Barney Stinson’s (from “How I Met Your Mother”) catchphrase, “Oh, please,” is quite similar to a reaction you’d give to your parents when they ask what you plan to do after graduation.
The hilarious and somewhat relatable sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” which aired in 2005 for nine seasons is getting a modern make-over with a new Hulu show, “How I Met Your Father.”
Instead of the male protagonist Ted Mosby, the show focuses on Sophie, played by Hillary Duff, retelling her story of how she found the love of her life.
The new show is being renewed for season two and bears similarities to the popular original. “How I Met Your Father,” even includes Robin Scherbatsky, a character from the original show.
In both shows, the characters spend a lot of time at bars. With each character having a different background and career, a lot of their time is spent in the neutral setting of their local pub.
One of the reasons “How I Met Your Mother,” was so popular is because each character had a unique set of traits, flaws and quirks that created a special dynamic among the group.
To reminisce the original “How I Met Your Mother,” series, here are some cocktails inspired by each main character of the OG show you can make or order for your next night out.
Ted Mosby: Old Fashioned
Throughout the show, one thing holds true for Ted: he loves structure. Whether that’s due to his career in architecture or his burning desire for commitment through marriage, a lot of the show revolves around him planning out the rest of his life — usually with women he just met.
An old fashioned is a drink composed of whiskey, bitters, sugars and orange. The drink has a reputation of being a classic drink for someone with a sophisticated taste. While Ted might not be the most mature individual, he definitely likes to come across that way.
Fair warning, an old fashioned is not a drink you’d want to order at Champs Downtown on a Thursday night at 11 p.m. However, you could make one for yourself at home or head to Local Whiskey to try it out.
Robin Scherbatsky: Jack Frost Cocktail
Being from Canada, New York’s cold winters never bothered Robin. She expressed loudly her love for beer, hockey, poutine and maple syrup. Robin’s career as a TV reporter brought her to New York, but she struggled with feeling homesick, being miles away from her roots up north.
For Robin, it was only fair that she would be drinking a Jack Frost at any time of year. The drink is bright blue, which reflects her very 80s-inspired pop star career as Robin Sparkles when she was a teenager in Canada.
To make the drink, combine the following ingredients into a shaker and pour over ice (the measurements are for two servings):
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup Blue Curacao liquor
- 1/2 cup light rum
- 1/2 cup cream of coconut
Marshall Eriksen: The Purple Viking
On a similar note to Robin, Marshall is proud of his northern roots. The tall, often described as a big teddy bear, lawyer is from Minnesota and proud. He loves his football team, the Minnesota Vikings and any chance, goes to the Vikings bar in New York to get a taste of home.
If you go to Penn State, you’re most likely not from Minnesota but you might like a sweet drink, like Marshall. So to satisfy your sweet side, try a Purple Viking drink.
A Purple Viking is a mix of Southern Comfort, Blue Curaçao, blueberry liqueur, Sloe gin, a splash of lime juice, sour mix and lemon-lime soda. Sounds like a lot, but altogether it is a sweet drink to represent Marshall’s favorite NFL team.
Lily Aldrin: Spicy Margarita
Marshall’s wife and love of his life, Lily, is a feisty, small, New-York native. During the show, she indulges in her ever-changing passions like music, drawing, teaching, painting, traveling and of course, tequila.
If Lily was drinking at a night out and wanted a break from her normal glass of pinot grigio, she would definitely go for a spicy margarita. Like her, you don’t need a lot of tequila to start to feel sassy.
Some bars offer spicy margaritas on their cocktail menu, but if you are looking to make one at home, you can find a good recipe here.
Barney Stinson: Espresso Martini
How is Barney supposed to get with every girl in New York without caffeine? He can’t.
In every good friend group, you need one person that hasn’t fully grown up yet. In “How I Met Your Mother,” that person is Barney. Barney has a reputation for being quite the player — he even boasts about his Playbook of ways and schemes he uses to pick up women (there’s one involving a scuba suit, in case you were curious).
He is always dressed in a suit, constantly telling his single friends to “suit up,” when it’s time to go out. For a pick-me-up before hitting the town, an espresso martini is there for the job.
Espresso martinis have been made insanely popular by TikTok and social media for their classy feel, caffeinated effect and delicious taste. They are a tad time-consuming to make for bartenders and most State College bars are not going to be able to make them. So instead, you can learn how to craft your own espresso martini at home with cold brew:
What You’ll Need:
- 2 ounces of vodka
- 1/2 ounces of coffee liqueur (Kahlua)
- 1 ounce of espresso freshly-brewed (or cold brew concentrate)
- 1/2 ounces of simple syrup
What You’ll Do:
- Brew your espresso and let it cool
- Add ice to a shaker and add cooled coffee, vodka, simple syrup and coffee liqueur
- Shake hard, so that you create foam, and pour into a martini glass
- Enjoy!
Share with us a picture of your HIMYM cocktail @VALLEYmag on Twitter. As Barney would say, “it’s going to be legen — wait for it — dairy!”
*VALLEY does not support underage drinking. Please remember to always drink responsibly.*
