Ingredients
- 1 oz Vodka
- /12 oz Peach Schnapps
- 2 oz Orange Juice
- 2 oz Cranberry Juice
Instructions
Fill the Glass:
- Add ice cubes to a highball glass.
Add the Alcohol:
- Pour 1 oz of vodka and 1/2 oz of peach schnapps over the ice.
Add the Juices:
- Fill the glass with equal parts orange juice and cranberry juice, approximately 2 oz each.
Stir and Serve:
- Stir the mixture gently to combine all the ingredients. Garnish with an orange slice or cherry if desired.
Enjoy:
- Serve immediately and enjoy your refreshing Sex on the Beach cocktail.
Video
Notes
- For a twist, try substituting pineapple juice for the orange juice or adding a splash of Midori and Chambord instead of peach schnapps.
- This drink is perfect for summer parties, beach days, or simply relaxing at home. Cheers to enjoying a taste of the tropics without any of the hassle!
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
Credited to Confetti's nightclub in Florida in 1987 during a Spring Break promotion run by National Distillers, who were trying to push their newly acquired Peachtree Schnapps. Bartender Ted Pizio is the most-named inventor. The name was reportedly chosen because it summed up exactly what people on Spring Break were thinking about.
By 1990 it was on every bar menu in America. By 2000 it was a punch line. The drink survived because the flavour combination genuinely works: peach plus cranberry plus orange is a clever balance of sweet, sour, and fruit-forward.
What it tastes like
Sweet, fruity, easy. The peach schnapps brings the candy note, cranberry brings tart and colour, orange juice softens everything. The vodka stays out of the way.
It tastes like a tropical drink even though there's no tropical fruit in it. Layered correctly the colour goes from deep red at the bottom to orange at the top and looks like a sunset.
The technique
Build over ice in a tall glass. Pour 45ml vodka and 30ml peach schnapps. Add 60ml cranberry juice. Top with 60ml orange juice slowly so it floats on top of the cranberry. Don't stir. The colours should layer.
If you want it shaken, throw everything into a shaker with ice, shake for 8 seconds (less than a Daiquiri shake; you don't need huge dilution), and strain over ice. Loses the layering, gains a colder drink.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The vodka
- Use
- Plain neutral vodka (Smirnoff, Absolut, Tito's)
- Skip
- Flavoured vodka (clashes with the peach)
- Why
- Neutral vodka stays out of the way. Flavoured vodkas fight the peach schnapps.
The peach schnapps
- Use
- DeKuyper Peachtree Schnapps or Archers
- Skip
- Fancy white-peach liqueurs (different flavour, less candy)
- Why
- The schnapps is what gives this drink its 1980s personality. Real peach liqueur tastes too refined.
The juices
- Use
- 100% cranberry juice (or cranberry-juice cocktail) and fresh-pressed orange juice
- Skip
- Cranberry-flavoured drink or orange drink concentrate
- Why
- Decent juice is the difference between a good drink and a sad one.
Variations
Other vodka-and-juice classics for poolside drinking.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Apricot brandy plus 5ml peach syrup. Or use creme de peche (more refined). Both change the personality slightly.
Pomegranate juice gets you the colour. Grapefruit juice changes the drink entirely (closer to a Sea Breeze).
Pineapple juice (different drink, called Hawaiian Sex on the Beach). Mango nectar also works but is sweeter.
Cut peach schnapps to 22ml and bump cranberry to 75ml. Drier, sharper.
Bump vodka to 60ml. The juices easily absorb the extra alcohol.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Sex on the Beach?
Vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry juice, and orange juice. Standard build: 45ml vodka, 30ml peach schnapps, 60ml cranberry juice, 60ml orange juice over ice in a tall glass.
Where did the Sex on the Beach come from?
Confetti's nightclub in Florida in 1987, during a Spring Break promotion. Bartender Ted Pizio is most often credited. The name was a marketing hook tied to Spring Break culture.
How do you make a Sex on the Beach?
Fill a Collins glass with ice. Add 45ml vodka and 30ml peach schnapps. Pour 60ml cranberry juice, then float 60ml orange juice on top so it layers. Don't stir. Garnish with an orange wheel and a cherry.
Is Sex on the Beach a strong drink?
Around 8 to 10 percent ABV in the glass. About the strength of two beers. Drinks fast because of the sweetness.
Should it be layered or shaken?
Layering is the classic look (sunset colours). Shaking gets a colder, more uniformly mixed drink. Both are valid, layered is more photogenic.
Can I use peach liqueur instead of schnapps?
You can. Real peach liqueur (creme de peche) is more refined and less candy-like. The drink becomes more grown-up but loses some of its 1980s charm.
What does Sex on the Beach taste like?
Sweet, fruity, peachy, with a tart cranberry edge and a soft orange finish. Tastes more tropical than it actually is. Easy to drink fast.
What glass should I use?
A tall Collins or hurricane glass. The drink needs height to layer properly. Around 350 to 400ml of capacity.
Can I make Sex on the Beach without alcohol?
Use peach syrup or peach nectar instead of schnapps and skip the vodka. Add a splash of soda for fizz. Same drinking experience, no alcohol.
What food goes with Sex on the Beach?
Bar snacks, fries, fish tacos, ceviche. Anything light and salty cuts through the sweetness.
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