Sex on the Beach
Build ∙ 2 min ∙ 13.2% ABV ∙
Sex on the Beach is a built vodka highball mixing peach schnapps with orange and cranberry juice over ice. Sunset pink-orange hues fade into a juicy, lightly syrupy sip with a clean spirit backbone and a soft, tangy finish that lingers gently.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Build all ingredients in an ice-filled highball glass: Vodka 40 mlPeach schnapps 20 mlOrange juice 40 mlCranberry juice 40 ml
- Stir gently
- Garnish with an orange slice
Tips
- Use cranberry juice rather than a sweetened cranberry cocktail — the schnapps and orange juice already carry the sugar.
- Stir gently rather than shaking — a brief stir combines the juices without clouding the drink.
- Use fresh orange juice rather than bottled for a brighter balance against the cranberry.
History
The Sex on the Beach is widely credited to Ted Pizio, a bartender at Confetti's bar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who is said to have created it in 1987 while competing in a contest sponsored by a spirits distributor to promote its new peach schnapps, with prize money for the bartender who sold the most of it. Pizio combined vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and grenadine, and named the result after what he believed drew spring-break crowds to Florida: sex and the beach. The drink spread quickly through Florida's spring-break bar scene in the late 1980s.
That founding story is disputed: several accounts note that a recipe for a drink called Sex on the Beach appeared in the American Bartenders School Guide to Drinks in 1982, five years before Pizio's contest, undercutting the tale as its origin. Some historians instead theorize the cocktail was simply assembled by combining two existing drinks, the Fuzzy Navel and the Cape Codder. Over time, bars increasingly substituted cranberry juice for the original grenadine.
FAQ
What is in a Sex on the Beach?
Vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice, built over ice in a highball glass and garnished with an orange slice. The vodka and schnapps form the spirited base, while the two juices give it its characteristic pink-orange color and sweet-tart balance.
Is Sex on the Beach a strong drink?
It is a moderate-strength drink at about 13.2% ABV, roughly half the strength of a straight spirit pour. The juices make up half the glass, so it drinks easy despite carrying two liquors.
How many Sex on the Beach drinks does it take to get drunk?
There is no fixed number — it depends on body weight, tolerance, and pace, but at around 13.2% ABV each glass carries roughly one standard drink's worth of alcohol. Drinking several in quick succession will add up faster than the sweet, juice-forward taste suggests.
What is the difference between a Sex on the Beach and a Bahama Mama?
A Sex on the Beach is built from vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice, giving it a lighter, tangier profile. A Bahama Mama is typically rum-based with coconut and pineapple flavors, making it richer and more tropical in character.
What is the difference between a Woo Woo and a Sex on the Beach?
A Woo Woo is essentially a simpler version made with vodka, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice, leaving out the orange juice. Sex on the Beach adds orange juice to that base, giving it a fuller, citrus-forward sweetness.
What are variations of the Sex on the Beach?
Common variations swap or add fruit liqueurs and juices, such as using pineapple juice instead of orange, adding a splash of Malibu for extra coconut sweetness, or dropping the orange juice entirely to make a Woo Woo. The vodka and peach schnapps base generally stays constant across these versions.
What is the best liquor to use in a Sex on the Beach?
A clean, neutral vodka works best, since the drink's flavor comes mainly from the peach schnapps and juices rather than the spirit itself. A mid-range vodka without strong botanical notes keeps the fruit flavors front and center.
