Recipes

Tri Tip Drinks: Something Cold to Pour

What to pour next to the tri tip. California cool drinks, aguas frescas, and cookout cocktails built to cut the smoke, cool the heat, and carry a crowd.

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For Everyone

Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Cooler)

Deep red hibiscus agua fresca, brewed strong and sweet-tart to pour over ice. The Mexican-Californian cooler that cuts through smoky, grilled tri tip.30 minServes 8

Agua de Sandía (Watermelon Cooler)

Blended watermelon agua fresca, the lightest pour on the table. Cold, faintly sweet, and made for a hot day around the fire.10 minServes 6

Gold Coast Punch

Central Coast strawberries and citrus, poured big and topped with a little fizz. The no-proof cookout punch built to cool a hot afternoon and carry a crowd.15 minServes 8

Lavender Lemonade

Meyer lemon lemonade with a whisper of Santa Barbara County lavender. Floral, tart, and cold, the prettiest pour at a Central Coast cookout.15 minServes 6

West Coast Sweet Tea

California cold-brew sweet tea, sweetened light with honey and brightened with Meyer lemon, orange, and mint. Southern sweet tea, gone West Coast.20 minServes 8

For Adults

Bloody Maria

A Central Coast Bloody Maria: tequila not vodka, local tomato, horseradish, and a skewered bite of tri tip. The cookout-brunch pour.10 min1 cocktail

Central Coast Sangria

A dry red sangria built on a Central Coast wine, with citrus and not too much sugar. The pitcher that cuts the fat and smoke of red-oak tri tip.15 minServes 8

Coastal Cooler

Our wine-country spritz: Central Coast rosé, soda, local fruit, and herb. Light, fizzy, and low-proof for people who skip the heavy cocktail.5 min1 cocktail

Paloma

Tequila, fresh grapefruit, lime and soda. Bright and a little bitter, the Paloma scrubs the smoke and richness of tri tip off your palate between bites.5 min1 cocktail

Ranch Water

Tequila, lime, and sparkling water, with agave optional. The light, clean, low-sugar highball for a long afternoon at the fire.5 min1 cocktail

Red Oak Michelada

Mexican lager, fresh lime, hot sauce, and Worcestershire over ice with a chile-salt rim. The savory, spicy cooler made for smoky beef off the red oak.5 min1 cocktailAll 50 recipes

Drinks for a Crowd

For a party, make two pitchers instead of mixing drinks one at a time: one without alcohol and one with. Agua de Jamaica, Gold Coast Punch and West Coast Sweet Tea each serve 8 with no alcohol. Central Coast Sangria serves 8 with it.

The Paloma and the Coastal Cooler are written by the glass but scale to a pitcher. Hold the soda until you pour. Ranch Water, the Red Oak Michelada and the Bloody Maria are built one glass at a time.

Making Drinks Ahead

The Night Before

Central Coast Sangria: overnight is better, the fruit sweetens the wine. West Coast Sweet Tea: it cold-brews in the fridge for 6 to 12 hours.

The Morning Of

Agua de Jamaica, then chill it. The lavender syrup for the Lavender Lemonade. The strawberry and citrus base for the Gold Coast Punch.

Same Day Only

Agua de Sandía loses its color overnight, so blend it the day you serve it.

At Serving

Add the sparkling water to the punch and the soda to the sangria and the Paloma pitcher last, so they stay lively. Serve everything over plenty of ice.

Pair It With Wine or Beer

For a bottle to open with the tri tip, see the Central Coast wine and beer pairings.