Dia De Los Muertos, also known as the “Day of the Dead,” is often referred to as the Mexican version of Halloween. However, even though the holiday is celebrated the day after Halloween, it’s a bit different.
Whether you’re in Mexico or somewhere else in the world, you’ll need the right drinks to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos. Read this guide to learn about the best Dia de Los Muertos Drinks to buy.
Related: Cocktail Glasses That You Need at Home
What is Dia de Los Muertos?
As we mentioned, Dia de Los Muertos stands for the Day of the Dead. While the word “dead” is in the title, the holiday actually celebrates the living and the dead.
On the holiday, it’s traditional for families to create offerings in honor of their family members that have passed away. It’s also customary to prepare the favorite foods and drinks of the loved ones being honored.
The idea is that the offerings encourage visits from the land of the dead and that the departed souls will hear their prayers and join in on the celebration.
Calaveras
Calaveras (skulls) are another important aspect of the Day of the Dead. People often draw skulls on their faces or hang skulls up as decorations. It’s also common to buy sugar candy skulls and offer them up to the dead.
The Best Day of the Dead Drinks to Buy
As we mentioned, food and drinks are a major part of the Dia De Los Muertos celebrations. Whether you’re gathering with family and carrying out a traditional ceremony or hosting a party for your friends, you need to have the right alcoholic beverages on hand.
Here are some of the best drinks:
1. Margaritas
No Day of the Dead celebration is complete without margaritas. The word margarita is a Spanish word that translates to “daisy.”
While no one is exactly sure if the margarita was invented in Mexico or the US, the drink has become strongly associated with Mexican culture over the years. Margaritas are a natural fit for a Day of the Dead celebration, and there are plenty of kinds you can choose from.
Homemade Margarita Recipe
If you’re up for the task, you can make your own margarita at home. Here are the ingredients:
- 1.5 ounces of silver tequila
- ¾ ounces of freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ounce of orange liqueur
- Agave nectar or simple syrup to sweeten
- Coarse salt for the rim
- Lime wedge to garnish
If you’d rather make a pitcher of margarita for the celebrations, here’s what you’ll need:
- 3 cups of silver tequila
- 1.5 cups of freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 cups of orange liqueur
- Agave nectar, lime wedges, and coarse salt
To make your homemade margaritas, follow these steps:
- Salt the glass rims.
- Mix the tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, and ice cubes into a cocktail shaker.
- Stir the ingredients until combined. Add some simple syrup if desired.
- Fill your serving glasses with ice and pour in the margarita mix.
Buy Pre-Made Margaritas
You may not have time to make your own margaritas for the celebrations, or you may find that it’s easier to bring ready-to-drink margaritas. If so, we suggest bringing:
- Canned margaritas
- Bottled margarita cocktails
- Margarita popsicles
The great thing about pre-made margaritas is that you can purchase them in many different flavors. Flavor options include strawberry, lime, peach, mango, and watermelon.
Rancho la Gloria ready-to-drink margarita
Related: How to Take Your Margarita to the Next Level
2. Oaxacan Lemonade
While the Day of the Dead is celebrated throughout Mexico, the main events take place in Oaxaca, a city located in the southwest region of the country.
Oaxaca is a beautiful city that’s considered the gastronomic capital of Mexico. It’s best known for its seven varieties of mole, which is a thick smoky-sweet sauce traditionally served with meat and rice.
Making an Oaxacan lemonade for your Day of the Dead celebrations is the perfect way to pay tribute to this iconic Mexican city.
To make an Oaxacan lemonade, here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 ounces of vodka
- ½ bar spoon of Mezcal
- ½ ounce of lime juice
- ½ ounce of agave nectar
- Lemon twist
- Cilantro leaf
Here’s how to make an Oaxacan lemonade:
- Tear up the cilantro leaf and add it to a cocktail shaker.
- Pour in the vodka, Mezcal, lemon juice, and agave nectar.
- Shake the ingredients with ice.
- Strain and pour into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist and cilantro leaf.
Are you looking to purchase some delicious ready-to-drink cocktails in 2021? Check out our list of recommendations!
3. Mezcal Mama Horchata
Horchata is a traditional Mexican drink that’s made from white rice soaked in water. It’s usually sweetened with granulated sugar and flavored with cinnamon. While many people enjoy the drink on its own, you can also turn it into an alcoholic beverage to celebrate the Day of the Dead.
Here are the ingredients you need:
- 1.5 ounces of Mezcal
- 1.5 ounces of almond horchata
- 0.5 ounces of lime juice
- 0.5 ounces of simple syrup
- Three 1-inch pieces of fresh pineapple
- Pinch of salt mixed with water
- Mint to garnish
Here’s how to make the Mezcal Mama Horchata:
- Muddle the fresh pineapple in a pint glass.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the pint glass along with ice (except for the mint).
- Top the glass with a shaker tin and shake until the ingredients are well mixed.
- Strain into an old-fashioned glass, top with crushed ice and add the fresh mint as a garnish.
Related: What Drinks Go With Mexican Food?
Dia De Los Muertos Drinks: Time to Start Making Cocktails!
Now that you have this Dia De Los Muertos drinks list, it’s time to start whipping up some fresh cocktails.
With these drinks, your celebrations will be complete.
Are you wondering where to buy pre-made cocktails for your Day of the Dead celebrations? Click here to discover our store locator.