The remaining World Cup teams’ national cocktails

England may have been (predictably) booted out of the World Cup, so pick another team to show your support for based on their national cocktails.

We compile a list of eight national drinks of those teams through to the World Cup quarter final

Over here in England, we’re used to World Cup disappointment. While we may have been looking forward to sipping gin and tonics, revelling in all things UK in support of our home team, we found that the party can still go on by enjoying the national drinks of those teams still in the running for football glory.

Left in the game and through to the quarter finals are: Brazil, Colombia, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Argentina and Belgium.

So, from cachaça to Jägermeister, genever to pastis, there’s an array of spirits and cocktails with which to celebrate, or indeed commiserate, your team’s performance this World Cup.

Show support for your favourite team by trying one of these eight cocktails using different national spirits.

Click through the following pages to see our selection of eight cocktails to celebrate the World Cup.

If you think we’ve missed an essential World Cup cocktail off this list, let us know by leaving a comment below.

 

Brazil

This is probably the most obvious choice of team to support now England are out of the World Cup, considering Brazil is the host nation and their national cocktail is an absolute blinder.

The Caipirinha uses Brazil’s national spirit, cachaça, in a simple mix of fresh lime and sugar. The refreshing short drink is usually drunk with cubed ice in Brazil, but if you’re in a cooler country go for crushed ice.

Method:

Muddle six lime wedges in a rocks glass with a teaspoon of brown sugar, add a healthy slug of a decent cachaça (about 50ml), and add crushed ice. Stir thoroughly chilled.

If you want any more Brazilian drink ideas, check out our pick of the top 10 Brazilian cocktails.

Colombia

Aguardiente, meaning “firewater” in Portuguese, is the traditional spirit of much of South America, and while each country has its own style and variation, the Colombian spirit is an anise-flavoured liqueur distilled from sugarcane.

The spirit is most popular among the Andean regions, while rum is the preferred option in the Caribbean.

The traditional method of consumption is to buy a bottle and shoot the drink with friends over the course of an evening, or football match. If taking anise-flavoured shots doesn’t appeal, try mixing the spirit into a sour.

Method:

Dry shake 25ml Colombian Aguardiente, 25ml lime juice, 40ml orange juice, 25ml sugar syrup and half an egg white. Then add ice and shake again before straining over ice into a glass.

Netherlands

Genever, that most Dutch of spirits, is most well-known as the starting spirit from which gin evolved, but is still widely enjoyed in its homeland.

It was invented by alchemist Silvius de Bouve, and until 17th century it was mostly used as a medicine. While, similar to gin, it is a spirit distilled with botanicals, of which juniper plays to most dominant role, genever uses malted barley as its base ingredient, while gin uses grain.

The spirit is traditionally served in a tulip glass and consumed neat at room temperature with a small amount of sugar. But if this doesn’t suit the more modern palate, then it can be enjoyed in a range of classic cocktails, including the Pegu Club.

Method:

Pour into a cocktail shaker 55ml of genever, 20ml orange liqueur, 15ml lime juice, and two dashes of angostura bitters, then shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lime peel.

Costa Rica

While Argentina’s Aguardiente spirit is an anise-flavoured version of Latin American spirit guaro, a clear liqueur distilled from sugar cane juices, Costa Rica stays true to the traditional variant.

The spirit is hugely popular in the country, despite the fact that there is only one legally-produced brand. It is often described as “soft vodka” due to its clear colour and sweeter taste.

Guaro can be enjoyed in a range of cocktails, the most popular of which is the Guaro Sour. But if you’re in need of a swift hangover cure after World Cup joviality, then try the Guaro Bloody Mary

Method:

Place ice, and two shots of guaro into a tall glass. Add the juice of half a lemon, 6 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, 3 dashes of Tabasco sauce and 150ml of tomato juice. Sprinkle salt and black pepper on top.

France

Pastis is an anise-flavoured liqueur and aperitif characteristic of the southeastern region of France, particularly Marseilles from where it originates.

Pernod Ricard first brought out Pastis 51 in 1951, when a ban on anise-based spirits was revoked.

In 2010 the famous 51 Piscine cocktail was created, comprising Pastis 51, water and topped with ice cubes.

Method: 

Pour 20ml Pastis 51 into a glass, add 70ml of water and top with ice cubes. Stir gently and serve. 

Germany

Germany’s native herbal liqueur, Jägermeister first launched more than 100 years ago.

Made from a blend of 56 ingredients, Jägermeister is most commonly consumed as either a shot or a ‘bomb’ – a shot of Jägermeister submerged in a larger glass of energy drink, such as Red Bull.

But for those looking for something perhaps a little more refreshing to sip during the World Cup games, why not try the Jäger Ginger?

Method:

Half fill a tall glass with ice cubes, pour in 40ml of Jägermeister, squeeze and eighth of a lime over it and top up with cold ginger beer. Stir and garnish with cucumber slices.

Argentina

Argentina’s national spirit is fernet, an aromatic bitter liquor made from a number of herbs and spices often including: myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and saffron.

Although it was created in the 19th century to be used as stomach medicine, fernet is still widely enjoyed in modern Argentina, where around 25 million litres are produced per year.

Fernet is often served chilled and neat as a digestif, or mixed with cola or soda. However it also makes a flavoursome base in classic cocktails such as the Manhattan, supplementing the traditional bitters and vermouth.

Method:

Combine 55ml rye, 20ml of fernet, 7ml simple syrup and a dash of angostura bitters into a chilled mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain into a chilled coup and garnish with an orange twist.

Belgium

Similar to the Dutch, Belgians are known for their genever, but they are even more famous for their fantastic beers.

The country produces a range of beers in different styles, with 1,132 different varieties at last count. Belgian chefs even give traditional dishes such as boeuf bourguignon a twist by replacing the standard ingredient of red wine with beer.

So, to demonstrate your support for Belgium, why not replace spirits with beer and enjoy a refreshing beer cocktail? Our colleagues at the drinks business have outlined 10 innovative beer cocktail recipes, our favourite of which is the Shock Me.

Method:

For this cocktail you need 1/4 cup of Brooklyn Brown Ale, or any other kind of brown ale, two tablespoons of bourbon, one teaspoon of Southern Comfort and one teaspoon of maple syrup.