Sex on the Beach Cocktail Recipe
Vodka, peach schnapps, orange and cranberry — fruity, sweet and easy-going.
- Category: Contemporary Classics
- Glass: Highball glass
- ABV: 11%
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: ~3 min
Ingredients
- Vodka40 ml (1.4 oz)
- Peach schnapps20 ml (0.7 oz)
- Fresh orange juice40 ml (1.4 oz)
- Cranberry juice40 ml (1.4 oz)
How to Make It
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Add vodka and peach schnapps.
- Top with equal parts orange and cranberry juice.
- Garnish with orange and a cherry.
Garnish
Orange slice and cherry
What it tastes like
The sweetness is pronounced and fruit notes come forward.
The technique
Built in the glass. Ice goes into the serving glass, the ingredients go on top, and you stir once if at all. Anything carbonated goes in LAST and never gets stirred; every turn of the spoon costs you bubbles. Fill the glass to the rim with ice: less ice melts faster, not slower.
Glass and ice
A tall, narrow highball. The narrowness does real work — less surface area means the carbonation lasts longer and the ice melts more slowly.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Vodka
- Vodka brings body and alcohol rather than flavour; its job is to get out of the way of everything else. Which is why, in a vodka drink, how fresh the juice is matters far more than the brand.
- Fresh orange juice
- Fresh orange juice. Carton juice is sugar-adjusted, so it sweetens the drink and drops its acidity; when you squeeze your own, pull back a little on the syrup.
The Story
A 1980s American creation tied to the boom of fruity, accessible cocktails.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a Sex on the Beach mixed?
- It is built in the glass and served in a highball glass.
- How strong is a Sex on the Beach?
- Roughly 11% ABV as served — right around a glass of wine — an aperitif or an early-evening drink.
- Can a Sex on the Beach be made without alcohol?
- Simply leaving the spirit out does not work — the body and the bitterness go with it. The 86 alcohol-free recipes in the catalogue are built to hit that balance from the start.
- Is a Sex on the Beach hard to make?
- Easy. No bar kit required — a measure, ice and a jar will do.
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Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.