The Student Room Group

Do university students drink cocktails?

I'm writing an article for my student newspaper about uni students, and whether they drink cocktails, or focus more on getting drunk for as cheap as is possible.
I personally am a great fan of cocktails, but I work in a cocktail bar that doesn't have a student-based clientele, so would appreciate any thoughts on the matter, as I think I may be biased! Thanks!

Scroll to see replies

Most don't go for anything more advanced than a vodka coke, tbh. I do know a few people who make proper cocktails at home for pre-drinks, but that's seen as a treat because the additional ingredients can make it quite expensive. "Proper" cocktails are invariably too expensive (£6 for one glass? Not affordable!), hence students will go for cheaper options like a vodka mixer.

However, Wetherspoons do some cocktail pitchers (£6 or so per pitcher, which includes 4 shots, and then the option of an extra 2 shots of vodka for £2) which are eternally popular with students.
I often have cocktails with friends. But because of the price I hardly see any other students there having them. Ours cost £6, taste great but pricey. For social drinks they are amazing
Reply 3
Me and some of my housemates treat ourselves to the cocktail bar every now and then, it is expensive but I notice I feel much better than drinking cheap alcohol which just makes me feel like ****.
Reply 4
Depends on the how much money they have to spend. For some, and idea of a night out may be sipping manhattans in a cocktail bar whilst another might be downing cider on a staircase.
Reply 5
Yeah, I know lots of people that will go to a cocktail bar for an evening out. There's some good ones near where I live that have good deals so that each drink only costs around £4. People tend to go to catch up with friends or enjoying dressing up a bit, rather than going out and getting wasted. It's just a different kind of night. Same as going to the pub is totally different from going clubbing.
Reply 6
I don't drink all too often but my halls are off campus so we have a bar and a canteen and sometimes if I'm in the bar, I'll choose the cocktail options because I love cocktails. They are pricey but since I don't drink that often, I don't mind the price.
I drank a cocktail once. cost about 6 quid and was gone in about 2 sips. won't be making that mistake again.
Reply 8
I know a few people who drink proper cocktails (i.e. not spirit-mixer) and do so myself on the odd occasion where I have the ingredients in or someone is generous with their alcohol stocks :wink:
Depends on the venue and price, but i'm not opposed to them.

I see the OP is from Nottingham too, I can personally highly recommend the cocktails/pitchers in the Pit and Pendulum :biggrin:
Sometimes, yes. It's too expensive to do every week, though.
Reply 11
Very cost inefficient way of getting ethanol into your blood stream... I might go as far as the occasional cheeky gin and tonic if there's an offer on.
Reply 12
Original post by 6daisychain9
I'm writing an article for my student newspaper about uni students, and whether they drink cocktails, or focus more on getting drunk for as cheap as is possible.
I personally am a great fan of cocktails, but I work in a cocktail bar that doesn't have a student-based clientele, so would appreciate any thoughts on the matter, as I think I may be biased! Thanks!


I can see your location says Nottingham so not sure if you're at uni there or just from there but when I was an undergrad at Nottingham cocktails was a big thing for me and my group of friends. We'd go out to Browns quite a bit which usually had buy-one-get-one-free on one day of the week and of course Coco Tang - best cocktails ever! Pitcher and Piano was always a good choice for cocktails too as was Tilt (a blues bar with some interesting cocktails) and Brass Monkey!
Sometimes on student nights they'll do deals where you can get a big fishbowl cocktail for £6. Fabulous, but quite hard to dance when you're holding onto something the size of your head.
Yes, a bar and a club near my uni both do cocktails for £4/5 but have a limited selection (Blue Lagoon, Purple Haze, Woo Woo ect). I prefer teaming up with my flatmates to buy the spirits/liqueurs/syrups to make our own cocktails for pre-drinks or when we have girls nights in.
Reply 15
When there is a selection of Baileys, Kahlua and milk- I'd make a slippery nipple- if there is coffee and vodka and Kahlua I'd make a B- something..

I don't usually go to the bar to get cocktails because it's way too expensive (used to work as a waitress/barmaid)- so the amount of alcohol in a cocktail is insignificant! Get your own booze (from tesco/sainsbury) when there is a massive discount, and make them..

Grasshopper, you now have the tools. Go forth and fly!
Reply 16
Cocktails are not unknown at Edinburgh but even "posh" students hesitate to have many at those prices - I suspect most students favour cheaper methods of alcohol injection. :smile:
Reply 17
Depends entirely on where and when. In most places they're quite rare, but there's always a few cocktail bars around which can be a great night out if you're after something different!
I only drink cocktails on holiday! Or if I'm in a posh bar (which is rare).
Reply 19
Cocktails were the on offer drink when we went out for my flatmate's birthday not long ago, so I had way to many. Regretted it the next morning when I woke up feeling like i'd been eating cotton wool.
I very swiftly brushed my teeth as it felt like they were about to fall out :lol:

Quick Reply