Chasing Good Times

Beverage companies stir up the creativity as the holiday season kicks off and parties and get-togethers are plentiful. Hosts and guests will find an array of new products that bring that special holiday bond to new extremes. Below, we highlight three of these. Look for them at liquor stores across Tulsa.

Mistletoe just isn't that much fun anymore thanks to a product called Suck and Blow, a new way to take shots that involves two people. Essentially, these are Jell-O shots (containing alcohol) in a tube that require a few hours in the fridge in order to gel before use. Thereafter, they operate as such: find a partner and decide who will suck and who will blow. Remove both caps, and then both people fulfill their responsibilities. Suck and Blow currently comes in six flavors: wild berry, cherry, The Bomb, watermelon, green apple and orange.

And then we have those parties that people dread, such as the parent's (where you have to explain your love life to all their friends), the office Christmas party (where everyone stands around talking about... well, work), or the obnoxious next door neighbor's (who even in the winter brags that his yard looks better). These are the occasions where you stake your ground next to the egg nog and watch the windows fog.

Introducing a remedy that can replace that flask bulging from your coat pocket: ShotPaks. Described as a "party in a pouch," ShotPaks are like juice boxes for grown-ups--Capri Suns, really. Each 50 ml. pouch contains a shot with 17 percent alcohol/volume. A variety box features such flavors as Lemon Drop, Sour Apple, Kamikaze and Purple Hooter. But, for those really looking for a warm-up, there are whiskey, rum, vodka and tequila pouches. So, stash a pouch in your pocket and shoot it when the opportunity allows.

Finally, UTW ventures to the party featuring you as the host. No matter what degree of partying is underway (small dinner, short Happy Hour, full blown rager), Whipped Lightning takes coffee drinks, cocktails, martinis, ice cream, baked goods and more to the next level. Whipped Lightning is whipped cream but with a twist: alcohol.

This "Whipahol" is quite brilliant--and packs a punch. It mixes grain neutral spirits with natural flavors, such as Macadamia Nut, Orange, Amaretto and Cinnamon. The recipe possibilities are endless, and the Web site (whippedlightning.com) features quite a few. For example, Hazelnut Drinksert combines hazelnut liqueur with the Macadamia or Amaretto Whipped Lightning. Fire and Ice mixes peppermint schnapps with cinnamon schnapps and Cinnamon or Orange Whipped Lightning. Almond Mocha includes amaretto, chocolate syrup, coffee and Macadamia or Amaretto Whipped Lightning. And then, of course, there is always the option just to squirt the soft, fluffy booze directly in the mouth.