Just as the name implies, mixed drinks are basically beverages that consist of two or more liquids blended together. Alcoholic mixed drinks contain at least one type of alcohol. According to wikipedia.com, there are several categories of mixed drinks such as cocktails, cobblers, coolers, fizzes, juleps and punches. Some examples of mixed drinks are typical beverages like beer cocktails, wine cocktails, mixed drink shooters, shots and flaming beverages.

The Sazerac Cocktail - Possibly The First Recipe Of Its Kind
Nowadays, the term cocktail broadly refers to any type of alcoholic mixed drink. The Sazerac Cocktail is considered to be the first recipe of its kind. It was invented by a New Orleans druggist named Antoine Amadie Peychaud, according to gumbopages.com.

This mixed drink recipe, which can be found at epicurious.com, contains the following ingredients:

1 cube or 1/2 teaspoon sugar

4 dashes Peychaud bitters

About 1/2 teaspoon water

2 ounces rye whiskey

1/2 teaspoon Herbsaint liqueur (or Pernod)

lemon peel

ice

How to Make The Sazerac Cocktail
To make one drink, you'll need to place ice in an old-fashioned glass. In a second glass, combine the sugar, bitters and the water; mix until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rye whiskey, then fill the glass with ice and stir well.

To finish this Sazerac Cocktail recipe, dump the ice out of the first glass. Put the Herbsaint or the Pernod in the glass. Turn the glass and tilt it until the liqueur coats the entire inside. Pour any remaining liqueur out. Then, strain the contents of the second glass into the chilled glass. Add a twist of lemon to the Sazerac Cocktail and serve.

The Sex on the Beach Mixed Drink Recipe
Another mixed drink recipe that's rather popular is called "Sex on the Beach." This cocktail is an alcoholic drink that has a strong fruity flavor.

The ingredients you'll need to make this alcoholic drink are:

1-1/2 ounces peach schnapps

1-1/2 ounces VeeV (Vodka has traditionally been used in this drink, but VeeV offers a more unique, flavorful twist.)

2 ounces cranberry juice

2 ounces orange juice

2 ounces pineapple juice

According to the recipe at www.drinknation.com, making cocktails like this one couldn't be any easier. To make a Sex on the Beach mixed drink, combine all the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain this cocktail into a highball glass filled with ice.

Tips How to Make Your Alcoholic Mixed Drinks Unique
According to www.drink-recipes.org.uk, there are a few simple things you can do when you're making mixed drinks recipes to make them stand out:

1. Use colorful cocktail sticks or toothpicks to twist or skewer slices of fruit before you add them to cocktail recipes.

2. Add colorful adornments such as swizzle sticks, tiny umbrellas and straws to your mixed drink recipes.

3. No matter if you're making cocktails or other alcohol drinks, serve them in oddly-shaped glasses. It will make the drinks more unique and attractive.

Written by Kassidy Emmerson

If you believe the experts, whoever they might be, vodka is supposed to be one of the most popular hard drinks in the world. Up until recently, the various types of flavored and straight vodka beverages could make the claim that they are the premier mixer of choice in a variety of staple drinks.

Red bull, the college student's staple drink, mixes reasonably well with vodka; and who could imagine a cosmopolitan, vodka martini, assorted bar drinks such as the screwdriver, cocktail recipes, Jell-O vodka shots and other vodka drinks without, well, vodka?

Apparently the folks from VeeV are not buying into the old-world hype of easy vodka mixes, and they have come out in defense of those discerning bar and club patrons thus far condemned to the same old, distilled liquid made from fermented rye, wheat, beet molasses or potatoes. Instead, VeeV offers something so new and unique that it could not help but take the sophisticated centers of the hip and trendy by storm.

Already patrons in Los Angeles, New York and Boston are asking for VeeV by name, and why not? Consider the following: vodka is made from fermented potatoes; VeeV is made from the açaí berry, a fruit considered to be a super food contender! Heart healthy, loaded with antioxidants and from the famed Brazilian rainforest, the açaí berry beats fermented potatoes hands down.

The profits of different types of vodka go into the pockets of big business, but VeeV donates $1 per bottle sold to protect the Brazilian Amazon rainforest and to ensure that the açaí berries are not over harvested. Ecologically sound, environmentally responsible and healthy to boot, once again VeeV sends the various types and brands of vodka packing.

Last but not least, the buzz on the healthy qualities of the açaí berry aside -- and never minding the fact that VeeV contains organic ingredients -- consider that it is a bona fide replacement ingredient in easy and complex vodka drinks. Replace the vodka in your favorite cocktail recipes, martinis, cosmopolitans or screwdrivers and live a little!

With the arrival of an ecologically sound drink containing one of the world's super foods, the end of vodka draws near.

Written by Sylvia Cochran

Did you ever wonder why so many classic party and cocktail drinks are mixed with vodka? The clear spirit lets the color of the mixed ingredients show through, and vodka's neutral taste blends with the added flavorings.

But now there is a fascinating alternative to bland, old vodka. Experience VeeV, the new 60-proof, clear spirit with a tantalizing flavor of rich, dark berries with a hint of chocolate and a touch of citrus. And here's a real reason to drink to your health: a main ingredient in VeeV is the açaí berry, a super food with the highest levels of antioxidants of any fruit. The other key ingredients, acerola cherries and prickly pear add a tangy zest with the benefit of vitamin C.

Drinks mixed with VeeV are smoother and more satisfying than those made with vodka. If you want to add sophistication with a new twist to your classic mixed drinks, try these recipes. You are sure to get compliments and questions about your exotic, new creations.

Electric Screwdriver

1 ounce VeeV

5 ounces fresh-squeezed orange juice

dash of Rose's Lime Juice

Fill in a highball glass and stir gently.

Red Russian

1 ounce strawberry liqueur

1 ounce VeeV

1 ounce heavy cream

Pour layers in the order listed, in a lowball glass.

Harvey Wallbanger

1 ounce VeeV

4 ounces fresh orange juice

1 ounce Galliano

Pour VeeV and orange juice into a Collins glass over ice cubes and mix. Float Galliano over the mix and serve.

Grasshopper

1 ounce VeeV

1 ounce green Crème de Menthe

1 ounce white Crème de Cacao

Shake in a tumbler with ice; strain into a cocktail glass and serve.

Yellow Fever

1 ounce VeeV

5 ounces lemonade

Juice of one lime wedge

Combine into highball glass. Add a lemon wedge garnish.

The Stinger

1 ounce VeeV

1 ounce white Crème de Cacao

Shake with chipped ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

While you and your guests are enjoying your fabulous creations, you can take pride in the fact that the VeeV brand supports eco-friendly "green" initiatives like the Rainforest Action Network and Sambazon's Sustainable Açaí Project, by donating $1 per bottle to the causes. Açaí (pronounced ah-sigh-EE) is a slender palm tree that bears its purple fruit at the crown of the palm fronds. Açaí, which is the national fruit of Brazil, has 57 percent more antioxidants than blueberries and pomegranates, and up to 30 percent more of the heart-healthy flavinoids found in red wine. VeeV provides a healthy, delicious and eco-friendly ingredient to your classic mixes.

Written by David Claerr

If you're looking for variations on classic cocktail recipes, you won't have to look far to find them. In recent years, many old-fashioned mixed drinks have been reinvented into beverages that are fresh and new. Also, the introduction of new alcoholic drinks into the market has revolutionized the way that we approach our evening cocktails. VeeV, made from the antioxidant-rich Brazilian açaí berry, is the ultimate replacement for boring and bland beverages such as vodka and gin. After tasting this exotic spirit, with its hints of prickly pear cactus and acerola cherry, you'll be hooked. VeeV is also the best choice for drinkers who are interested in protecting the environment, since it is the only spirit in the world that has been certified as carbon neutral.

If you're not fond of the high bills associated with drinking in bars, then making cocktails at home is the way to go. The recipes which are available in cookbooks and on the web are endless. You can come up with your own cocktail recipes simply by using existing recipes as a basis. Just add an ounce of daring and a dash of ingenuity, and you're sure to create a winner. Here are just a few to get you started.

How to Make a Martini

The classic martini recipe contains about three ounces of gin, a half ounce of dry vermouth and a green olive or twist of lemon. Variations on this recipe include the Gibson, which is made with two cocktail onions instead of the olive, and the Gimlet, which incorporates a bit of lime cordial. More recent variations include the Appletini, which includes apple liqueur, and the chocolate martini, which may contain a combination of chocolate liqueurs and chocolate syrup.

The Cosmopolitan

Traditionally made from vodka and triple sec, along with lime and cranberry juice, the Cosmopolitan is another mixed drink that can easily be altered to suit the drinker's tastes. Replacing the vodka with VeeV will help to enhance the fruity flavor of this popular beverage. Use sweetened lime juice or cranberry juice for a tastier combination. One cosmopolitan recipe uses blood orange to enhance the orange flavor of the triple sec. The Cosmobellini includes white peach puree and Prosecco sparkling wine for added flavor and sweetness.

Long Island Iced Tea

Here's another alcoholic drink that has many possible variations. To create a healthier and tastier version of this classic drink, replace the vodka with one part VeeV, and add equal parts gin, rum, tequila and triple sec. Instead of sour mix, add fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice. Replace the cola with a splash of strong, brewed tea with a hint of citrus flavor.

The Bloody Mary

This classic drink is famous for its versatility. Try making a vegetarian, vitamin-enriched Bloody Mary cocktail by mixing three ounces of V8 Juice, one and a half ounces VeeV, one tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice, a dash of soy sauce along with a small amount of salt, pepper and hot sauce. Make a spicy Bloody Mary by adding horseradish, chili powder and cumin. You could make this drink milder by cutting back on the spices. Or you could make it a Five-Alarm Mary by ramping up the pepper sauce to maximum proportions. Whatever your preferences, there's a recipe that will please your palate.

Written by Jennifer Claerr

Sources:

Sean Paajenen, "Long Island Iced Tea." About.com

Colleen Graham, "Bloody Mary." About.com

Colleen Graham, "Cosmopolitan." About.com

"Cosmobellini Recipe." Drinksmixer.com

VeeV, a new liqueur made from açaí fruit, is gaining popularity for both its fruity taste and eco-friendliness. Introducing a new liqueur into your cocktail-making repertoire can be a challenge, so here are some general tips and recipes to get you starte

VeeV can be substituted for vodka in any cocktail you currently make at home, especially if you prefer flavored vodka (like raspberry). To make basic cocktails using VeeV, try VeeV and tonic or VeeV and cranberry juice.

If you like to get fancy with your cocktails, you can substitute VeeV for the gin or vodka in a martini or substitute VeeV for the rum in a mojito. If blended frozen cocktails are more your style, mix VeeV, ice, limeade and a splash of lemon in the blender. Garnish with a paper umbrella for an instant vacation feel.

To really impress guests, break out the fresh fruit. The açaí flavor in VeeV mixes well with other berry flavors like blueberry and strawberry, as well as citrus and mint. It also makes a lovely compliment to champagne and club soda.

If you're still feeling a little lost, here are a couple of recipes to get you started:

Rainforest on the Rocks

Muddle eight sprigs of mint (preferably spearmint but peppermint will do) and a lime wedge in a mixing glass. If you've never "muddled" before, that basically means you mash the mint and the lime with a wooden utensil into the bottom of a glass. The purpose of muddling is to release the flavors in the fresh ingredients. After you muddle, add two ounces (a little more than a standard shot) of VeeV and one and a half ounces of watermelon juice. Toss a pinch of sugar and some ice in a cocktail shaker, shake and pour.

Veev Lemonade

Muddle four lemon wedges and four mint sprigs. Shake your fruity mess with ice and two ounces of VeeV in a cocktail shaker. Pour it into a glass with a little club soda on top. (Don't shake the club soda. That's messy.)

VeeV Açaí-tini

Shake two ounces of VeeV, an ounce of açaí juice and a liberal squeeze of fresh lime juice in a cocktail shaker. If you can't find açaí juice at your local supermarket, you can substitute cherry or cranberry juice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and fill the rest of the glass with champagne. To impress friends, drop a raspberry or two into the glass for garnish.

Sources:
http://www.barnonedrinks.com/drinks/by_ingredient/v/veev-acai-spirit-9097.html
http://www.oodora.com/health-and-food/drinks/drink-for-a-good-cause-veev.html
http://www.novusvinum.com/spirits/veev.html

Written by Esther November