Gatorade Margarita, to be precise (per Advanced Mixology). Because Florida's colors are blue and orange, it's even possible to opt for an orange Gatorade instead of blue. (Either way, this sports drink variation is not recommended for athletes recovering from a game.)

Still, sports and energy drinks are natural mixers for those drinking on the sidelines. Michigan' State's Spartan Splash includes your choice of energy drink, grape vodka, and melon liqueur, according to The Food Channel.

While many college cocktails are 21st-century creations, some date back further. One case in point is the Du Pont Hotel Cocktail, the signature drink of Delaware Technical Community College, which has a campus near the famous Wilmington hotel. The drink combines sherry, brandy, Angostura bitters, and an orange peel. The cocktail is simple, strong, and evocative of the Du Pont family's importance to the state and their hotel's vital role in Delawarian social life (per Food Schmooze). The drink was inaugurated in 1947 for a momentous New Year's Eve celebration and adopted by the nearby college (which also offers a degree in hospitality and hotel management).

The Du Ponts' hotel wasn't the only one developing swanky signature drinks; hotel bartenders have long been key players in the development of cocktails, according to Condé Nast Traveler. The tequila sunrise is considered the signature beverage of Northern Arizona and Prescott College (per Advanced Mixology and the Arizona Daily Sun) and was created by Gene Sulit of the Arizona Biltmore hotel. 

The original version consisted of tequila, soda water, lime juice, and liqueur. But it made its way to Sausalito, California, where it was streamlined and colorized by mixologists Bobby Lozoff and Billy Rice at the Trident Hotel. The duo swapped out the original extras for grenadine and OJ. But Arizona natives remember its roots; the drink is so popular that it's spawned an annual drinking fest in Flagstaff bearing its name, starting as early as 6 a.m. 

Not surprisingly, all of the Ivy League colleges have a signature cocktail, dating back to the first decade of the 20th century. But they're not all great drinks, as Slate reported after rigorous testing by a handful of connoisseurs over a very long lunch. 

Though several of the Ivies have more than one signature cocktail, the core of these elite beverages skews traditional. Harvard's cocktail is basically an excellent riff on a Manhattan made with cognac, and Columbia's is similar, swapping dry vermouth for the sweet. Unsurprisingly, gin features prominently in the Ivy cocktails, in keeping with cocktail culture's resurgence during gin-heavy Prohibition (per Smithsonian). But other traditional spirits make their appearance as well: Princeton's cocktail adds port to its gin base, Cornell's includes Bénédictine, and the Harvard Cooler starts with Applejack or Calvados. 

The Ivy League cocktails aren't all staid and predictable, however. Some of them are wearing fun socks and clever bowties. Take the Yale Cocktail, traditionally made with Crème Yvette, a violet-flavored, brilliantly-hued liqueur which tastes a bit like Grandma's perfume but is nicely offset by the orange bitters and dry vermouth. And then there's UPenn's Pennsylvanian, which Slate declared "not so much bad as weird" and is made with Calvados, Madeira, an egg white, and a lemon twist. Who says nerds don't have fun? 

The Auburn War Eagle Rum Punch takes the southern institution's battle cry and joins it with a crowd-pleasing cocktail that has no obvious connection to the college. It's nevertheless a delightful choice, especially in warmer weather; the punch combines rum with OJ and sprite for a refreshing choice that's likely to find fans, whatever side you're on (per College Weekends).

Another bird-inspired beverage is Oregon's Mighty Duck, a spiked lemonade with some soda water for bubbles. Some jazz it up by adding pear to it; pears are Oregon's state fruit, according to Piedmont Grocery. Continuing up and around the coast, there are more ducks, but they're not as subtle. University of Alaska's signature beverage is a layered shot called a Duck Fart and includes Kahlua, Baileys, and Whiskey (traditionally, Crown Royal) — in that order, so that each spirit holds its own. While the college connection may be somewhat new, the Duck Fart has a well-established place in the Alaskan repertoire (per Mantitlement) and in the hearts of late-night revelers.

You might expect Notre Dame's pugnacious spirit to come out in its cocktail, but they've hedged their bets. True to form, South Bend's famous university embraces more than one alcoholic drink, leaving the fighting to those on the field. The Fighting Irish Return to Glory features ginger ale, peach Schnapps, orange juice, and whiskey in a tall glass (per Intoxicology); the "Luck of the Irish" is a Jameson-spiked lemonade (per Delish).