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Top 5 Drinks Made Famous By Celebrities
As we wait to see what celebrities order up on "Barmageddon," we already know some stars' signature cocktails.
Let’s face it, we’re not all alcohol connoisseurs. While some have refined their pallets enough to know what kind of cocktail is right for them, the rest of us tend to rely on word of mouth to help us order something that won’t get us laughed out of the bar.
As a result, the most famous cocktails are often the ones recommended by celebrities. That’s not a bad thing because sometimes celebs have some great cocktails either named after them or that they’ve made their own through sheer appreciation.
People may learn a thing or two about what celebrities like (and don’t like) to drink when Blake Shelton, Carson Daly, and Nikki Bella invite some of their friends over to Ole Red in Nashville, Tennessee, for a series of boozy bar games designed to level the playing field between everyday people and celebrities on USA Network's upcoming series "Barmageddon."
To help get in on the fun of the show’s Dec. 5 premiere (responsibly, of course), fans may want to pour themselves one of these cocktails made famous by celebrities over the years.
Shirley Temple
Although there’s no alcohol in a traditional Shirley Temple, it’s by far the most famous drink named after a celebrity. According to Thrillist, its history dates back to the 1930s when the famous child star was one of the most popular celebrities in America.
As a result, she often found herself at a lot of adult parties or restaurants. So, it was important for her to be able to order something to drink without giving her any alcohol. Thus, the Shirley Temple was born of things commonly found behind a bar that aren’t alcoholic. Meanwhile, if you want to make it a little alcoholic, you can create a “Dirty Shirley” by adding some vodka.
- Ice
- Grenadine
- Lemon-lime soda
- Ginger ale
- Maraschino cherry
- Vodka (optional)
White Russian
This unique beverage’s origins start way back in the 1940s. According to VinePair, it was created by a Belgian barman in honor of Perle Mesta, then the U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg. The drink made its way to California’s Oakland Tribune in the 1960s, which popularized it here in the U.S.
Many know the drink as the drink of choice for the fictional character The Dude in “The Big Lebowski.” However, it’s also known to be the favorite drink of reality TV royalty Kim Kardashian. She previously told Access Hollywood that she hadn’t tried the drink until she turned 30 but enjoyed how well it covered the taste of alcohol.
“It tastes like chocolate milk and it’s kind of amazing … but I’m 30 so it’s OK.”
- Ice
- Vodka
- Kahlua
- Heavy Cream
Carson-Rita
That’s right, you don’t become the co-host of a bar-themed game show without being able to whip up your very own signature cocktail. Although it has “Rita” in the name, the “Today” host’s cocktail is far from your average marg.
This very specific drink uses POM brand juice as well as Daly’s favorite soda, Fresca. In fact, Daly recently had a bit of a personal crisis when he struggled to find the sugar-free citrus drink in his local stores. When he does get all the ingredients together, the drink ends up looking like a refreshing summer pick-me-up.
- Ice
- Vodka (Kettle One if you’re doing it Carson’s way)
- POM pomegranate cherry juice
- Fresca (original citrus)
Blake-a-Rita
Not to be outdone, Shelton has a signature cocktail of his own that just so happen to be served at the “Barmageddon” venue, Ole Red in Nashville. Unlike Daly’s drink, which has a lot of specific ingredients, Shelton's is a lot more relaxed.
The Blake-a-Rita is all about mixing to taste and using what’s on hand without getting too worried about perfection. Think of it more as a means to an end. The “end,” in this context, is a cool buzz to make you the life of the party.
- Ice
- Vodka
- Lemon-lime soda
- Lime juice (fresh or bottled, it doesn’t matter)
Negroni Sbagliato
This drink is having a moment thanks to a now-viral video shared on the HBO TikTok account in which two of the stars of the popular show “House of the Dragon” were interviewed and discussed the niche drink.
In the clip, stars Emma D'Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the feuding Queen Rhaenyra and Queen Regent Alicent, respectively, ask each other their preferred drink of choice. D’Arcy notes they like a Negroni before adding “sbagliato.” Cooke lets out a noise that says she’s intrigued but unaware, so D’Arcy clarifies it means there’s Prosecco in it.
As these things tend to do, the viral video took off and now curious drinkers are heading to their bars to order the negroni sbagliato for the first time. In other words, the secret is out about the drink. NPR reports that, although the viral audio says "Negroni ... sbagliato ... with prosecco in it," that’s not the proper way to order the drink.
Sbagliato means “broken” or “mistaken” in Italian. It’s how one would reference substituting gin for sparkling wine. So there’s no need to say the word “prosecco.” Just say those two lovely Italian words back-to-back and let your bartender do their thing.
- Sweet vermouth
- Campari
- Prosecco
- Orange
Tune into “Barmageddon” on USA Network on Dec. 5. You can watch other game shows on Peacock now.
