How to Host the Perfect Poker Home Game is a 13-part series on how to run the superlative poker night for all your friends and coworkers.
We’ll cover everything from what game of poker is easiest to play, what hand beats what and even what drinks and food to serve. Follow this guide and people will be reserving their seat at your table weeks in advance.
Our fifth article is a special one as Christopher Null of Drinkhacker.com fame has provided a fantastic selection of potential adult beverages to serve at your next poker game.
If you like this piece, be sure to head over to Drinkhacker.com where you’ll find a plethora of recipes, reviews and all-around knowledge for the discriminating drinker.
By Christopher Null
You’ve got the cards, chips, and table all set – now what? You can toss a case of Busch tallboys in an Igloo, or you can put a little thought into what you drink.
Take it from me: A bad beat goes down much easier if you chase it with a shot of high-grade Bourbon.
Here are three suggestions on what to serve your crew, depending on the stakes of your game.
Blue Collar
When beer is on the menu, Busch or Bud will work well enough, but even the most casual of players are likely to appreciate a little extra thoughts. Check out Guinness Black Lager – a new brand from Guinness that is black as coffee but drinks like a traditional lager. $8.50 per six-pack.
Casual
One of the best values in the spirits world today is Bourbon and other U.S. whiskeys, and you can find an awful lot of great American whiskeys on the market without having to spend a whole lot of money. Try Evan Williams Single Barrel 2002 or Big Bottom Port Cask Finished Whiskey, both of which are available for $30 a bottle or less. Of course, if you’re ever worried the bottles will offend, you can always pour the whiskey into a crystal decanter and tell everyone it’s Pappy Van Winkle.
High Stakes
It’s not cheating to get your opponents stinking drunk before the game ever starts, and the best way to do that is by serving a delicious, high-end cocktail that goes down easy (but is manly enough to invite continued consumption). This original cocktail drinks like a martini but adds a touch of sweetness so your victims, er, guests, never know what hit them. You can make these bad boys a pitcher at a time (just multiply all proportions by 8) so you can have refills at the ready:
Drinkhacker’s Big Blind Cocktail
1 oz vodka
1 oz gin
¼ oz dry vermouth
¼ oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
2 dashes orange bitters
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
More articles on How to Host the Perfect Poker Home Game:
Part 1: Equipment Part 2: Hand Rankings Part 3: How to Play Part 4: How to Set Up Part 5: What to Drink Part 6: What to Eat Part 7: Who to Invite Part 8: Etiquette Part 9: How to Beat your Friends Part 10: Cheaters Part 11: More Games, More Gamble Part 12: Odds and Exceptions Part 13: Which Hand Wins CalculatorVisit www.pokerlistings.com
