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There are literally hundreds of cocktails to choose from and most of them contain ingredients that I would never normally drink. So when it came to choosing what to drink I decided to be adolescent and pick the ones with silly names, starting with Sex on the Beach.

The Sex on the Beach I drank was made from vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice and cranberry juice. However, apparently an alternative recipe is vodka, Chambord Midori Melon Liqueur, pineapple juice and cranberry juice. It seems pretty simple to prepare, mix the recipe together then serve in a highball over ice.

Before discussing the taste, I had to look into the origins of the name. There are a few stories around but one in particular is quite fun. In 1987 in Florida a drinks distributor had just started selling peach schnapps. The distributor apparently put together a competition that would pay the bar that sold the most peach schnapps a bonus of $1,000 and the bartender at that bar who sold the most would receive $100.

The story goes that a bartender working at Confetti’s Bar created the cocktail according to the recipe mentioned above and it was an instant hit. Customers began asking what it was called, the bartender decided that the main reason people came to Florida for Spring break was the beach and sex, hence the name Sex on the Beach.

I have no idea if this is true or not, but it’s a nice story. Either way, there’s barely a bar in the world that doesn’t know how to make some kind of Sex on the Beach, although there does seem to be many regional variations on the cocktail recipe. As for the taste, unsurprisingly I thought it was a bit sweet but it went down quite well. I can certainly see why it’s popular amongst social drinkers, it doesn’t feel particularly strong, the fruit juice is nice and it will get you drunk.

A friend of mine recently asked if I’d write something about cocktails on this blog, the only problem is, I know next to nothing about cocktails. However, a couple of nights ago at my local they were running a 1 + 1 offer on cocktails so I thought it would be a great opportunity to start exploring the world of mixed drinks.

Not knowing what to order I just went with my girlfriend’s favourite, a Mojito. My first thought upon its arrival was, “it’s a salad in a glass” (maybe I should have ordered a Bloody Mary), nonetheless I resolved myself to staying open minded and giving it a try.

For those who have no idea what goes in a Mojito, in its most traditional form it’s a mixture of five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, sparkling water and mint. It’s not the strongest of drinks, apparently only around 10% abv, and the idea is that the sweetness and citrus flavours help to counteract the kick of the rum.

I took my first sip of the drink, and I have to say it wasn’t unpleasant. It was certainly much sweeter than anything I’d normally drink, but on a warm summer evening it was extremely refreshing. I definitely enjoyed the taste of the rum and citrus mix and the mint left a nice aftertaste. The only problem I really had was that it didn’t feel like I was having a ‘drink’. Maybe next time I should ask for it to be made slightly stronger so that it leans more towards an alcoholic drink and not something which was extremely close to mint lemonade (however, I do realise this is kind of the point).

So, after drinking my first cocktail while I don’t think it will ever rival a nice, or even average, single malt, perhaps at next week’s 1 + 1 night I’ll try another and possibly find something more suited to my taste.  

Top Ten New Cocktail Recipes You'll Fine On DrinkedIn

Love cocktails? Then you'll love DrinkedIn's mobile app that includes over 10,000 cocktail recipes... and here are 10 new recipes you'll find on the app.

People аrе аlwауs оn the lооk оut fоr the best nеw drink recipes. Тhе mojito, the martini аnd the margarita appear tо bе the mоst popular drinks іn bars асrоss the UЅ. Вut people аrе picky аnd bar patrons аrе аlwауs lооkіng оut fоr the best nеw trend. Тhе eighties wеrе рrоbаblу the golden age оf the cocktail, but slowly the cocktail іs making а comeback. Еvеn those multi-colored shooters (the bane оf bartenders worldwide) аrе showing uр gain.

So whаt аrе thе top bartenders іn Νеw York, Boston аnd Νеw Orleans making fоr thеіr customers. Whаt cocktails аrе thе hottest thеsе days? Whаt golden oldie іs making а comeback?

Some аrе nеw аnd аrе bесоmіng faves асrоss thе south аnd northeast.

1. Sour Orange Daiquiri

• Juice оf оnе sour orange
• Three big dashes sugar syrup*
• 6 oz. aged rum
• 1 1/2 oz. Grand Marnier оr good curaçao
• Orange slice

This recipe mаkеs two cocktails іn 5oz. martini glasses

Going out to a bar or lounge for a martini is getting expensive! I couldn’t help but notice this the other night when I met my girlfriends for a drink and was slapped with a $25 tab—and that was just for my two cosmopolitans. And that doesn’t even take into consideration cover at the bar, any appetizers you might want, and of course a cab home if you drink a little too much!

The life of a liquor enthusiast really adds up!

However, thanks to some really cool cell phone apps—I’ve found a way to enjoy a few fancy cocktails with my friends without the bill hangover at the end of the evening. The following five cocktail apps will ensure you impress with a hand blender and sizzle with a cocktail shaker. They’ll also provide a full list of drinks you probably haven’t tried, for a fun, cheap night or dinner party in…

1. DrinkedIn (Free – for Android and iPhone)

Welcome to the world’s largest community of all things liquor, wine, and spirits! The DrinkedIn app is kind of like LinkedIn is for professionals—but this app is specifically for lovers of the alcoholic beverage. Here you’ll find all things thirst-quenching and inebriating, over 9,000 cocktail recipes with high resolution photos and also includes listings & reviews for over 150,000 bars and show-stopping drinks from establishments from all around the globe. Plus, a rebellious social network of like-minded imbibers from just about everywhere! Support Android and iPhone/iPad.

Let’s face it, to some people - beer tastes…well…awful. So when you want to get your drink on and you want something tasty, it’s nothing unusual to turn to hard liquor to have a little bit of fun with your friends. If you aren’t the avid drinker, you may find yourself wondering what kind of liquor works best to make mixed drinks. While everyone has their own tastes, there are certainly liquors that simply don’t work, or shouldn’t be mixed with anything at all. We’ve put together a list of some of the top liquors that you can mix with a tasty beverage to make delicious mixed drink for yourself and your friends when you’re out of ideas.

• Vodka – Vodka is one of the most versatile liquors available for making cocktails. While the taste of the vodka itself is distinct, it mixes with almost anything, and all you really taste of the vodka it the tang that comes along with the alcohol content. The most popular mixers we’ve found for vodka are orange juice, cranberry juice, and Red Bull. Additionally, you can enhance the flavor of your Red Bull mixed drink with flavored vodkas such as orange and grape.
• Whiskey – When coming up with recipes for a cocktail that use whiskey, make sure to keep your choice of whiskey generic. The higher end whiskey liquors are meant to be had straight or on ice, so stick to something such as Jack Daniels. The best mixer for this one? Grab a 2 liter of Coca-Cola and add to your delight. Pepsi has a much less intense taste which will add to the strength of the whiskey’s flavor, so make sure to grab Coca-Cola for best results.
• Rum – There are two main flavors of rum that you can focus on when you come up with mixed cocktails that have rum. Coconut rum is ideal with things such as orange juice and cranberry juice (actually, these three ingredients together make a delicious glass of Malibu Baybreeze, which women love). If you’ve got a spiced or regular rum, such as Captain Morgan, you can make rum and cokes for a simple drink, or you can grab a blender, some ice, and margarita mix for a delicious frozen drink for the poolside.

Of course, liquors are just part of the picture in making cocktails. In the next article, we'll talk about the specific non-alcoholic mixers that often are essential ingredients in many popular drink recipes.

For those wacky party lovers, the main thing to look out for in a party is the dress theme for girls (girls, I tell you) and the drinks for the boys (boys will be boys). Drinks are an integral part of any happening party. Gone are the times to experiment with sweet-tasting beverages, they are for the girls, not for the real men. Vodka and Whiskey being the most preferred drinks of all-time. They are for the men and not young boys.

If you want your party to be the talk of the town, then try out these deadly mixes and lose control (well, not completely).

Rusty Nail

This is a very simple yet elegant drink that will give you a feisty essence of Scotch mixed with the sweet taste of the Drambuie. This combo will bowl you over making you want more of this drink. To make this drink, you need:

• 1 1/2 oz of Scotch
• 1/2 oz of Drambuie
• 1 twist lemon peel

Get an old fashioned glass and pour the Scotch and Drambuie in it. Stir this well and drop a lemon peel into it. Add ice based on your preference. It can serve as a great dinner drink or will be best to have during holidays.

Classic Manhattan

• 2 oz of Rye Whiskey
• 1/2 oz of sweet Vermouth
• 2-3 dashes of Angostura Bitters
• Maraschino Cherry for garnish

Making this amazing oldest known cocktail is very simple. Just get all the ingredients of this cocktail together in a mixing glass or shaker and shake or stir well. Strain the mixture in a Martini glass and add cherry to it. Though Martini is the traditional way, you can use any old fashioned glass. This is the basic recipe though several variations are available.

The White Russian cocktail is one of those rare cocktail recipes that everyone, from the seasoned cocktail connoisseur to the beer guzzling jock, seems to enjoy. A concoction of vodka, coffee liqueur and cream (or sometimes milk, or half & half) the White Russian cocktail was essentially a variation from the classic Black Russian cocktail, which first appeared in the late 1940s. Neither drink originated in Russia but was so named due to the Russian connection of its principal ingredient, vodka. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the White Russian was first documented in the Oakland Tribune in November 1965. This is believed to be the first published instance of the drink.

The widespread popularity of the White Russian cocktail has stemmed from the fact that it is a relatively simple cocktail to prepare, ideal for cocktail novices, plus its smooth, creamy taste has given it universal appeal, both for young and old cocktail drinkers alike (not forgetting the fact that the taste of the drink perfectly masks what is quite a potent mix). The popularity of the White Russian cocktail received a major boost in the late 90s with the arrival of the movie “The Big Lebowski” which heralded “The Dude” character, played by Jeff Bridges, who quickly achieved a cult fan-base as a new kind of cult, slacker, anti-hero. “The Dude” enjoyed bowling, marijuana and a White Russian cocktail, which he also referred to as a “Caucasian”.

Below shows you the ingredients and how to make the White Russian cocktail:

Cocktail Ingredients

If you’re about to throw a party where alcohol is involved, you may be considering what type of glassware you should be using to serve your mixed drinks. Try and realize that the type of glass you use is a lot like the fashion of your clothing. You wouldn’t wear sneakers to a nightclub, and you wouldn’t serve cocktails in the wrong type of glass. How you serve your drinks actually has a psychological appeal as to whether or not people want to drink them. To help you identify the right glasses for your next party, here’s a quick breakdown of three of the most popular serving glasses.

Highball Glasses

The biggest mistake people make is that they serve the usual mixed drink in a generic kitchenware glass. Your mixed drink glasses should always be tall and skinny. Consider a highball glass, or Collins glass when serving things like Screwdrivers, Jack and Cokes, or a Vodka Cranberry drink. The tall thin shape is highly distinctive from that of a kitchen glass, and is much more comfortable to grip for a longer amount of time.

Martini Glasses

Now that we’ve got the basic mixed drinks out of the way, keep in mind that you should never serve them in a martini glass. While they may be called cocktail glasses as well, martini glasses were made just for martinis. The strength of a martini is often stronger than that of the usual mixed drink, which gives the martini glass a naturally smaller shape, usually holding only 6 to 8 ounces per glass. These glasses were built for sipping a variety of martini recipes that can often contain twice as much alcohol as a mixed drink.

Shot Glass

Obviously, you’re not going to fit much in a shot glass, but the hard liquor itself. You can premix your liquor with a mixer if you want, but remember that each shot is only an ounce. Make a shot recipe taste like your mixed drink and you’ll have guests flying out the door. If you plan on serving shots on ice, consider a low tumbler glass which can usually hold a shot or two while keeping the liquor well chilled.

This has been the third in a series of blog articles for the basics of mixed drinks. We've already covered the absolute basic, important considerations of some of the basic liquors and proper serving glasses. In articles to come, I'll be writing about more advanced topics.

People have many reasons for learning how to mix drinks. For of all, many people find straight forms of any alcohol to be either too strong or not come in enough varieties. Also, mixing drinks allows you to control the strength of the drink, the sweetness or bitterness and a lot of other factors (including the look of the drink itself - presentation is very important).

Learning how to mix your own drinks is very simple if you follow simple steps and have the correct equipment. Of course, you'll need a good drink recipe and there are many mixed drink recipes available on DrinkedIn (9000 drink recipes). It's easy to impress your guests with fantastic mixed drinks.

A important factor of any mixed drink is to use the better brands of alcohol and avoid the cheaper varieties. There are many reasons for this as the core ingredients strongly effect the taste of the final drink. Also, the name brands often cost more for a good reason. But don't worry if you can't stock a complete bar and serve dozens of different drinks - just start with a few of your favorites and you'll be able to expand in time.

Terminology - mixing drinks has its own terminology and it's essential to learn a few terms:

1. Blend - add the ingredients to a blender and mix thoroughly.
2. Cocktail Shaker - It is usually made from stainless steel and has a top.  Add the ice and the mixed drink ingredients to the shaker and then shake. When complete, tip the shaker to fill the glass and serve. You'll find your cocktail shaker to be an essential tool in allowing drinks to be shaken properly without making a mess.
3. Dash - A dash of something means to add a small amount of your ingredient. In real measure, it is about a quarter of a teaspoon.
4. To Strain - You will need a small strainer. The strainer will allow the liquid through, but hold the ice back in an easy way.
5. Glassful - Obviously, that is means a full glass. In a future article, we'll talk about the correct glasses to serve in and their sizes.
6. Stir - you can use a long spoon or an drink stirrer to get this effect. Some drink recipes will ask you to stir the ice in the drink and then remove the ice before serving.
7. To Shake - This term means the ingredients of the drink are added to the shaker listed above and then shake the contents about five to seven times to mix properly.

Now find your favorite drink recipes from the thousands available on DrinkedIn. You can search by name or even by major ingredients (such as beer, coffee, liquors, etc). Once you find a good drink recipe to start, you'll be creating your fabulous drinks for your guests. Some of the better recipes are available for printing right from the actual DrinkedIn listings (including nutritional information).