CWU-Themed Cocktails

story by Jackson Lawler, photos and bartending by Keaton Weyers, design by Maddie Landon

Looking for a tasty drink to enjoy the weekend with or to help celebrate a special occasion? I have created or modified recipes for eight cocktails, each themed after an aspect of CWU and designed to be easily mixed. Every drink was crafted with inexpensive ingredients and flavors befitting the tastebuds of college students. 

Luckily, PULSE Co-Photography Lead Keaton Weyers is a licensed bartender. He stepped up to help me make my recipes a reality, along with our Editor-In-Chief, Gunner Stuns, who was eager to taste test. Whether you try out just one or make them all, enjoy! 

*Disclaimers: All recipes in this article, except The 1891 Mocktail, contain alcohol. PULSE staff who participated in the creation and taste-testing are over 21 years of age. PULSE Magazine does not condone underage drinking or inappropriate use of alcohol. Central Washington University is not officially endorsing or associated with any of these recipes. Please drink responsibly. 

 

Wildcat Whiskey

Colored to resemble the dark metal of the Wildcat statue on the SURC East Patio, this drink certainly tastes how it sounds– like whiskey. If you, like our Co-Photography Lead, have acquired that particular taste, this is for you. This is the kind of cocktail you might enjoy while having an easy night in with friends.

Ingredients:

  • 1 rocks glass (pictured in a different glass)

  • 1.5 oz whiskey

  • 1 sugar cube

  • ½ oz blue curacao liqueur

  • ½ oz grenadine

  • ½ oz simple syrup

  • ice

Directions:

  • Add 1 sugar cube into a rocks glass. Add whiskey. Place liqueur and grenadine in a jigger to create a black color. Add simple syrup to the glass. Stir well and add the liqueur and grenadine to the glass. Add ice. 

 

The McConnell

I must admit that I’m a little biased toward this drink because I, a Musical Theatre major, intentionally made it with our theatre students in mind. It is sweet, fruity and notably, doesn’t taste like alcohol. If you haven’t yet acquired the taste for alcohol, the McConnell is probably your best bet. It’s my personal favorite of the batch.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cocktail glass

  • 1 ½ oz Pink Whitney Vodka (or ¾ oz vodka and ¾ oz pink lemonade as substitute)

  • ½ oz simple syrup

  • 2 oz Sprite

  • ice

  • strawberry garnish

  • raspberry garnish

  • maraschino cherry garnish

  • 1 toothpick

Directions:

  • In a shaker, add ice, vodka, syrup and Sprite. Mix well. Pour into a cocktail glass. On a toothpick, skewer a strawberry, raspberry and cherry. Add to glass.

 

The PULSE Pineapple

This tropical drink was named for the very magazine you’re reading. Fittingly, this was our editor-in-chief’s favorite from the bunch. If you like the taste of pineapple, then this drink is for you. On a nice day, the PULSE Pineapple would be a fitting drink to sip while reading in the sunshine.

Ingredients:

  • 1 collins glass (pictured in a different glass)

  • 2 oz rum

  • 3 oz pineapple juice

  • 1 oz lime juice

  • 1 oz triple sec

  • 2 maraschino cherries

  • 1 pineapple slice

Directions:

  • In a collins glass, add rum, pineapple juice, lime juice and triple sec. Stir well. Garnish with cherry and pineapple. 

 

Wellington’s Delight

I’m a history nerd, so I wanted to include a modified, more accessible take on McKinley's Delight. If you’re also a lover of learning and the past, I suggest making one of these to drink while watching a history documentary. Behold… the Wellington’s Delight. It replaces absinthe with grenadine to make it much less expensive, much less dangerous and much more delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cocktail glass 

  • 2 oz straight rye whiskey

  • 1 oz sweet vermouth

  • ½ oz cherry liqueur (or cherry syrup as substitute)

  • ½ oz grenadine

  • 1 orange twist

  • 1 toothpick

  • ice

Directions:

  • Add rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur and grenadine to a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Stir, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Skewer orange twist onto a toothpick and add to the glass.

 

The 1891 Mocktail

It was important to me that we didn’t leave out our sober readers. For that reason, this non-alcoholic cross between a Roy Rogers and a Shirley Temple was created. Named for the year CWU was founded, The 1891 would’ve been allowed on campus at any time in our school’s history. Best of all – you can make this one whenever you like and still drive to class!

Ingredients:

  • 1 collins glass

  • 4 oz Coca-Cola

  • 1½  oz grenadine

  • 4½ oz ginger ale

  • maraschino cherry

  • ice

Directions:

  • Pour cola, grenadine and ginger ale into a collins glass filled with ice. Stir well. Add maraschino cherry. 









The Bowers Aviation

As soon as I learned there was a cocktail called the “Aviation,” I knew I had to create a drink for our own aviation program, featuring the red color seen on the bellies of their planes, rather than the purple commonly seen in a normal Aviation. Despite being named for Bowers Field two miles north of campus, this drink should probably be enjoyed on the ground.Ingredients:

  • 1 cocktail glass

  • 2 oz gin

  • ¾ oz lemon juice

  • ½ oz cherry liqueur (or cherry syrup as substitute)

  • ¼ oz grenadine

  • maraschino cherry

  • ice

Directions:

  • Add gin, cherry liqueur, grenadine and lemon juice to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry. 







 

Old-Fashioned Barge

What better beverage to base on our historic Barge Hall than a modified Old Fashioned? If you like the taste of alcohol, this stiff drink is for you. Golden like the elevators and railings inside Barge and with fruit as red as its carpets, it's as elegant as our oldest building on campus and tastes like something that would’ve been enjoyed back when we were founded.

Ingredients:

  • 1 rocks/lowball glass (pictured in a different glass)

  • 1 sugar cube

  • 4 dashes angostura bitters

  • 2 oz whiskey

  • A dash of soda water

  • ice

  • strawberry cherry garnish

Directions:

  • Add sugar cube into a lowball glass. Pour bitters and soda water in. Add ice cubes and pour whiskey in. Stir well. Add strawberry and cherry garnish.

 

SURC Swizzle

This whimsically named, citrusy take on the rum swizzle was so satisfying to watch being made and its multi-colored look really stands out from the other recipes. This one should be enjoyed through a kids’ crazy straw. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 rocks glass (pictured in a different glass)

  • 1 ½ oz rum

  • 1 oz orange juice

  • ¼ oz grenadine

  • 1 oz lemon juice

  • 1 oz pineapple juice

  • 1 dash bitters

  • orange slice garnish

  • cherry garnish

  • 1 toothpick

Directions:

  • Fill a mixing glass halfway with crushed ice. Then add rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice and bitters. Stir vigorously with a swizzle stick (or bar spoon). Fill a rocks glass with fresh ice. Pour the drink in. Add grenadine to the side of the glass so it pools in the bottom. Place an orange slice on the side of the glass and add a cherry on a toothpick.

 
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