Drinks for candidates at the September and October Democratic debates

Since the third round of Democratic debates (actually just one debate) is being held tonight, it's time to update and recycle Drinks for the Democratic debates, Part 1 and Drinks for the Democratic debates, Part 2 by selecting the drinks for the debating candidates.  In addition, I am recommending drinking games for the debates.  Along with the ones at DebateDrinking.com, Spectator USA, and A.M. New York, I'm adding Rolling Stone and BTR Today.

Follow over the jump for the drinks.

I begin by being a good environmentalist and recycling from Drinks for the Democratic debates: Joe Biden.

Like Clinton, Sanders, Trump, and Santorum, Biden has a drink named after him, the Biden Beer Bomb.

.5 bottle of Sam Adams Cherry Wheat Beer (or beer of your choice. Wheat beer or hefeweizen works best)
1.5 oz. Woodford Reserve Bourbon
.5 oz. Cherry Brandy
.5 oz. simple syrup

Need a frozen beer mug or beer glass, then place bourbon, cherry brandy, and simple syrup in a Boston shaker with ice, and shake until cold. Pour mixture into the bottom of an ice-cold mug, then add beer.

As if that's not enough, there is a Vice President cocktail.

1 1/2     oz     Cuban rum, Havana Club Añejo Especial
1     oz     Mandarin orange liqueur, Mandarine Napoleon
1/2     oz     Campari
Instructions
Stir, strain, up.

The irony of these drinks is that Biden doesn't consume alcohol.  Instead, he prefers a cranberry mocktail like this Virgin Cosmopolitan.

Ingredients

    4 Parts Cranberry Juice
    1 Part Lime Juice
    1 Part Orange Juice
    1 Part Simple Syrup
    2 Dashes Orange Bitters
    1 Twist Orange

How to mix

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange.

In any event, if Biden enters the Democratic primary contest, both my readers and Paul W.'s will be prepared.

Little did I know that I would be prepared for Joe Biden to run four years in advance!


I begin with Cory Booker, who claims to have never had a drink in his life.  I actually believe him, as he thinks margaritas are made with fruit and vodka.  A real drinker would know better.  Just for that, I'm recommending the one margarita recipe with fruit in its name from Tipsy Bartender, Passionfruit Mango Margarita.


Of course, if one wanted to be true to Booker's no alcohol regimen, one could serve a mocktail, but what's the fun in that?


When I look up Pete Buttigieg's favorite drink, the one that turns up consistently is beer.  However, Eater quotes his husband as saying Mayor Pete likes “Beef jerky, string cheese, and Gatorade.”  If one wants to drink beer, South Bend has some good craft breweries, if one can get one of their beers.  However, I'm more intrigued by the Gatorade, which is used in Tipsy Bartender's Skittle Punch.


That looks like a fun drink and better than beer, although not better than the sentiment on this beer that Mayor Pete found in the Green Room to Colbert's show.


I'll drink to that!


According to Texas Monthly, Julian Castro's current favorite drink is Diet Snapple Lemon.  However, when he named his favorite comfort food, it was iced tea.  If one wanted a non-alcoholic drink, either would do, but I have the same reaction as I did to having a mocktail in honor of Booker — what's the fun in that?  Instead, I recommend America's Iced Tea from Tipsy Bartender.

This one is vibrant, refreshing, and super boozy!

If my readers think this drink is too strong, they can stick to Snapple.


While Kamala Harris told Eater her favorite comfort food is french fries, U.S. News and World Report mentioned that her favorite restaurants are Amber India and Dosa in San Francisco.  I couldn't find any alcoholic beverages on Dosa's menu, but Amber India's bar menu has some really interesting cocktails.  Unfortunately, they're all unique, although one, the Pink Elephant, has several variants out in the wild.  Any one of them will do.  That written, Harris is from Oakland, California, and the most famous drink to come out of there is the Mai Tai from the original Trader Vic's.  Tipsy Bartender has the original recipe.

This drink is made using the original recipe created by Trader Vic...THE ORIGINAL MAI TAI! This is one of the classics that defines the genre of tiki drinks. Tiki drinks are rum based and have a fruity taste. The Mai Tai is refreshing and potent, with a nice kick of fruitiness. Best served poolside or on a sandy tropical beach. Don't forget your little cocktail umbrella!

Amy Klobuchar's favorite comfort food, a baked potato, doesn't inspire much in the way of drinks besides vodka, and that's not very inspiring.  Neither is the video of her drinking a beer; I've already recommended a beer to salute John Delaney.  However, Minnesota does have an official cocktail, The Bootleg.  Watch Lunds & Byerlys show how one is made.

Mix up a batch of refreshing, citrusy Bootleg cocktails.

The booze used is Prairie Vodka, so the drink does tie into potatoes after all!


Beto O'Rourke used to be a hacker, so I suggest Hacker-Pschorr beer.  At least it's not an IPA.


I'll be a good environmentalist and recycle for Bernie Sanders.

First, the jokes, beginning with a bad one from Hypeline [Now on Medium].

Bernie Sanders = Grain Alcohol

Bernie Sanders is no more than a cheap grain alcohol. Nothing fancy because let’s face it, nobody should have anything better than anyone else. This is a cheap alcohol that will get the job done. Nobody really likes it but since we need to make sure everyone can equally get alcohol, this is only thing you might be lucky enough for the government to afford you.

As I wrote about their suggestion for Clinton, Hypeline leans right, so their bias interferes with their creativity.  Fortunately, I won't have to cite them again. 

Vinepair has a similar suggestion, but at least they're funnier about it.

This self-proclaimed socialist needs a rum with similar values. We’ve chosen Havana Club because it’s still (sort of) Cuban-owned, and thus not sold in the States. Fight the power with a daiquiri, Bernie.

Expect more from Vinepair in future installments.

Like Clinton, Santorum, and Trump, Sanders has a drink named after him.  Like Trump, this one is official.  Food and Wine shared the story and recipe.

Sanders treated everyone at the party to a custom cocktail—the Bernie Paloma. The drink was developed by Miguel Marcelino Herrara from D.C.’s hip cocktail spot, Barmini. And while Bernie Sanders doesn’t exactly seem like the type who throws back $17 cocktails (good on him for drinking Heady Topper), the drink that bares his name still sounds pretty good.

If you plan to vote for the Vermont Senator (or even if you don’t), here’s what you should toast with (per the NY Times):
The Bernie Paloma:

    1/2 oz. Vermont maple syrup
    1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
    2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
    2 oz. silver tequila
    Garnish: “salt air,” which is sea salt, lime juice, water and Sucro, emulsified with a hand blender.

Bobby Flay of Food Network has another suggestion, The Old Vermont.

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce grade B pure maple syrup
1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
2 dashes bitters, such as Angostura
Ice
Orange rind

Directions

Combine the gin, maple syrup, lemon and orange juice and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Add some ice and shake a few times. Strain the drink into a martini glass and garnish with the orange rind.

This recipe is one of the suggestions from Berniementum's party guide along with this shot glass.

It may not be fair that I have so many recipes for Bernie, but that's what happens when he runs twice.  I'm ready for him!


Elizabeth Warren drank a beer when she announced her candidacy, in fact, a Michelob Ultra.  That's fine, but I prefer Samuel Adams Boston Lager, which is what I think she should have been drinking, as it's from Massachusetts and has patriotic connections.



Last but not least, Andrew Yang told Eater “Kind bars are my comfort food.”  I don't find that inspiring.  Instead, Yang's singature issue of Universal Basic Income and his entrepreneurial background had me look at Silicon Valley's favorite cocktails, and I found a good ironic choice, the Old Fashioned, a basic cocktail for the basic income candidate.


Of course, if that's not basic enough, one can always drink beer, like Yang is in the photo above.

Tipsy Bartender made a special drink for Yang in Andrew Yang talks about robot bartenders as an example of automation coming for our jobs, Giant's Milk.

Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang stops by to try Giant's Milk, and to talk about bartenders being automated away!

That's it for the candidates in tonight's debate, but in order to make this entry good for the October debates, which all of the above have qualified for, I'm adding a bonus from Drinks for the candidates who didn't make the debates, Tom Steyer.


I have just the drink for him, the Billionaire's Margarita.  Take it away, Skyy and Sophia!

Get your big pimpin' on with the....BILLIONAIRE'S MARGARITA!  This is a small twist on a classic, made with the intention of morphing it into a manlier drink!  It's a refreshing mix of tequila, Grand Marnier, and lime juice.  Drink like a billionaire!

Of course, if either or both of Tulsi Gabbard or Marianne Williamson make the debate stage next month, I'll add in drinks for them.  Stay tuned.

ETA: Gabbard made the debate, so here is her drink suggestion.


Since Tulsi Gabbard represents Hawaii, the obvious choice would be a Blue Hawaiian.  However, she named her favorite comfort food as vegan cupcakes, so I'm recommending a cupcake drink instead.  Here's Tipsy Bartender's Chocolate Cupcake Cocktail.

This creamy shot is the perfect dessert martini for chocolate lovers!

I hope it's vegan!