Refreshing Sex On The Beach Cocktail Recipe

If cocktails of the 1980s are known for one thing, that would be their suggestive — in some cases, downright sleazy -– names. In fact, Sex on the beach, while definitely R-rated, is fairly tame compared to some of the more cringe-worthy shooters of the era. Not all of those '80s drinks have survived the test of time, but the sex on the beach is actually still pretty popular — especially in North Dakota.

Recipe developer Christina Musgrave describes this drink as "fruity and bright ... a refreshing summertime cocktail," and goes on to say that while it "might sound like a vacation drink," it's actually something that can easily be put together at home. It's a good thing, too, since this means that you can have the drink as often as you like without ever again have to endure the embarrassment of speaking its name out loud in a restaurant or bar.

Musgrave says her drink recipe is "simple and classic," so it includes no outlandish ingredients (the name does that all on its own). For the booze, you'll be using vodka and peach schnapps, while the rest of the drink is made up of a combo of orange and cranberry juices. If you want a fruity garnish, Musgrave favors maraschino cherries. Out of vodka? Rum always goes well in sweet, fruity drinks. Musgrave says you could even experiment with tequila if that's what you have on hand.

The first step is simple enough: Mix all of the ingredients (minus the cherry garnish). If you want to make up a batch of these drinks, you don't need to do any complicated math, as the proportions are pretty simple: 1 part of schnapps to 4 parts of everything else.

The next step in making this drink is to make sure all of the ingredients are very well combined, plus thoroughly chilled — and even watered down a teeny bit from the melting ice. If you want to shake your drink, you just need to cover it. Use the lid if you've got an actual shaker, or use another cup if you don't. You could even shake the drink in a lidded jar or a thermos. If you're really in a pinch, you can always stir instead of shake.

Strain the drink into a tall glass filled with ice. Why use new ice? Well, the old ice already in the shaker is partially melted by now, so it's done its duty. Fresh ice is not going to melt as quickly, so your drink won't get too watered down.

If you want a garnish, you can do as Musgrave does and plop a maraschino cherry on top. She does say, though, that "a lemon or orange wedge would also make great garnishes."