This is not a drill; college football is back in full swing. Even if you are not an Alabama football fan, tailgating and watch parties are perfect excuses to party with your friends. All Alabama fans know what tailgating is, but what do they do when there is an away game? They have watch parties. Students at The University of Alabama throw the biggest and best watch parties where houses can be seen filled with hundreds of friends and friends of friends. In fact, The University of Alabama has been ranked the number one party school by the Princeton Review in 2020. Students at The University of Alabama flock to bars, frat houses, and friends’ houses to watch the game (or not watch the game) to drink and eat, and to have a good time. While being a guest at a watch party is easy, hosting a watch party comes with many preparations including choosing the best foods and drinks. Here is a list of the most essential tips and tricks to ensure you throw the best watch party.
Tip #1: Be the life of the dinner party
Food is essential at any watch party, and college students always appreciate free food. Kick off your Crimson Tide watch party with dips and finger foods everyone will love.
Mama Ju’s Bacon Pecan Dip
Ingredients
• 1 package of finely shredded Colby-Jack cheese
• 1 small, finely chopped onion
• 1 jar of Hormel bacon pieces (NOT bacon bits)
• 1 cup of coarsely chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup of mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of chopped green onions
• Mix ingredients and chill for at least 4 hours before serving with your choice of chips or crackers
Mama Ju’s Corn Dip (Crack Dip)
Ingredients
• 3 cans of Green Giant Mexicorn drained
• 1 large bag of shredded cheddar cheese
• 2/3 cup of sour cream
• 2/3 cup of mayonnaise
• 1 can of green chilies
• 1 jalapeño diced very small
• Chives cut small
• 3-5 good solid shakes of cumin
• Mix all ingredients well the night before serving with your choice of chips or crackers
Best Buffalo Chicken Dips
Buffalo chicken dip is a staple at The University of Alabama thanks to Buffalo Phils, a local pub and restaurant that sits in the heart of The Strip.
Here are a few of the best buffalo chicken dip recipes.
2. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/68461/buffalo-chicken-dip/
Ro-Tel Dip
Ro-Tel dip is an American classic that can be seen at any watch party or event and only consists of three ingredients
- Can of Ro-Tel Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
- Velveeta cheese
- Ground sausage
Sliders
Sliders are the perfect finger foods that are both tasty and filling. Sliders don’t stop at burgers; there are many variations you can choose from.
Here are some slider recipes from Taste of Home.
- 1. Bacon Cheeseburger https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/bacon-cheeseburger-slider-bake/
- 2. Pizza Sliders https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pizza-sliders/
- 3. Buffalo Chicken Sliders https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/buffalo-chicken-sliders/
BBQ
If you are not skilled in the kitchen or don’t have time to prepare food for your watch party, consider catering food to your house. BBQ is an essential game day food for Alabama football fans, and many BBQ restaurants offer catering.
Here is a list of some BBQ restaurants in Tuscaloosa that offer catering.
- Full Moon BBQ
- Moes BBQ
- Dreamland BBQ
- Archibald & Woodrow’s BBQ
- Jim N’ Nick’s
Tip #2: Get the crowd buzzing with these drinks
While food is essential at any watch party, one thing your guests will love more than the food is the drinks. It is necessary to have a variety of drinks for your guests to choose from. In addition, having a variety of drinks can help you save money.
Cocktails that won’t make your guests feel bloated
No one likes that bloated feeling you get after drinking beer or seltzer all day, but liquor can get expensive. Many of us are college students and are “ballin’ on a budget.” Here are some good, cheap vodka and whiskey choices, as well as mixers, and cocktails your guests will enjoy.
Smirnoff: Vodka
Average price for a handle: $15.00-$20.00
Good mixers
- Sprite
- Cranberry juice
- Lemonade
- Pineapple juice
- Red Bull
- Water
Evan Williams
Average price for a handle: $20.00-$25.00
Good mixers
- Coke
- Diet Coke
- Sour mix
- Grapefruit juice
- Club soda
Yellowhammer
If you have ever stepped foot on The Strip, chances are you have seen students holding the famous yellow Gallettes’ cup. Gallettes is a bar located on The Strip and is best known for its Yellowhammers.
Yellowhammers consists of:
- Vodka
- Rum
- Amaretto
- Pineapple juice
- Orange juice
Mimosas
Students at The University of Alabama know how brutal 11:00 a.m. kick-offs are, and not many people want to start their morning with a shot of tequila. Mimosas, a mix of champagne and orange juice, are the perfect drink to start your early morning watch parties.
Cheap champagne options that are between $7.00-$15.00
- Andre
- La Marca Prosecco
- Cooks
- Korbel
Beer and Seltzer
A major aspect of watch parties during Alabama football games is being able to drink over long periods of time. No one wants to be the first person to “tap out.” Having a variety of beer and seltzers at your watch party will ensure your guests are able to party for the long haul. Here are some beer and seltzer options all college students love.
Light Beers
Light beers are perfect for long, hot days. They are a great way to cool down and take a break from liquor. Here is a list of college students’ favorite light beers.
Michelob Ultra
Corona Light
Miller Lite
Busch Light
Coors Light
Natural Light
Seltzers
If you have been a college student any time after 2016, you have probably tried numerous different seltzers. In 2016, White Claw first made an appearance on the shelf, which started a chain reaction of other companies trying to create a seltzer more popular than its competitor. Seltzers are a great option for those who don’t have a taste for beer, and it is essential that the perfect watch party host caters to all guests. Here is a list of college students’ favorite seltzers.
White Claw
Truly Hard Seltzer
High Noon
Vizzy Hard Seltzer
Bud Light Seltzer
Mike’s Hard Seltzer
Tip #3: Don’t forget the easy-to-forget essentials
Although you have the essential foods and drinks, your watch party is not complete. The perfect watch party will be complete when you have all the necessities for food and drinks. It is easy to forget the small things, such as plates and napkins, but they are a crucial part of ensuring the party is top-notch. Here is a list of Crimson Tide watch party necessities no one should forget.
Paper plates, napkins, utensils, and solo cups are the easiest items to forget but are necessary. If the watch party is being held at your house, chances are you don’t have enough plates, utensils, and cups for all your guests. In addition, no one wants to be responsible for all those dishes.
Along with paper plates, you must have koozies and bottle openers for your guests. Koozies are great for keeping your guests’ drinks cold when they want to relax and sip on their beer or seltzer. Since you might be providing bottled beer, you want to make sure you have a couple of bottle openers lying around, because people always forget to bring their own. Although your Crimson Tide watch party won’t be a total failure without koozies or bottle openers, your guests will love you even more.
Aside from food and drinks, watch parties usually have fun activities people can do during the game. Providing a beer pong table is a great way to enhance a watch party and ensure your guests are having fun. Cornhole is also a great activity southerners love to play.
Lastly, coolers are a must-have at watch parties. No one wants to sip on a warm beer. Yuck. While coolers can be big and heavy, there are plenty of alternative options. Whoever gets stuck carrying the big Yeti cooler will hate themselves and whoever made them carry it. Here are some good, lightweight coolers you can get for your Crimson Tide watch party.
Backpack Coolers
RTIC Backpack Cooler
EVERFUN Backpack Cooler
Generic Foam Cooler
Now that you have all the essential tips and tricks for an Alabama Crimson Tide watch party, it’s time to start having fun! Roll Tide!
