Alabama Slammer: The Party Drink That Rocked College Bars

Name: Alabama Slammer: The Party Drink That Rocked College Bars
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1 cocktail
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 30 ml sloe gin; 30 ml southern comfort; 30 ml amaretto; 60 ml orange juice

BY: Marco Bellini

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updated 4 Mar 2024

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Created in college bars during football season, this bright orange mix has been the staple of Southern parties since the 1970s. With its sweet fruity taste hiding strong spirits, it lives up to both parts of its name.

Alabama Slammer: The Party Drink That Rocked College Bars

The Alabama Slammer harmoniously marries sweet and sour in perfect, rounded, but yet complicated drink profiles. The base here, though complex with Southern Comfort, Amaretto, and Sloe Gin, has to be matched with Orange Juice for brightness-a thread of orange to bind them together.

The drink is amazingly colorful, with its signature orange to red gradient reminiscent of an Alabama sunset. Though it may be fruitily innocent in profile, this cocktail contains a pretty strong kick from the three spirits working together.

This cocktail is best served in a Collins Glass full of fresh ice, making it a perfect choice for summer gatherings and tailgate parties. Its appeal to the masses and its visual presentation make it especially popular during football season in the American South.

While often enjoyed as a casual sipper, this drink also works well as a party shooter, traditionally served in a shot glass and consumed in one swift motion. The combination of spirits and juice creates a smooth texture that belies its strength, making it deceptively easy to drink.

How to Make a Alabama Slammer! | @JuliesEatsandTreats | 0:58

“

A bright mix of fruit flavors with a hidden kick

”

Did you know that Alabama Slammer...

was the signature drink at the legendary Joe Namath's restaurant Bachelors III in Alabama during the early 1970s

Who invented this cocktail

was born at the University of Alabama in the early 1970s, but by whom is widely disputed. Initially, it was consumed at campus bars before finding its way throughout the Southern United States

The origin and history of "Alabama Slammer"

The Alabama Slammer is born of a fertile moment in the history of the cocktail, the 1970s fruit salad era of American bars. First printed in Stan Jones' Complete Barguide in 1977, this cocktail quickly became a sensation across Southern college campuses.

The drink's popularity began to take flight with the rise of the University of Alabama's football program, making it an unofficial gameday tradition in its own right. Its name perfectly summed up both its geographic origins and its notable potency.

The cocktail broke onto the national stage during the 1980s, moving well beyond its collegiate roots into bars nationwide. This was due in part to the combination of easily available ingredients it called for and also for its appealing taste.

Bartender Tips for making the perfect "Alabama Slammer"

To make the perfect Alabama Slammer, try these tips:

Make sure to layer carefully, creating the signature gradient effect; pour the Orange Juice last
Chill all ingredients in advance to minimize dilution when mixing
When serving as a shooter, combine ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain to ensure proper blending
Add to this a nice high-end Sloe Gin or balance against sweeter spirits as well

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"Alabama Slammer" Variations

Replace Southern Comfort with Bourbon adding a splash of Peach Schnapps for a much drier take
Sub in Cranberry Juice for half of the Orange Juice for more bitterness end
Add a float of 151 Rum on top for an extra potent version called the Alabama Tsunami
Mix with Sprite or 7-Up for a lighter, fizzy alternative

Whether being sipped at leisure or slammed as a shot, this vibrant Southern cocktail continues to capture in spirit the zealous essence of Alabama gamedays and warm summer nights.

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Current Comments: 2

LucaEr99

9 May 2024

The orange juice balances out the strong flavors nicely. A good choice for those who like sweet cocktails.

Amelia H.

2 May 2024

Strong and flavorful. The mix of Southern Comfort and amaretto is interesting.