The after-work happy hour usually ends a day that went something like this: You had a cup of coffee on the way to work, stuffed your face with a mini-muffin before the morning status meeting, barely touched your lunch because you were talking up a potential client, and grabbed a handful of peanuts from the conference room before heading to the bar. By the time the waiter comes to take your cocktail order, you’ve had a grand total of 35 calories the entire day.
Or, even if you were able to get in two square meals, the happy hour precedes a long night of work as you empty your inbox and prepare for tomorrow’s board meeting.
The point is this: You’re not in college anymore, and you may need to re-think your drink of choice. You should look for a drink that is delicious, won’t get you instantly hammered, is not a beer (stress + empty stomach + beer = increased chance of belching in boss’s face mid-sentence), and isn’t something you would normally imbibe at a bachelorette party.
Need ideas? Try one of these:
Classic Go-To Cocktails
Gin and Tonic
What it says about you: I’m sophisticated, and I’m probably wearing white and don’t want to risk staining my blouse with something colorful.
Vodka Soda with a Splash of Cranberry
What it says about you: Hey, I like a little fruitiness, and that’s okay. I may put a Splenda in this drink when you’re not looking. Deal with it.
(Variation: For something a little sweeter try a flavored vodka like Absolut like Citron or Raspberry)
Greyhound (Vodka and Grapefruit juice)
What it says about you: I have enough mental capacity to remember the name of a drink that has nothing to do with its actual ingredients. I’ve been here before. I enjoy a cocktail, but I’m not a lush.
Amaretto Sour
What it says about you: I am a responsible person and will be driving myself home later, thus I am choosing a cocktail with a mild liqueur and a non-alcoholic mix.
Trendy Go-To Cocktails
Manhattan
What it says about you: Sex and the City and the Cosmopolitan are so seven years ago, and don’t I know it. I’m not afraid to hold something that comes with a cherry garnish, but I’m not going to order a daiquiri and sip it through a two foot straw on Girls Gone Wild.
Anything with an Unexpected Plant Ingredient, Like Basil or Cucumber
Example: Rhubarb Basil Cocktail from The Kitchn
What it says about you: I’m adventurous and assertive, and I demand that my traditionally feminine cocktail has a forward-thinking twist. Muddle, bartender, muddle!
Retro Drinks
Example: Tom Collins (Gin, Lemon Juice, Soda, Sugar)
What it says about you: I watch Mad Men. In a past life I may have operated a speakeasy, which accounts for my entrepreneurial spirit.
Cocktails to Avoid
Cocktails Named After Body Parts: Fuzzy Navel, Buttery Nipple
Cocktails that Reference Sex or Unsavory Historical Events: Sex on the Beach, Slow Comfortable Screw, Irish Car Bomb, Kamikaze
Cocktails that Destroyed You in College: Long Island Iced Tea, Mind Eraser, anything you set aflame
Photo courtesy of thebittenword.com.
3 Comments on "Colleagues and Cocktails: What to Drink at Happy Hour"
I love reading tips like these- you all seem to pinpoint those little things people never really think about until it’s too late (like trying to be social as a young adult). But I don’t drink alcohol at all anymore (it just doesn’t seem to play nicely with my body or mind), so this article doesn’t really apply to me. Then again, it reminded me just how weird I feel when I go out with friends or colleagues and I don’t know what to drink besides water. I’d love it if you ladies would compile a list of non-alcoholic drinks for women like me (or who are pregnant, nursing, on medication, etc.) who would like to join in the festivities without looking like a total square. I want to try drinks that are interesting, sophisticated, and tasty- just without the booze. Ideas?
Hi Amanda– My husband doesn’t drink, and whenever we go out he always asks the bartender to make him a “mocktail,” and usually ends up with something completely delicious. He also likes to order Arnold Palmers (lemonade and iced tea). There’s a wonderful mocktail recipe book by a renowned cocktail connoisseur, called Preggatinis, written for pregnant women but applicable to all people who don’t drink. Here’s a link: http://www.amazon.com/Preggatinis-Mom-Natalie-Bovis-Nelsen/dp/1599214547/ref=pd_sim_b_1
Hope that helps!
Neat! Thank you