The Sex on the Beach

Sweet, strong and sexy, this cocktail with a risqué name has been a popular classic since the 1980s.

I remember the 1980s fondly. And that’s probably due in large part to me being an impressionable kid during that neon and synth-drenched decade. I can easily conjure up indelible images and sounds that stick out like bookmarks in my mind… Seeing Heather Thomas make an eye-opening entrance in a bikini during the opening credits for The Fall Guy television show, driving myself crazy with my cousin’s Rubik’s Cube, listening to Cyndi Lauper’s She’s So Unusual, trying to figure out how to play the E.T. video game on the Atari 2600… these memories barely scratch the surface.

And then there’s Tom Cruise. We all know him now as the insanely spry actor who does all of his own death-defying stunts in the Mission: Impossible movies. But before he scaled the Burj Khalifa or drove a motorcycle off the top of a mountain, Cruise tried his hand at showy and impressive drink-making tricks in the 1988 movie Cocktail. Riding high from the outrageous success of Top Gun a few years before, studios were eager to put the actor in similar types of stories, and in this one swapped out the fighter planes with bars and nightclubs.

I honestly haven’t seen the movie since it came out. At the time I was around eleven years old, so not exactly an age where I was ready to don some pastels and dance the night away to “Kokomo”. Still, I remember being impressed by the acrobatic flair that Cruise’s character would mix his customers’ drinks with. Spinning shakers, juggling bottles, dancing and showing off to wild applause and affection… all of it seemed like this was what the cool grown-ups were doing. I spent the next couple of days in my room, listening to “The Hippie Hippie Shake” while trying to teach myself some cocktail tricks using my Peanuts thermos from my lunch box. After nearly knocking myself out by accidentally launching the heavy and milk-filled receptacle straight into my face, I decided that this probably wasn’t a career path for a fifth-grade child. And my hair could never compete with Tom’s.

Why am I even bringing this up? Because that movie was where I first heard of a drink called the Sex on the Beach, which is the cocktail we’ll be looking at. To this day, whenever I hear the name, it takes me right back to the day that I threw a thermos at my own face. Another indelible memory from the eighties.

The Sex on the Beach cocktail can be traced back to the 1982 book American Bartenders School Guide to Drinks, where it is described as a mash-up/combination of a Fuzzy Navel (peach schnapps and orange juice) and a Cape Cod, or Codder (vodka and cranberry juice). Becoming a staple of the decade’s party scene, the drink’s popularity began to wane a little by the turn of the new millennium. But whenever anyone has a thirst for something from the 1980s, a little Billy Ocean and a few Sex on the Beaches can’t be far behind.

What is Schnapps?

There are really two types. European schnapps, which originated in Germany, is a clear and brandy-like spirit that is fermented from fruit juices. These are often drunk straight, as the name even derives from the German word for “snap”, suggesting they are enjoyed in a similar vein to shots. In America, schnapps refers to a whole range of flavor-infused liqueurs that are usually reserved for mixing in a cocktail. Peach, butterscotch, peppermint… these are just a few of the tastes these varieties can come in. In college, I once drank half a bottle of peppermint schnapps more out of curiosity than boredom. It was called Avalanche, I believe, and came in a blue bottle that was shaped like an alpine skyline. It looked cool, but the hangover those syrupy and sweet sips gave me wasn’t.

What is the Best Vodka to Use in a Sex on the Beach?

While you can certainly find and use a peach-flavored vodka to go along with the peach schnapps, I always like to go for an unflavored spirit. Having too much of one flavor might upset the balance you’ll want this cocktail to have. On the other hand, you might want the peach notes to peek out a little over the orange and cranberry juices. You can have it both ways, so don’t worry. Try one and then the other, and find the flavor that suits you best.

FAQs & Tips

Similar Cocktails to the Sex on the Beach

Are you ready for the summer? Are you looking forward to all the fruit-tinged tipples you’ll be sipping on as the ocean waves gently tickle your toes? If a Sex on the Beach sounds good to you after a refreshing swim, check out some of these other recipes from Twist & Toast that’ll be the perfect warm weather companion for your pool floaty.

• New Orleans Hurricane – Bring some Mardi Gras vibes to your next party with this rum-based cocktail.
• Singapore Sling – This classic Tiki favorite has been around since 1915, and its gin-forward kick will tell you why.
• Fuzzy Navel – Half of a Sex on the Beach, this fruity flavored drink is a lighter affair.
• Shaken Pina Colada – If James Bond preferred a creamy, tropical drink, he might order this one.