The Best Tailgate Party Shot Glasses

Games are a tailgate party tradition and if you can balance up your eating and drinking with the fun of a few personal challenges, that’s a good thing.  As long as it doesn’t interrupt the ingestion of booze, that is.  Hence, the invention of Drinking Games.

‘Pass A Shot Drinking Game’ is more entertaining than most, and has a lower rate of intoxication so you don’t need to call for a stomach pump quite as soon.  Plus all it requires is a few shot glasses.  You can set the style here, making the glasses match your tailgate party theme. I’ve looked at a ton of these, from the sublime to the ridiculous, and frankly, ‘ridiculous’ often works best with team loyalty coming a close second or the ironic (eg red cups made of ceramic) as a runner up.

Check out the options reviewed, then read up on the game, stock up on liquor and play your best tailgate party game.

You can read ‘How to Play’ instructions below.

CHOOSE THE BEST SHOT GLASSES FOR YOUR TAILGATE PARTY

Here’s a range of really interesting shot glasses that will brighten up your tailgate party table.

Big Mouth Toys Red Shot Plastic Cups

Let’s cut straight to ‘ironic’.  Allow me to present a set of 12 ceramic versions of the popular disposable red cup, but these are not disposable, are ceramic and are a cute shot size.  Note that the red as depicted isn’t totally accurate and a match to the Solo cup.  It is more orangey but it is still an OK representation of that icon of drinking.  They can even be used to decorate cakes for tailgate parties or happy drinkers as they are nicely scaled for a 10 “ circle. Whether theming for a tailgate party – based on the major activity of imbibing – suddenly got easy!

If you are playing drinking games with this shot glass, not that they are opaque and perhaps some may be tempted to cheat by not filling the glass to the brim.

Comes in a set of 12 or if you select it when placing your order, a set of four, but for a tailgate party drinking game, a dozen makes more sense.

Not dishwasher safe.

Not disposable.  (Don’t mix them up with your plastic throwaways.)

Great gift for your avowed tailgate party mates or a party favor.

Doomed Crystal Skull Shotglass

This is a large shot glass which holds 2.5 ounces.

It is made from clear laboratory quality Borosilicate which means it is somewhat more resistant to extreme temperatures, and chemical corrosion (especially alcohol) and is especially suited to lit drinks, such as Sambucca with flaming coffee bean.  That style of glass feels like plastic but it is breakable glass so take care.

The skull is cleverly hand blown into the center of the double walled glass (similar in feel to those Boda ones) and, when filled with colored drink, looks great and appears to float inside the outer glass.

Any tailgate party would be memorable it featured a heap of these for the drinking games but at the very least, consider it as a brilliant gift for your drinking buddies.  Males are apparently a challenge to buy for, but tell me anyone would not be thrilled to receive this amazing glass which is reasonably priced!

The glass is quite fine – it may not withstand a bout of heavy drinking and you would not be slamming it on the counter between shots.

Can be used for sauces and as a feature glass.

Not dishwasher safe.

Nicely boxed, one to a box.

MSRP             = $7.02

Mason Jar Shot Glasses

Here’s a fashion I just don’t get, maybe because my mother would drink from a jar when she couldn’t make ends meet and I just don’t see that as trendy.  But heaps of people do. These are a set of four Mason jar shaped shot glasses, celebrating the classic southern icon of the moonshine jar.

Not dishwasher safe. (surprisingly, as Mason jars can usually be boiled). Goes with that whole hipster look.  Don’t get me wrong, hipsters can tailgate party too. You can purchase matching lids and pre-mix cocktails for your tailgate party. Sturdy and ideal for drinking games.

For collectors of shot glasses, these are a good buy.

Can double as a jar for canning so you’d better hide these from the missus or they’ll be filled with strawberry jam before you can say ‘down the hatch’.

MSRP = $12.95 for 4 glasses

You can buy the grand-daddy sized jar to match to make a cocktail shaker and in fact, you can get a cocktail top for it to replace its lid.  That’s pretty awesome. Maybe I am coming around to this whole red-neck-drink-from-the-moonshine-jar thing.

Mason Jar Cocktail Shaker – 32 oz

Nicely boxed and would make a terrific gift. Four piece assembly (ring, seal, sieve, jar). 32 ounce capacity, enough for at least one round of a tailgate party drinking game.

MSRP $34.95

Stolzle New York Bar Shot Glasses (6)

OK, so if ‘elegance’ is not what you associate with tailgating, then skip this paragraph.

But for those of you who want to feature something that doesn’t have the name of some obscure Mexican backyard Tequila distillery or a naked guy on a burro stamped in fading gold-leaf on your shot glass, this is perfect.

No gimmicks, just an elegant glass, straight sided with a narrow mouth.

It’s a heavy based brilliant-shine polished glass, simple in design, crafted from lead-free crystal.  Thus, dishwashers will not make it go cloudy.  The quality of the glass is excellent and clear.

2 ounce capacity (standard shot).

Set of 6.

This is for grown-up tailgate parties and is also great for frozen vodka shots as the glass frosts perfectly and won’t crack in the freezer.

MSRP             = $30.37 (set of 6)

Heavy Duty Anchor Hocking Heavy Base 1-1/2 Ounce 12 pack

Anchor Hocking is a legendary glass-maker, churning out glassware for the masses and this shot glass design is no exception. Its wide mouth makes it simple to stack in the bar without jamming one inside the other. 1.5 ounces capacity which is excellent for using for party games as you can take more shots without ill effects creeping up on you too fast. Heavy-sham design – a classic professional bar favorite. Sturdy and dishwasher safe.

A classic and therefore, easily replaced in the event of breakages. Great for slamming on a bar as part of a tailgate party drinking game.

Note that there is a label on the bottom of each glass. Remove this before using and use some ‘Goo Remover’ or orange oil extract to take all the glue off.  Once it has been through the dishwasher you won’t get it off without some heavy duty rubbing.

12 to a pack so enough for 4 to play the game described below.

MSRP             =          $14.89

Bormioli Rocco Sorgente Shot Glasses, Set of 6 (irregular shape, fits in any hand)

This is the shot glass you give people half way through the tailgate party and insist that it is perfectly straight-sided! The Italian company, Bormioli, is renowned for its fine, creatively designed glassware and these are no exception.

An uneven surface with an irregular ‘melted’ look about it, the glass is solid enough to be dishwasher safe despite looking fragile.  They do stand up to quite a bit of punishment.

Ideal for shots, for the tailgate party games, for parties at home or for sipping that elegant post-prandial liqueur.

This is an all-rounder as it transports well and it is recommended to clean in the dishwasher as hand-washing at the end of a long day is hard due to its small mouth.  Not too many dish-washing brushes fit inside though one of those bottle washers does the job perfectly.

It holds 2.25 ounces, enough for a good shot.

MSRP                         = $16.50
Amazon Price           = $11.00

Bormioli Rocco Dublino Collection 2-Ounce Shot Glasses, Set of 6

Another version of beautiful Bormioli shot glasses is this one, the Dublino. Holds 2 ounces. Heavy base and flared top. Quite sturdy despite the classiness of its Italian design so taking them with you to your tailgate party is quite an option. Dishwasher safe (top shelf).

People love drinking out of these as the glass is good quality and the design very user friendly, even for slamming on the bar as part of a drinking game.

3 ½ inches tall, 2 inches wide.  Stackable. (you can keep these safe in your tailgate party gear box by storing in a large poster mailing tube ).

MSRP                         = $17.95
Amazon Price           = $7.99

Bormioli Rocco Rock Bar Shot Glass, Set of 6

Here’s a shot glass that doubles as a morning-after-the-tailgate-party espresso double shot glass.

Capacity 2.5 ounces Italian design

Dishwasher safe and very sturdy for tailgate party games and slamming on the bar.

Cheap enough so that you can buy a stash and relax about breakage should that happen, and it probably won’t because these glasses are great. Hipster approved, but don’t let that put you off. Nice wide mouth for beer pong games.

NOTE:  There is an entire range of these glasses – from 16.25 ounces down to this little cutie.

Easy to stack in the cupboard or tailgate party gear box without damage.

MSRP                         = $21.99
Amazon Price           = $9.95

Kikkerland Drunk Shot Glasses

Tell it like it is.  Most people who do more than eat and sing team songs at tailgate parties will be doing some drinking.  And you’ve probably been going with the same people for, oh, centuries.  Run out of conversation? Not if you use these somewhat sobriety-profiling shot glasses that will categorise your guests as “tipsy’, “plastered”, “wasted’ or “drunk”.

21/2 inches tall. Standard shot.

Printed over a frosted surface which goes clear when liquid is added.

Letters can wear off after repeated auto dishwashing, so if you want them to last, hand wash and don’t soak in hot water.

Trot them out after several other tailgate party games and the descriptions of the degrees of drunkenness will probably be very accurate.

Set of 4 or 8 or more by ordering multiples.

MSRP                         =$9.00 (for 4)
Amazon price           =$7.46 (for 4)

Kikkerland Skull Shot Glasses, set of 4

Tailgating around the time of Halloween??  Then these small skull shaped shot glasses will be perfect as the basis for your drinking games.  Fill them with Sambucca and light a coffee bean on top for a spooky fire!

Four in a set. 1.5 ounces. (which is less than a shot, so it paces your drinking).

Molded thick glass, not blown, so it does have a seam but after a few games you will not even notice it.

Nice host gift when you are attending a tailgate party.

MSRP                         = $12.99
Amazon price           = 11.78

 

Fred Bone Chillers Ice Cube Tray

I’m adding this in because I think it’s awesome.  I am sure you can work this into your Halloween or ‘Talk like a Pirate Day’ themed tailgate party somewhere (maybe more suited to home unless you have a portable chiller that keeps ice from melting.

It’s an ice-cube tray that has 4 skulls and 4 crossbones.

While it is supposed to be dishwasher safe in the top rack only, don’t risk it. A rinse with hot water should be enough if you are only using it for ice-making and only use detergent if you are making other flavored ice-blocks.

Made of pliable SBS plastic resin, the tray easily ejects the cubes with no breakage.

HINT: When you are making the ice, place the tray on a non-flexible tray before filling the tray with water.  Put it in the freezer before removing the non-flexible tray.  Silicone is prone to be wobbly and the water will spill.

HINT: To remove ice blocks easily, run the hot tap over the back of the tray.

Barbuzzo Spin-the-Shot

Combining the drinking and its implements with the tailgate party game is always a good strategy for fun.  It’s meant to be!  Look, someone invented this specifically for tailgating!

This small machine is a pack of fun and could be the centerpiece of your tailgate party.  Sit in a circle around the machine.  The point is the pointer … you put a full shot on the center and spin and whoever is sitting opposite the arrow, downs the shot.  Sort of like spin-the-bottle with no kissing.  Unless you really want to.

It is well made and drinks don’t spill or tip over when they are spinning.

There’s no specific skill involved, just spin and drink while someone else is watching over the BBQ.  It’s a tailgate favorite and a great buy,

MSRP = $9.99

Shot Glass Roulette – Drinking Game Set (Comes With 2 Balls and 16 Shot Glasses)

Simply sit in a circle, someone fill the glasses with the preferred liquor (bourbon, tequila, sambucca), players take a numbered glass, spin the wheel and throw the ball, and when the ball comes to rest, award the drink to the person who owns the number.  Each glass has 2 numbers. The drinkers pick a glass each (or as many as you want to pick) then you spin the roulette. If it lands on any of your numbers, you take the shot. Increases the odds of you taking a shot.

The glasses hold ¾ ounce.

It is a game, perfect for tailgate parties and the small size of the glasses seem to make players happy as it rations the drinking across more partying.

16 shot glasses are included. The board is 12 inches in diameter.

MSRP                         =  $28.00
Amazon Price           = $15.01

Solo Shot Novelty Melamine Mini Party Plastic Cups Shot Glasses-2 Red-2 Blue

Set of 4 – 2 red, 2 blue – is a little under standard shot sized and made from melamine (the revolutionary material of the 1970s!) so the cups are very sturdy but light to transport.

Also great for playing Expert Level Beer Pong if you want to do more than drink from them.

1.5 ounce capacity.

Nice stocking stuffer or host gift for the avid tailgater.

MSRP                         = $19.99
Amazon Price           = $7.79

Northwest Enterprises Hard Plastic 2-Ounce Shot Glasses, Assorted Neon, 60 Count

When you are planning your tailgate party games, sometimes you just have to have disposable shot glasses.  These neon hard shell plastic cups are standard size (2 ounces) and 60 to a packet. Very good value and you can throw them in the recycle box at the end of the day OR re-use them until they break which will be many uses away.  You just hand wash them. Don’t put in the dishwasher.  The design is taken from standard barware and matches a range of neon cutlery.

MSRP                         = $6.89 for 60

Lil’ Reds Mini Solo Cup Shot Glasses – Pack of 20 Cups

These are iconic.  A little less than standard shot sized at 1.75 ounces, they will brighten up your tailgate party with jello-shots or any liquor you choose.

Great for mini games of beer pong too as they are large enough for a ping pong ball to sit on top.  They are actually rated ‘Expert Level Beer Pong Cups’ as the skill level is more difficult to balance a ball on top of this small cup than dropping one into its Big Brother Solo Cup.

MSRP             = $8.95

HOW TO PLAY ‘PASS A SHOT’ DRINKING GAME.

What you need:

3 shot glasses per player

3 Dice

A dice cup is optional

A flat playing surface (a table)

How to Play:

Players – between four and eight.  This allows drinkers to recover in between rounds.

Pour three shots per player and place them in front of each player.

Choose the player to go first (this can be a throw of the dice) highest throw kicking off the game.

Player one rolls the three dice.  The object is to roll a number of dice equal to the number of drinks in front of him or her and the number on each dice will dictate what happens to the drinks.

Throwing a one, two or three means the player does nothing.  No drinking yet.  Rolling a four – the roller much drink any one shot glass in their collection.

Rolling a five – the roller must pass one full shot glass to the player on his/her right.

Rolling a six – the roller must pass one full shot glass to the player on his/her left.

The dice will pass to the player on Player One’s left. Repeat the steps above and anyone with no shot glasses in front of him/her must lose a turn and wait until someone passes him/her a drink by throwing a five or six.

The game continues until no glass is full and then another set of players takes over, and the host fills all the glasses again.

In theory, you can play until the tequila, bourbon (or other chosen shot liquor) runs out.  Or until the guests pass out.

A FINAL NOTE ON SHOT GLASSES FROM THE LADY OF THE HOUSE.

Of course, there are hundreds more designs out there. But all the above are affordable, most are dishwasher safe and able to be transported to the tailgate party site without damage.

Of course, they are all versatile enough so that you can use them to fill with desserts, such as chocolate mousse, budino and lemon delicious pudding.  Stick around and I might even add those secret recipes!