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Colleagues and Cocktails: What to Drink at Happy Hour

Updated 6/19/2020
Colleagues and Cocktails: What to Drink at Happy Hour
Those old college standbys of beer and tequila? Not really options anymore. Here's your guide to classic and trendy go-to cocktails to enjoy at your next work happy hour.

The after-work happy hour usually ends a day that went something like this: You had a cup of coffee on the way to work, stuffed your face with a mini-muffin before the morning status meeting, barely touched your lunch because you were talking up a potential client, and grabbed a handful of peanuts from the conference room before heading to the bar. By the time the waiter comes to take your cocktail order, you've had a grand total of 35 calories the entire day.

Or, even if you were able to get in two square meals, the happy hour precedes a long night of work as you empty your inbox and prepare for tomorrow's board meeting.

The point is this: You’re not in college anymore, and you may need to re-think your drink of choice. You should look for a drink that is delicious, won't get you instantly hammered, is not a beer (stress + empty stomach + beer = increased chance of belching in boss's face mid-sentence), and isn't something you would normally imbibe at a bachelorette party.

Need ideas? Try one of these:

Classic Go-To Cocktails

Gin and Tonic

What it says about you: I'm sophisticated, and I'm probably wearing white and don't want to risk staining my blouse with something colorful.

Vodka Soda with a Splash of Cranberry

What it says about you: Hey, I like a little fruitiness, and that’s okay. I may put a Splenda in this drink when you're not looking. Deal with it.

(Variation: For something a little sweeter try a flavored vodka like Absolut like Citron or Raspberry)

Greyhound (Vodka and Grapefruit juice)

What it says about you: I have enough mental capacity to remember the name of a drink that has nothing to do with its actual ingredients. I've been here before. I enjoy a cocktail, but I'm not a lush.

Amaretto Sour

What it says about you: I am a responsible person and will be driving myself home later, thus I am choosing a cocktail with a mild liqueur and a non-alcoholic mix.

Trendy Go-To Cocktails

Manhattan

What it says about you: Sex and the City and the Cosmopolitan are so seven years ago, and don't I know it. I'm not afraid to hold something that comes with a cherry garnish, but I'm not going to order a daiquiri and sip it through a two foot straw on Girls Gone Wild.

 

Anything with an Unexpected Plant Ingredient, Like Basil or Cucumber

Example: Rhubarb Basil Cocktail from The Kitchn

What it says about you: I'm adventurous and assertive, and I demand that my traditionally feminine cocktail has a forward-thinking twist. Muddle, bartender, muddle!

Retro Drinks

Example: Tom Collins (Gin, Lemon Juice, Soda, Sugar)

What it says about you: I watch Mad Men. In a past life I may have operated a speakeasy, which accounts for my entrepreneurial spirit.

Cocktails to Avoid

Cocktails Named After Body Parts: Fuzzy Navel, Buttery Nipple

Cocktails that Reference Sex or Unsavory Historical Events: Sex on the Beach, Slow Comfortable Screw, Irish Car Bomb, Kamikaze

Cocktails that Destroyed You in College: Long Island Iced Tea, Mind Eraser, anything you set aflame

Photo courtesy of thebittenword.com.

Photo of Rikki Rogers
Rikki Rogers is a writer and marketer working outside of our nation’s capitol. When she’s not stuck in traffic, she enjoys writing poetry and running after her son. Since earning her BA from University of Virginia and her MFA from University of Utah, she's served in marketing and communication positions at a number of tech companies in the DC area. You can read more about her obsession with language and culture at www.rikkiwrites.com.
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