Get your cocktail umbrellas out! We’re making the fruity, citrusy, classic summer cocktail, Sex On The Beach.

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Back in the day, I bartended in Manhattan and Las Vegas for what feels like a lifetime. Although Sex On The Beach is classically a beach or poolside drink, it was quite popular in these major cities. Sex On The Beach was popularized in the 1980s and has been a nationwide staple in bars ever since.
I love fruity cocktails once in a while, but I choose to order a glass of wine when I’m out. However, my lifelong best friend is not a big drinker. For her, the sweeter and fruitier the better. Her all-time favorite drink is, you guessed it, Sex On The Beach. Another fun fact about my bestie is she gets awkward real quick, so she refuses to order her number one libation, and always makes me do it! When the bartender comes over she will look at me and be like,
“What is that drink called again that I love?”
Even though she knows exactly what it is.
Well lucky for her, and for you, today we don’t have to awkwardly say S-E-X to a stranger and we can enjoy this refreshing beverage right from home!
If you are not familiar, Sex On The Beach is simply vodka, peach schnapps, orange and cranberry juice. It is super refreshing and embodies the flavors of a beach vacation. What I love about it is that it’s so easy to make, there’s no muddling, no blender, or long list of ingredients required. Don’t get me wrong, I love a crisp and colorful Pimm’s Cup or the complexity of a frozen Rum Runner it’s just that with my bartending days behind me, I don’t want to be making them all the time. Also, Sex on The Beach is a real crowd-pleaser, perfect for a summer gathering, and easy to make a huge batch of.
How To Create a Sunset Effect For your cocktail
Sex On The Beach is a pretty peachy, pinky color and tastes delicious mixed together. However, to make it more visually appealing, you can create an ombre or sunset look by layering the ingredients. First, fill a glass with ice, add the orange juice and peach schnapps, and give it a good shake or vigorous stir. Then add your vodka. Last, slowly pour the cranberry juice into the mix. Finally, top with an orange slice to finish your super pretty drink.
What is the Best Vodka to Use to Make a Sex on the Beach?
For Sex On The Beach any mid-level vodka, like Tito’s, Absolut, or Stoli will do the trick. I am a big fan of Tito’s, a decent vodka for your home bar if you have just one. You don’t want to use anything too high-end for Sex On The Beach since it will be masked with the flavors of the peach schnapps and fruit juices. Usually, high-end vodkas are reserved for martinis, neat, or on the rocks since you can enjoy the taste. But you also don’t want to use a vodka that is too cheap as the taste will change the drink and could leave you with a horrible hangover.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 1/2 ounce peach schnapps
- 1 1/2 ounces orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 1/2 ounces cranberry juice

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine
Mix liquids in shaker with ice.
Shake
Shake well until chilled.
Serve
Strain into glass over ice.
Devour!

FAQs & Tips
Sex On The Beach can be served in a collins glass, hurricane glass, or a highball. Should you choose to use less juice and more vodka, you can even serve it as a martini.
Yes! Mix your vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry without the ice and refrigerate for up to two days. When ready to enjoy, serve over ice.
A typical Sex On The Beach cocktail is about 3.5 oz. and has about 325 calories.
While a traditional Sex On The Beach has peach schnapps, you can use peach nectar or peach-flavored vodka. You can also try different variations, which ultimately are different cocktails, like substituting pineapple juice or adding grenadine.

Serving Suggestions
When you change the ingredients in a classic cocktail, you end up with a different cocktail. However, I may only know this from years of bartending and mixology. But let’s talk about other versions, similar to Sex On The Beach and made with just a few ingredients. For example, if you omit the peach schnapps you have a Madras. If you take a Madras and take out the cranberry you have a classic Screwdriver another refreshing, citrusy cocktail to enjoy on a sunny day. You can also use Sex On Beach as the base for an Orange Cranberry Champagne Cocktail.
I also love a good mocktail. For a version of Sex On The Beach sans alcohol, use cranberry and orange juice with peach nectar. This is now sweetly called a Cuddle On The Beach. You can also throw it all in a blender, add fresh fruit, and make something like this Healthy Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie.


Sex on the Beach Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 1/2 ounce peach schnapps
- 1 1/2 ounces orange juice freshly squeezed
- 1 1/2 ounces cranberry juice
Instructions
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In a shaker, combine vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice with ice.
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Shake the mixture well until chilled.
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Strain the cocktail into a highball glass filled with fresh ice and garnish with a cocktail umbrella.
Nutrition
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