Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The Borg drink is a viral Gen-Z favorite that’s really not all that new

Sorry, kiddos. "Borg" has been around for a while. We just call it something else.

Every new generation thinks they’ve invented the wheel when it comes to anything trendy. We’re sorry to say, Gen-Z, but “flared leggings” are called yoga pants, most of us were using flip phones before you were born, and don’t even think about talking to us about pop punk unless you know who Billie Joe Armstrong is.

When it comes to drinks, most generations have a hallmark party beverage that defines their college years, holding the power to flood them with a rush of nausea and fuzzy memories even decades later. For Gen-Z, that drink is called “Borg.” What they haven’t realized yet, though, is that this falsely fruity concoction has been around for years under the name “Jungle Juice.”

While Jungle Juice was originally invented by U.S. soldiers during the Second World War, it was Millenials who made it the truly trashy, hangover-inducing party swill it is. Most stereotypically mixed in a large bucket or something else that can be found in a dorm garage, Jungle Juice is a mixture of vodka and a cheap, fruity mixer such as Kool-Aid. Naturally, there aren’t any hard and fast recipe rules, but that’s the usual gist of Jungle Juice.

The Gen-Z twist, Borg, does have some clever upgrades, and for that, we give them due credit. Firstly, the rather gross-sounding name is actually a witty acronym for “Black Out Rage Gallon.” We love that there’s no beating around the bush with this generation. They know how to call a spade a spade. Second, unlike the communal trough that’s used to dole out Jungle Juice, Borg is made and served in individual plastic jugs, cutting down on germ spread. We can appreciate that growing up in the days of COVID has made for some much healthier thinking. We also love that Borg can be capped, making it much more difficult for potential predators to tamper with a drink.

Of course, the optional addition of new ingredients like Liquid IV also help to curb the hangover that will undoubtedly come with drinking vodka from a plastic jug. That sure would have been nice back in the day.

Borg drink recipe

Farm, food & life

(From Farm, Food & Life)

Ingredients:

  • 1 plastic gallon jug of water
  • Vodka
  • MiO or another flavor enhancer

Method:

  1. Fill the gallon jug halfway with water.
  2. Add vodka until there are no more bubbles.
  3. Add MiO, to taste.
  4. Shake to mix thoroughly.
Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
Adonis cocktail : How to make this simple, elegant drink
Add this simple, classic cocktail to your repertoire
Adonis Cocktail

Adonis is a term that is often used to describe a handsome, likely vain man. It’s also the name of a classic cocktail seemingly lost in time. During the cocktail renaissance of the early 2000s, many cocktails made triumphant returns to prominence decades and sometimes a century (or more) after they were first created. But for every Boulevardier, French 75, and Manhattan, there are a handful of lesser-known, underrated classic drinks. The Adonis falls into the latter category.
What is the Adonis cocktail?

Instead of relying on a main ingredient like whiskey, vodka, rum, or gin, the Adonis is a lower-proof cocktail made with only two ingredients: sweet vermouth and fino sherry. It’s sweet, flavorful, and extremely simple to make. The drink was first created back in 1884 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. It was named in honor of the Broadway musical Adonis, which was celebrating its 500th show.
What does the Adonis cocktail taste like?

Read more
Bourbon isn’t only for drinking — try it in these barbecue recipes as well
A set of bourbon recipes from barbecue expert Steven Raichlen
Bib & Tucker Small Batch Bourbon

Today is the start of National Bourbon Heritage Month, marked in the U.S. every September since 2007 to celebrate the quintessential American spirit and its traditions and history. While there's plenty of resources for learning about bourbon and drinking it, it doesn't only have to be used in your glass.

With the Labor Day weekend, lots of people are taking the opportunity to do some barbecuing for perhaps the last time this summer. Barbecue expert and TV show Steven Raichlen has teamed up with Bib & Tucker Small Batch Bourbon to come up with a series of recipes featuring bourbon.
Bacon-Grilled Peaches with Double Char Glaze

Read more
The best fall sangria recipes: Get into the spirit with this boozy autumn drink
How to make the best fall sangria cocktails
Autumn harvest fall sangria

There's something about a festive drink that matches the mood to get you into the spirit of whatever you happen to be celebrating. A frosty margarita just makes you want to throw on a swimsuit and hit the pool. A flute of bubbly champagne often invokes our inner Gatsby as we raise toasts in our finest cocktail wear. A cold beer is appropriate on many occasions, but especially at a baseball game, with a piping hot, mustard-slathered hot dog in the other hand.

And this fall sangria, complete with autumnal fruits and flavors, will put you into the most festive of pumpkin-picking moods. So, as the weather starts to cool and stores are flooded with everything orange, mix yourself a batch of these delicious fall cocktails. You can consider it a reward for all the hard work of raking those leaves.

Read more