Blackberry Lime Margarita Recipe + Game Night Game

Thank you Deer Lord! for sponsoring this post. Grab your new edition of Deer Lord! social party game, available through Target retail stores starting July 30.

Sunday nights at the beach house usually mean one thing, game night with friends and family. We've been having game night as long as I can remember, certainly back 25+ years ago when I was just a little kid. The games have of course changed over the years. They've gone from easy and light hearted, to more competitive and now we just want something that makes us all die laughing. 

Last night, CB and I hosted a bunch of friends and family for game night at the house. I brought a new game for us to learn called Deer Lord!, which was SO FUN and I'll tell you all about in a second.

We kept the food pretty simple, just some cheese and crackers - but really, what's better than a snack plate? Per the usual, I went fancy af with the cocktails for the group. You guys know I love making a signature cocktail, and this one is as good as any I've ever made. Meet the blackberry and lime margarita.

Blackberry Lime Margarita Recipe

|| Ingredients Make 6 || 

To Make Blackberry Simple Syrup

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Blackberries

For Margs

1/2 Cup Blackberry Simple Syrup

4 tablespoons lime juice (fresh squeezed always best) 

8 oz Grand Marnier 

8 oz Tequila 

Freeze blackberry skewer for garnish

|| Directions || 

Make simple syrup in advance because it will need to sit in fridge to cool. Simmer your sugar, water and blackberries for 10 minutes. Mash blackberries with a fork as your pot simmers. Remove from heat, strain and separate blackberries and liquid. Set aside in fridge.

 Salt rim if desired and add ice to your glasses. In cocktail shaker add simple syrup, lime juice, Grand Marnier and tequila. Shake and pour over ice. Garnish with blackberry skewer. 

Y'all these margs were so good. 

Everyone went totally nuts raving over them. 

You're probably wondering how to play Deer Lord! You simply challenge each other to wacky “Duels,” and also attempt to “Dupe” each other by secretly getting away with outrageous social actions unnoticed. Some dupes were easier than others - for example, I can do a baby cry in the most authentic way possible. You'd think that there was literally a baby in the room, no joke. It's my one party trick and finally, thanks to this game, came in handy! BUT, if someone thinks I'm duping the group (and not simply just acting like a weirdo) they can yell DEAR LORD! and if I'm duping them they win my card.

I of course knew there was a dupe happening when Bobby sat on CB. His dupe card was "sit on something that is NOT your seat". LOLSSS. You also have DUELS. For example, CB dueled Bobby to see who could give the best acceptance speech. They each did their acceptance speech and we, as a group, chose who won!

Deer Lord! was actually once a European independent game, but now will be broadly available through Target retail stores starting July 30.

One tip I will give you is to have everyone playing the game to read the rules in their entirety. It isn't long, just a single sheet of paper, but it will make things far more clear to each player. Or shoot, it's even fun to just simply go through and read the cards themselves. I think CB even brought some into dinner - which actually ended up being very hilarious seeing as we were in a nice steakhouse! Our group of friends certainly doesn't take ourselves too seriously.

Once you've read the rules though, it's super easy to dive right in. There's no board game, no individual pieces or anything complicated. Just cards and fun. You're going to love this game if you're having a game night in with friends or even having a picnic outdoors!

I'm confident it'll become a staple in your game night rotation - oh, and of course so will those amazing margs!


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.