First, let's state the obvious.
Aside from low-stakes family matches or casual weekend home games, don't bring alcohol and poker together. Regulars playing for income should never mix beer and bets, vodka and VPIP, or rum and raises. But in the right setting with friends and inconsequential funds, a refreshment can't hurt.
We've found several poker-themed beers and spirits that aren't likely to be on your local shelves. As a bonus, you'll find a couple of energy drinks at the list's end, including one that used to partner with the World Series of Poker.
Cervecería Bavaria Poker Beer (Columbia)
Cervecería Bavaria's well-known Poker Beer has card suits on the label and all over its branding, but it's not clear why. Aside from the name of this line of beer and the poker themes, the Columbian company makes no mention of the card game in its origin story. Either way, it's a poker beer and therefore it's on the list.
The classic Poker Beer is lager-style with a light golden color and some sweetness. It's made from caramel and roasted malts, but the Cervecería Bavaria brand has two other variants. There's the slightly stronger Poker Pure Malta, as well as the sweeter Poker Roja (Red) beer.
If you had to compare the flavor of Columbia's Poker Beer to an American brand, it might be Bud Light. It's smooth at just 4% alcohol, not too bitter or creative, and leaves out over-bearing grain flavors. Nobody is going to cry tears of joy when you take it out of the cooler, but Poker beer is refreshing enough (and inexpensive).
Poker Beer has won several awards, but most reviewers seem to rate it above average at best.
Obolon Konge Poker Beer (Ukraine)
Ukraine's largest independent brewery produced Poker Beer as one of their special edition beers. The art on the cans is what sets Obolon's poker-themed brew apart, even if people don't seem to rate the taste highly.
On the 4.8% alcohol Premium Lager can, we see a frowning King of hearts, in black instead of the typical red. Instead of a sword, this version of the King holds a frothy mug of beer.
On the 4.9% Blanche Unfiltered wheat beer, it's a similar scene. The Queen of hearts, holding a nearly overflowing beer mug, instead of the flowers we usually see on Bicycle decks. The clothing on both royals is also quite different from the classic picture cards.
Above the cards, we see "Jackpot! Game On" and above that, stylized card suits around the rim of the can.
Obolon began around 1980, began working with the Canadian-American beer giant Molson Coors, and got its name in the history books for being the first exporter of beer to China. Even if Obolon's Poker Beers aren't blowing away the critics, the can artwork is fantastic.
Pilkarski Poker Vodka (Poland)
This poker spirit is an oddball. Unchecked creative control and the 2012 European Championship caused the Pilkarski Wodka company to produce this very unique bottle, complete with a referee's whistle.
Inside, you'll find vodka made from high-grade rye, distilled four times. However, a potato-based version was also exported to America.
Where's the "poker" part of all this, you ask? Other than the four card suits and the word "Poker" on the soccer-ball-shaped bottle, it's anybody's guess. Like the Columbian Poker Beer, brands often like to overlap popular themes, such as sports and poker.
Even though it looks like you'd pay $50 to own a bottle of Pilkarski Poker Vodka, it costs closer to $15. However, the originals from the 2012 European Championship production are worth more and even go on auction from time to time.
Hidden Spirits Poker Face Whiskey (Scotland)
The Poker Face whiskey series contains four different varieties, hand-selected by an independent Italian bottler. The bottles are ultra-rare but not quite as rare as royal flushes. Some of the whiskeys Hidden Spirits selected were bottled at 19-21 years of age. Due to scarcity and the many years each whiskey sat patiently in sherry or bourbon casks, you can expect to pay at least $350 per bottle.
The Poker Face lineup's artwork features four different faces, each expressionless with eyes covered by fruit. They all appear to be classic poker faces, with not even a hint of emotion in the mouth or eyebrows.
This is the work of Severino Del Bono, who has countless similar pieces where people's eyes are covered by almost any object you can imagine. Visit Severino's Instagram to see what we mean.
The Hidden Spirits selections for the Poker Face series come from the Ardmore, Bowmore, Mortlach, and Highland Park distilleries.
All In Energy Drink (United States)
Although the original brand seems to be out of business, All In Energy was once the official drink of the World Series of Poker, starting in 2008. It came in citrus, root beer, and grape flavors, promising a terrific taste without the crashes of competitor's drinks. After selling 400,000 drinks as part of their sponsorship, All In and the WSOP joined forces for a multi-year contract.
In a press release, Ty Stewart, the WSOP's marketing and sponsorship director, said:
"ALL IN Energy Drinks and Purified Water provide an important boost to our players during tournament play and we look forward to many years of partnership with ALL IN Energy."
The union even produced a $500,000 WSOP tournament in 2009 (non-bracelet). From purchasing specific All In Energy drinks or waters, or buying the most, over 1,000 players made it into this one-of-a-kind invitational.
In 2010, the World Series tried to partner with another brand, Earth Beverages. They began promoting the 3-ounce World Series of Poker Energy Shots, which came in eight flavors. But they weren't done there. Nine flavors of the 1-liter WSOP Energy-Infused Cocktail Mixers were released at the same time. Now, it's difficult to find anything on these WSOP-branded beverages, except for a few photos and press releases.
Poker Fokus Energy Drink (United States)
When poker players think of ways to improve their skills, energy drinks aren't a first or even a second choice. Poker Fokus is branded as a nootropic beverage and energy drink alternative, but will your poker performance improve? Probably not.
There are four flavors in the Poker Fokus lineup: peach-mango, cranberry-lime, acai-grape, and mandarin orange. On each can, a King holds a lightning bolt and the top rim has the same edges as classic poker chips. The company has been working to establish a presence by sponsoring MMA events and a bit of poker's allure.
There isn't a rock-solid consensus on nootropics, especially those in liquid form. For some, it may enhance some aspects of brain functionality, but there are no guarantees. Plus, anyone who's trying to watch their sugar intake won't go all-in for Poker Fokus. Men should aim to have less than 36 grams of sugar each day and you'll get almost 40% of that in a single can of this beverage (14 grams).
Poker-themed drinks are great to see on the market but don't expect any of them to boost your performance – especially not the alcoholic ones. As we mentioned earlier, mixing poker and alcohol should only be done in the most casual settings, with those you trust. Not heeding this fundamental rule could increase your losses and lead to other players targeting you at the table.
As for energy drinks, there are much easier and more proven ways to boost poker performance. Get hydrated, practice at stakes that suit your bankroll, and don't keep playing until you're exhausted and mentally worn out. If you want a casual and cost-free way to play poker for money, look no further than the freeroll schedule. Every day, we collect the free tournaments from the top poker rooms, which can have up to a few hundred dollars in the prize pool. Take a look to see which ones are running today.
