What do the Eras Tour, the papal conclave, and the Olympics have in common? They’re some of the last monocultural events that bring everyone together at the global water cooler. For just over two weeks every two years, it’s cool to be patriotic and to share stats about niche sports and impressive athletes you hadn’t heard of a few days earlier. There’s nothing political about waving an American flag to celebrate the opening ceremonies or chanting USA as our team takes on our biggest rivals without the risk of geopolitical consequences.
All these reasons, plus the excitement of watching a program where something remarkable can happen at any moment, make the Olympic Games a great social unifier. And when *we* gather, there are always drinks. For this year’s Milan-Cortina games, we’ve matched each of the 16 Olympic disciplines with a drink pairing that reflects either the sport itself, the Alpine setting, or the winningest country.
Whether you’re watching at your favorite local watering hole, hosting at home, or even at the games themselves, here’s what you should be drinking during the Olympic and Paralympic Games this February.
Alpine Skiing
Alpine skiing came to its modern form with events like downhill racing and the super-G in, you guessed it, the Alps. To feel like you’re at a chic resort yourself, tastings director Keith Beavers recommends a bottle of Tenuta San Leonardo Vigneti Delle Dolomiti 2019. The Alpine red from the northern Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy is a bit of a splurge, but the Olympics only come around once every four (or two depending on how you count it) years. It’s welcoming with leather and berries on the nose followed by a nice acidity that will bring you back sip after sip.
Biathlon
The biathlon is a two-parter where athletes must cross-country ski around a loop as fast as they can before calming themselves down enough to accurately shoot targets with a rifle. Norway generally leads the pack, so take inspiration from its national spirit and pair a shot of aquavit (maybe when someone gets a penalty loop) with a crisp pilsner for a sporty boilermaker.
Bobsleigh
Olympic bobsleighing is forever linked to “Cool Runnings” and the Jamaican underdog team. The country has once again qualified, sending three teams to Milan. Watch them take to the track with their country’s unofficial national cocktail — Planter’s Punch — in hand. Looking for something a bit simpler? You can’t go wrong with a Daiquiri made with Jamaican rum.
Cross-Country Skiing
While some events in this discipline can be over in mere minutes, others are hourslong slogs in the icy cold. For a lengthy course, mix yourself up a long drink. This is another sport where Norway dominates, so an aquavit highball would be appropriate, garnished with lemon, dill, or other Scandinavian aromatics.
Curling
Curling stones are made from a special granite quarried on Scotland’s Ailsa Craig off the country’s Ayrshire Coast. In a bonspiel (curling tournament), these stones, which weigh between 38 and 44 pounds, are called rocks. Scotland … rocks … you see where this is going, don’t you? Freeze a large ice cube, add a pour of your favorite Scotch, and see which team can land the hammer in the button.
Figure Skating
Whatever you sip while beholding the artistry that is Olympic figure skating, you better “make it skate.” American phenom Ilia Malinin is known as the “quad god,” so a cocktail with four equal parts sounds like a good choice. Watch him land his first-of-its-kind quadruple axle and try to keep your jaw from dropping into your icy Paper Plane.
Freestyle Skiing
In freestyle skiing events like moguls, ski cross, halfpipe and Big Air, athletes get to show off. The impressive competitors display their speed, stunts, and personal flair while navigating bumps, jumps, and curves on the slopes. Display your own prowess with a cocktail with a flourish. We suggest a flaming, thrown Blue Blazer or a towering Ramos Gin Fizz, because what’s more impressive than a soufflé-topped tipple?
Ice Hockey
The U.S. and our neighbors to the north have one of the biggest rivalries in sports when it comes to ice hockey, especially on the women’s side where both countries have medaled in each set of games since it was introduced in 1998. Cheer on our gals and guys with a nice American craft beer from one of the best breweries in the country. We’ve also heard that some zeitgeisty players enjoy a nice ginger ale.
Luge
While shots chilled in an ice luge are the obvious choice here, they aren’t easily attainable while watching the games at home. Since Germany holds the most medals across all Luge events, crack open a strong German lager, like a bock, doppelbock, maibock, or eisbock.
Nordic Combined
In case you aren’t familiar with Nordic Combined, it’s a blend of cross-country skiing and ski jumping where your jump distance determines your starting placement for the cross-country portion. These athletes (and those watching them) could use a dose of caffeine and a layer of warmth to keep up their stamina, making it the perfect sport to enjoy with an Irish Coffee in hand.
Short Track Speed Skating
Short track speed skating is one of the fastest sports at the Olympics, with the quickest events over in under a minute. For this blink-and-you’ll-miss-it discipline, we recommend a shot. In honor of global short track legend Arianna Fontana (she’s won 11 medals, more than 70 percent of all medals won by Italian athletes at the winter games), make it an Italian liqueur like Fernet, Limoncello, or Sambuca.
Skeleton
You’ve got to be a thrill seeker to make a career out of sliding head first down a track at speeds up to 90 miles per hour. Feel the burn with some smoky mezcal, either sipped neat or mixed into a Naked and Famous or Mezcal Negroni, both of which combine the Mexican spirit with Italian aperitifs to delicious effect.
Ski Jumping
Ski jumpers are real daredevils. They fly down a hill at speeds up to 60 miles per hour before becoming a human “wing” and flying through the air for five to seven seconds over distances that surpass the length of a football field. That feat deserves something with a kick, like the El Diablo. Tequila and ginger beer are tempered by crème de cassis and fresh lime juice resulting in a drink that will keep you as riveted to your glass as you are to the screen.
Ski Mountaineering
For the first time ever, ski mountaineering is in the Olympic lineup. If you’ve ever been cross-country skiing, it’s like that but up a hill with a set of steps in the middle and a nice downhill at the end. All of that sounds exhausting, especially considering the whole race is over in under four minutes. If just looking at all that snow gives you the chills, warm up with a fragrant Hot Toddy. Since the games are in Italy (and the host country is a front-runner in the sport), feel free to add an Italian liqueur to the mix for a festive touch.
Snowboard
This all-American sport came to prominence in the 1970s and ’80s before joining the Olympic lineup at the 1998 Nagano games. Throughout the sport’s events, fastness and finesse combine for epic tricks and exciting finishes. Mimic that in a drink by mixing up a New York Sour. It’s a visually stunning cocktail that requires some practice to master as it’s finished with a slightly delicate red wine float.
Speed Skating
Speed skating is dominated by the Dutch since the country has a history of skating over frozen canals out of necessity. While you could sip a Heineken or Amstel, we suggest jolting yourself up to top speed (30 to 35-plus miles per hour), with a nice Espresso Martini or Carajillo.
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