Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Southern comfort
- 1 ounce amaretto liqueur
- ¾ ounce sloe gin
- 2 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
- Ice
- Orange wheel and cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, Southern Comfort, amaretto liqueur, sloe gin, and orange juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange wheel and cherry.
Variations and Substitutions
Orange juice doesn't agree with you? There's a solution for that. No sloe gin on hand? Not a problem. There's more than one way to shake an Alabama slammer.
- Swap around your citrus juice by using pineapple juice instead, or you can even use equal parts orange juice and pineapple juice together.
- Add a splash of cranberry juice to make your Alabama slammer a touch tarter.
- Sloe gin is a distinct liqueur but if you don't have any on hand or prefer to use something else, consider using a plum brandy, sloe berry vodka, sloe gin simple syrup, or even blackberry brandy.
- Like sloe gin, Southern Comfort is a distinctive booze. You can use Yukon Jack, Amaro, or bourbon in its place.
- Instead of almond liqueur, consider a different nutty liqueur, such as hazelnut.
- Modify the recipe to use three-quarters of an ounce each of Southern Comfort, amaretto liqueur, sloe gin, and one-quarter ounce of orange juice for an Alabama slammer shot.
- Serve it in a drink pouch for a portable adult juice box cocktail.
Garnishes
Skip the sticky fruit, make it over the top, or keep it simple with these garnish ideas for your Alabama slammer.
- Use an orange ribbon, peel, or twist instead of an orange wheel.
- Give your Alabama Slammer a berry spin by using fresh blackberries or raspberries.
- Layer citrus flavors by using an orange wheel or a lemon wheel, or a lime wheel with an orange ribbon.
- Opt for a unique look by using a dehydrated citrus wheel.
- Emphasize the sloe gin flavors by using fresh sloe berries.
About the Alabama Slammer
The Alabama slammer burst onto the scene at the University of Alabama in the 1970s, or so the legend goes. This cocktail is everything a Southern cocktail should be: boozy with a smooth and sultry flavor. While these ingredients--a whiskey-style liqueur, almond, and orange juice--may not seem like they would all work out, the flavors result in a buttery and nutty cocktail.
The University of Alabama is known for its battle cry, "Roll Tide!" It's a shout you'll hear throughout football games and athletic events to rally and support the Crimson Side. It's no wonder the Alabama slammer has a crimson hue. From its inception in the 1970s through the 1990s, the cocktail was a star in not just Alabama but throughout the country. However, it has fallen out of popularity in most parts of the United States -- except for its home state. Don't let that stop you from shaking it up come football season, though.
An Easy Alabama Slammer
Skip your usual screwdriver or amaretto cocktail for the Alabama slammer. Whether you enjoy this cocktail chilled over ice or at a party as a shot, this smooth and Southern-influenced cocktail will only add to the festivities.
