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Home » Recipes » Beverages

Alabama Slammer Cocktail

Published: Jun 24, 2021 Last Updated: Jun 3, 2023 by Marye 1406 words. | About 8 minutes to read this article.

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
5 minutes mins
The Alabama Slammer is a red, fruity cocktail that was made popular in the Tom Cruise movie, Cocktail. It's refreshingly sweet for summer and a gorgeous color!

You may also know this sweet, fruity drink (think Hawaiian Punch with a kick) as a southern slammer. It makes a great pitcher drink for game day or sipping by the pool!

This recipe is meant for people over 21 years old. Please drink responsibly.

a bright red alabama slammer cocktail is garnished with lime slices.
This cocktail recipe is perfect for lazy afternoons by the pool!
Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 💭 Things to know
  • 📖 Variations
  • 👩🏻‍🍳 Frequently asked questions
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 🥄 Equipment
  • 📞 The last word
  • Alabama Slammer Cocktail
  • ✍🏻 A note from Marye...
  • 💬 Comments

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

  • Gorgeous red color!
  • If you're a University of Alabama fan it's required.
  • Sweet and refreshing fruity flavor.

It's made with Southern Comfort, sloe gin, and amaretto. No one really knows who invented it but legend says that it was created at the University of Alabama in the mid-1970s...and who am I to argue?

With it's bright red color it's supposedly the signature drink of Crimson Tide.

What I do know is that this gorgeous ruby cocktail is one of my favorite cocktail recipes, right along with my vanilla gin and tonic!

🧾 Ingredients

There is a lot of alcohol in this definitely all-adult beverage! Be sure to check the notes for variations to this recipe.

  • Southern Comfort is a smooth whiskey that was created in New Orleans in 1874. It's actually a whiskey liqueur with a closely guarded ingredient list. Cherry and orange flavors are most commonly mentioned.
  • Amaretto is an Italian almond liqueur.
  • Sloe Gin is liqueur made with gin and a fruit that's related to a plum called sloe drupes. Glad you asked?
  • Orange juice does give a bright flavor and helps to cut some of the syrupy sweetness from all the liqueurs.
  • Grenadine, good grenadine, is actually a pomegranate based syrup. Most cheaper brands use some form of maraschino cherry juice.
  • Maraschino cherries and the following ingredients are all garnish.
  • Orange slices
  • Lemon Slices
  • Lime Slices
Decorative image. Red Alabama Slammer Cocktail in a clear glass.

🔪 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

  1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
  2. Add all the ingredients except the garnish to the shaker.
  3. Shake vigorously. This adds oxygen to the drink which helps intensify the flavor.
  4. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Or a paper cup - whatever.
  5. Garnish with an orange wedge, lemon or lime wheel, or cherry... or any combination!

💭 Things to know

  • Southern Comfort comes in different proofs (strengths). If you like the taste of alcohol and a less sweet drink go for the higher proofs. 70 proof is what I recommend.
  • Some people feel that the Alabama Slammer tastes a bit like cherry cough medicine. If you are one of these then try adding an ounce of lemon juice or cranberry juice to help balance the sweet.
  • A higher quality sloe gin will have better flavor. Don't skimp on quality here. Look for something that is at least 40 proof.
  • This makes a great pitcher drink! Change the serving size in the recipe card below to 12 or so and the measurements of the ingredients will change as well.
  • This refreshing highball cocktail is most often served in a collins glass.

📖 Variations

Like most things there are more than a couple of ways to make the iconic Alabama Slammer Cocktail.

Sloe gin is a red liqueur made with gin and small fruit related to the plum called sloe drupes.

It's not available everywhere but luckily there are ways around that.

  • Substitute ¼ ounce grenadine and ¾ ounce vodka for the sloe gin
  • Add a little vodka for extra kick
  • Add ½ ounce peach schnapps
  • Squeeze of lemon juice
  • Squeeze of lime
  • Cranberry juice or Pineapple juice instead of orange juice
  • Sprite or club soda for some sparkle
  • Alabama Slammer Cocktails are sometimes served as shots.

👩🏻‍🍳 Frequently asked questions

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

What does Alabama Slammer mean?

It's a bright crimson cocktail that's made with Southern Comfort, Amaretto, Sloe Gin, orange juice and grenadine. It's the official unofficial drink of the University of Alabama - and is often served as a shot. I'd guess the "slammer" part is related to "slamming back" a shot. But... who knows?

What's the difference between gin and sloe gin?

Gin is a clear, distilled alcohol made with grain and flavored with juniper berries while Sloe gin is a sweet liqueur made from a sloe berry and is red. Gin has a much higher alcohol content.
Please note: Sloe Gin is NOT Slow Gin. In fact, it can hit you very, very fast.

What alcohol is in a Alabama Slammer cocktail recipe?

Sloe gin, Southern Comfort, and Amaretto are the most common ingredients.

📚 Related recipes

Love this classic cocktail? You may also love these recipes!

  • Sex in the Driveway is bright blue and tastes like summer vacation.
  • Frozen Banana Daiquiri is sweet slushy goodness with an adorable dolphin garnish.
  • Creamy iced coffee cocktail in a glass with a coffee dust rim.
    Creamy Brazilian Iced Coffee Cocktail Recipe with Rum
  • Square feature image of a glass of this lemonade.
    Hibiscus Lemonade Recipe (Add Vodka for a Cocktail)
  • Closeup of a cocktail with two straws.
    Jameson Irish Redhead Cocktail
  • Two dark blue cocktails in champagne flutes.
    Midnight Kiss Champagne Cocktail

🥄 Equipment

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There are always things that make creating recipes easier. This is a super easy recipe but one thing that makes it amazing is a good grenadine. Most of the grenadine you find in the store is not real grenadine - oh it's red but it's like cherry juice. Real grenadine is made with pomegranate and makes a huge difference!

You'll also want a highball glass or two. I think a tall glass without anything fancy on it shows off the crimson color better - and it holds more.

What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness!  Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!

📞 The last word

This Alabama Slammer recipe is as perfect for sipping on the front porch as it is Crimson Tide tailgates and potlucks.

It's a southern drink that is a blend of the flavors of Southern Comfort and fruity sloe gin.

Southern Comfort has a fruity, almost cherry, flavor to it and when you mix it with the other ingredients magic happens.

Plus it turns a bright crimson, which happens to be my favorite color.

This is likely the most well known Southern Comfort cocktail in existence. You owe it to yourself to try it.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Closeup of a bright red cocktail in a clear glass.
4.72 from 38 votes

Alabama Slammer Cocktail

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The Alabama Slammer is a red, fruity cocktail that was made popular in the Tom Cruise movie, Cocktail. It's refreshingly sweet for summer and a gorgeous color!
Course Beverage - Cocktail
Cuisine American - Vintage
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings:1
Calories:313
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

  • Cocktail Shaker

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce Southern Comfort
  • 1 ounce Sloe Gin, , may substitute vodka
  • 1 ounce Amaretto , or Orgeat
  • ½ ounce grenadine
  • 3 ounces orange juice
  • Ice
  • orange wheel, or lemon wedge, or lime wedge for garnish

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

  • Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
  • Add all the ingredients except the garnish to the shaker.
  • Shake vigorously. This adds oxygen to the drink which helps intensify the flavor.
  • Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Or a paper cup - whatever.
  • Garnish with an orange wedge, lemon or lime wheel, or cherry... or any combination!

Notes

  • Substitute ¼ ounce grenadine and ¾ ounce vodka for the sloe gin
  • Southern Comfort comes in different proofs (strengths). If you like the taste of alcohol and a less sweet drink go for the higher proofs. 70 proof is what I recommend.
  • A higher quality sloe gin will have better flavor. Don't skimp on quality here. Look for something that is at least 40 proof.
  • This makes a great pitcher drink! Change the serving size in the recipe card to 12 or so and the measurements of the ingredients will change as well.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 170mg | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 42.5mg

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    First published May 5, 2018. Last updated July 7, 2022 for editorial corrections.

    ✍🏻 A note from Marye...

    I know y'all don't always like the stories bloggers tell so when I have one I try to put it at the very bottom so you can read or skip as you like.

    The Alabama Slammer Cocktail came back to life in the Tom Cruise film, Cocktail.

    I suspect a lot of cocktails came back to life in that movie!

    Lastly, I assume some of y'all are sporting sweatshirts that proclaim, Roll Tide, am I right?

    Showing up at a tailgating party with several Mason jars of this iconic cocktail in an ice chest would make you very popular.

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    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. D.. Avant

      November 21, 2022 at 11:52 pm

      Ummm back in early 1990s when I was 21... 😢 these ingredients was known as a Southern Hurricane. Was it changed to this Alabama thing?......

      Reply
    2. Alicia

      September 10, 2022 at 9:37 pm

      5 stars
      Okay I have had this pinned for ages and finally decided I was going to seek out each ingredient and give it a try! It was SO WORTH IT!!! I used the ok so it didn't give that red color in the picture I'm wondering if you used cranberry for the picture?? Going to try it with the cranberry next time! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Marye

        September 11, 2022 at 12:44 pm

        I didn't do anything special - not sure why yours wasn't as red. 🙂

        Reply

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