Sex on the Beach Cocktail Recipe: Classic Florida Fruity Drink

The sandy beaches of Florida in the 1980s provided the perfect backdrop for one of the most iconic cocktails ever created. Legend has it that a bartender named Ted at Confetti’s Bar invented this fruity masterpiece during a peach schnapps sales campaign.

He cleverly named it Sex on the Beach, reasoning that sex and beaches were the two main attractions for springbreakers who packed Florida’s bars. The playful name and irresistibly sweet flavors that masked potent alcohol content made it an instant hit.

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Why This Recipe Works

The genius of Sex on the Beach lies in its perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors that mask the alcohol content. Using melon liqueur instead of traditional peach schnapps adds complexity while the raspberry liqueur provides depth. The fruit juices create a refreshing base that makes this cocktail incredibly smooth and approachable for those who prefer sweeter drinks.

What Makes This Sex on the Beach Cocktail So Good? 

Do you want to sip on a retro cocktail that isn’t going to make you feel like you are trying just a bit too hard to be cool? Then this lusciously sweet and tart Sex on the Beach recipe is for you.

While this drink is definitely a throwback to the heady 80s, you don’t need to be old-school to appreciate it fully. 

What Does a Sex on the Beach Drink Taste Like?

There is just one problem with spending a night out drinking Sex on the Beach cocktails: They don’t taste like there’s any alcohol in them.

The sweetness from the melon and raspberry liqueurs combines with the tartness of the cranberry and pineapple juice to make a drink that’s perhaps a little too easy to gulp. That can be a little dangerous with such a high-octane cocktail. 

While the original Sex on the Beach recipe includes peach schnapps, this version uses melon liqueur instead. This small change pumps up the sweetness factor of the drink and offers a much more balanced and refreshing taste.

Ingredients in Sex on the Beach Cocktail 

The Sex on the Beach ingredients are:

• Vodka – Provides clean alcohol base without competing with fruit flavors
• Melon liqueur – Adds sweet, refreshing flavor and beautiful color to the cocktail
• Raspberry liqueur – Contributes rich berry notes and balances the sweetness
• Pineapple juice – Delivers tropical sweetness and authentic beach cocktail flavor
• Cranberry juice – Provides tartness and beautiful pink color gradient
• Ice – Chills and dilutes the cocktail to perfect drinking strength
• Fresh orange slice – Adds citrus aroma and visual appeal as garnish
• Maraschino cherry – Provides classic cocktail garnish and additional sweetness

Ingredient Notes

Vodka

Just about any vodka brand works fine for this recipe. In fact, because of everything else that is going on in this cocktail, it is probably a good idea to save your quality vodka for another time. 

Look for a brand of pineapple juice without pulp.

Midori

Midori is a strong, sweet melon flavored liqueur with a vivid green color that comes in at a very impressive 20% ABV. It is a bit on the pricey side, but you can use a similar but less expensive brand like Bols or De Kuyper without altering the taste too much. 

The word Midori means green in Japanese. Midori is actually made from two types of melons:

• Yubari King Melon: Originally a cross between two kinds of cantaloupes, these melons are grown near Yubari City in Japan. The melon has orange flesh and juicy sweetness.
• Musk Melon: Musk melons are grown in the Aichi and Shizuoka provinces of Japan. This is a juicy melon with amazing sweetness and green flesh which gives Midori its wonderful color.

Chambord

Chambord is a sweetened raspberry liqueur with a cognac base. At 33 proof, it is slightly less potent than Midori but is still respectful. At more than 30 bucks a bottle, it is worth considering other raspberry liqueurs like De Kuyper’s Razzmatazz.

The Chambord brand was founded in 1982, but the inspiration came from a raspberry liqueur made in the Loire Valley in the late 1600s. History says that the drink delighted Louis XIV during one of his visits to the Château de Chambord.

Chambord is still produced in the Loire Valley and is made from black and red raspberries, Moroccan citrus peel, Madagascar vanilla, honey, and cognac.

How to Make Sex on the Beach Drink

1. Pour vodka into a small pitcher.
2. Add Midori.
3. Add Chambord.
4. Add pineapple Juice.

5. Add cranberry Juice.
6. Stir everything together.
7. Place ice in a collins glass and pour the drink over the ice.
8. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry if desired.

To make a single serving of this drink: 

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Pour in the vodka, melon liqueur, raspberry liqueur, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice. 
3. Cover with the top and shake for 30 seconds until the shaker feels ice-cold. 
4. Strain into chilled, ice-filled Collins glass and add a straw.
5. Garnish the rim of the tall glass with an orange wheel and drop in a maraschino cherry.

What Type of Glass Should You Serve This In 

Although Sex on the Beach is not a layered drink, it can still benefit from being served in a tall, slender glass. The Collins glass or the hurricane glass is the typical go-to barware for a Sex on the Beach cocktail, but the drink works equally well in a highball or zombie glass. So if you don’t have fancy barware on hand be sure to grab a nice tall glass.

What Goes With a Sex on the Beach Drink

Try pairing this drink with something that has some heat to help round out the flavor profile. Drinkers would appreciate either a platter of spicy Jezebel Dip or Jalapeno Poppers to nibble on. 

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Check out some fruity rum drinks and the best cocktail recipes here on CopyKat!