Wild Wing Cafe creates cocktail menu for March Madness
March Madness is about three things: basketball, food and booze.
Brian McClean Neal, general manager of Wild Wing Cafe in the Vista, can provide all three, plus 24 TVs to catch all the action. It’s one of many Columbia-area bars and restaurants offering a place to watch the Gamecocks men’s and women’s basketball teams in Sweet 16 action this weekend.
Neal said Wild Wing likes to create special drinks for major sporting events like March Madness.
“Every kind of event, we have special drinks,” said Neal. “We’ve got team shots (during football season); during the World Series last year, we had the ‘strike-out shot.’ When the Masters comes around, we try to have some Arnold Palmer deals – spiked Arnold Palmer with Firefly Sweet Tea. Any kind of football, basketball, baseball or golfing event, we have something to play off of that sporting event.”
The marketing team works with Wild Wing Cafe bartenders to create unique drinks every year, and this year, the drinks for March Madness are all net. Here’s what to expect:
SNAKE BITE: Guinness Stout layered on top of a crisp hard cider.
“We really focused on the apple cider,” Neal said. “Some Snake Bites are made with darker beer but we went with the stout of the Guinness layered over the top of the Angry Orchard apple cider. The way it’s layered, the first couple sips you just taste Guinness, then as you get to the middle you get a little of the apple mixed in with it, and when you get to the bottom it’s just cider.”
THE TEAM CAPTAIN: Captain Morgan Rum, orange juice, sour and Sprite
“If anyone likes, rum this is the go-to drink,” Neal said. “It’s a typical rum-and-juice-style drink. We put the Captain Morgan’s with it to play off the ‘team captain.’ It’s a lighter drink and doesn’t have a real strong alcohol flavor because of all the juices. It’s a good drink to go into spring and summer – crisp and refreshing.”
DOUBLE DRIBBLE SHOT: Crown Royal Regal Apple and Fireball
“Since Crown Apple became really popular this year, our bartenders have been playing with it, trying to come up with new things,” Neal said. “Fireball has always been a big favorite of Wild Wing Cafe. The cinnamon whiskey is kind of like a big red; mixed with the Crown Apple, it really brings it to life. It’s got a kick at first, but as you drink one or two, it’s a good beverage.”
If you go
Wild Wing Cafe in the Vista
WHERE: 729 Lady St.
WHEN: 11a.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Sunday
WORTH NOTING: While the Vista location is home to a lot of Gamecock fan gatherings, there are two other locations – one in Harbison, the other in Northeast Richland. All have the same March Madness drinks.
This story was originally published March 22, 2017 at 12:01 PM with the headline "Wild Wing Cafe creates cocktail menu for March Madness."