These Taylor Swift-Inspired Cocktails Are Perfect For Pregaming the Eras Tour

By Mirel Zaman
Getty | Gotham
POPSUGAR Photography | Jordan Shalhoub
Photo illustration by Becky Jiras
Getty | Gotham
POPSUGAR Photography | Jordan Shalhoub
Photo illustration by Becky Jiras

From October 2022, when the "Midnights" album was released, to through August 2023, when the last U.S. performance on the Eras Tour will take place, it's officially Taylor Swift season. Swifties are getting plenty of inspiration from Taylor's new concerts and recent public appearances, poring over the pictures and videos to come up with TS-inspired outfits, beauty looks, and food and drinks. Or more specifically, cocktails.

The Liberty Hotel in Boston recently launched a whole menu of Eras-influenced cocktails and snacks, and a POPSUGAR editor was able to try them out. They'll be on the hotel's Liberty Bar menu through May. But we got the recipes for the drinks, so you can replicate them whenever you want.

While some of these cocktails contain ingredients you might not have at home (unless you've got a cotton candy machine), most of them are pretty easy to make. And they're definitely worth mixing up, since they're both delicious and fantastic ways to tap into the Eras energy that we're currently enjoying.

Ahead, the recipes for six Taylor Swift-inspired cocktails, along with a mini-review of each. (You can also see our editor's full review on TikTok, or watch it below.) Choose your favorite and sip it while enjoying an album from your favorite TS era — or, if you're one of the lucky ones, before heading out to an Eras concert.

Champagne Problems
POPSUGAR Photography | Jordan Shalhoub

Champagne Problems

Our editor's review: "I admittedly love champagne. This tastes . . . like champagne, with kind of a candy vibe. Which may seem obvious. It tastes the same way as it looks, which is delicious."

Ingredients:

  • 1 ounce gin (Bombay Sapphire preferred)
  • 1/2 ounce lemon juice
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup
  • Prosecco or Champagne
  • Cotton candy (optional)

Instructions:

In a cocktail shaker, mix the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup and shake. Pour into a Champagne flute, then top off the glass with Prosecco or Champagne. If you have it, add a piece of cotton candy to the top of the glass.

Red Scarf
POPSUGAR Photography | Jordan Shalhoub

Red Scarf

Our editor's review: ""Oh, thats good. You definitely get a big whoosh of citrus as you bring it up for a sip, which is nice. I love a citrus. It's very refreshing. Almost like a blackberry lemonade . . . with vodka."

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 ounces vodka (Tito's preferred)
  • 1/2 ounce Cointreau
  • 3/4 ounce lemon juice
  • 1/2 ounce blackberry thyme purée (to make, blend about 15 blackberries with the leaves of a few sprigs of thyme, then push the mixture through a fine sieve)
  • 2 dashes cocktail bitters (Angostura preferred)
  • Sparkling rosé

Instructions:

In a cocktail shaker, mix vodka, Cointreau, lemon juice, blackberry thyme purée, and bitters and shake. Pour into a rocks glass over ice. Top with sparking rose.


Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace
POPSUGAR Photography | Jordan Shalhoub

Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace

Our editor's review: "If you aren't eating your watermelon with tajin, you're missing out. If you like a spicy margarita? Delicious. It is definitely spicy. It is really yummy, though. I can definitely still taste the watermelon even through the spice — it's a really good watermelon margarita. And if you like yours spicy? Nailed it."

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 ounces tequila (Corralejo Reposado preferred; The Liberty Hotel infuses theirs with jalapeño for extra kick)
  • 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
  • 3/4 ounce lime juice
  • 1 ounce watermelon purée
  • 1/4 ounce agave

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake, then pour into a rocks glass over ice. Optional: garnish with a chunk of watermelon dipped in Tajín.

Welcome to New York
POPSUGAR Photography | Jordan Shalhoub

Welcome to New York

Our editor's review: "That is definitely a strong, bold drink. It is a very, very good Manhattan — which is perfect for Welcome to New York. That cherry will be a very delicious reward at the bottom of your glass."

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces bourbon (Maker's Mark preferred)
  • 1 ounce sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica preferred)
  • 2 dashes cocktail bitters (Angostura preferred)
  • Maraschino cherries (Luxardo preferred)

Instructions:

In a cocktail shaker, mix the bourbon, sweet vermouth, and bitters and shake, then pour into a coupe and top with a Maraschino cherry.

Teardrops On My Guitar
POPSUGAR Photography | Jordan Shalhoub

Teardrops On My Guitar

Our editor's review: "Oh, that's good. Real vacation vibes. I think this one would definitely get me ready for summer, it's really yummy. It's a very berry flavor. Very sweet, very fruity. I really like that."

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 ounces rum (Bacardi Superior preferred)
  • 1/2 ounce blue Curaçao (Giffard preferred)
  • 1/2 ounce Orgeat syrup
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 1/4 ounce simple syrup
  • 1 dash cocktail bitters (Angostura preferred)
  • Mint sprig (optional)

Instructions:

Mix all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake. Pour into a rocks glass over ice. Top with a bit more blue Curaçao. Add a mint sprig as garnish and serve.

London Boy
POPSUGAR Photography | Jordan Shalhoub

London Boy

Our editor's review: "Full disclosure, I don't like gin. But I like that! Smells like Christmas, tastes like . . . almost grapefruit-y? But it's really, really good. That's a gin drink I would drink, and I don't drink gin."

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 ounce gin (Sipsmith preferred)
  • 3/4 ounce lemon juice
  • 1/2 ounce Giffard Abricot du Roussilon
  • 1/2 ounce rosemary syrup
  • 1 dash cocktail bitters (Angostura preferred)

Instructions:

In a cocktail shaker, mix all ingredients and shake. Pour into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.