From blackberry mojitos to açaí-infused martinis, here are some of the most requested bar drinks at venues across the country:

Cucumber Mint Martinis

Cocktail aficionados are sure to do a double take with this cool and refreshing twist on mixed drinks. The cucumber and mint martini is the perfect match for those hot summer nights mingling on the patio; it's typically made with fresh cucumbers, spearmint leaves and a hint of lime.

Blackberry Mojitos

Nobody really knows where this twist on the classic lime mojito came from, but blackberry adds depth and flavor to the ever-popular summer drink. Mixology experts are taking things up a notch with blackberry-flavored rum, blackberry juice and even dropping fresh blackberries into the bottom of the drink for a dense flavor.

Açaí Berry Martinis

Whether you enjoy your martini straight up or on the rocks, açaí-berry infused drinks are spilling into bars everywhere and spicing things up for the conventional-martini lover. Using VeeV, an açaí-based alcohol, instead of vodka adds a natural hint of sweetness to any beverage, the clean and crisp flavor for a satisfying finish to any classic martini.

Lemon Gimlets

Forgo the classic lime gimlet in favor of the lemon or 'fuzzy' gimlet made with a carbonated lemon-lime beverage, gin, lime and lemon juice and enjoy a taste of summer any time of year. This one can also be made with white tequila for your Mexico-inspired night.

Iced Chocolate Martini

Throw a party for your inner chocoholic with an ice-cold chocolate martini on the rocks. This dessert-like beverage is made with chocolate liqueur, VeeV (instead of vodka) and fresh cream and can be served straight up in a chilled martini glass for a tasty treat.

Written by Sabah Karimi

A cosmopolitan is a pretty easy and simple drink to make. Combine one shot of Cointreau, one shot of lime juice, three shots of cranberry juice and two shots of vodka and mix in a shaker before pouring in a glass. Now take that same basic cocktail recipe, tweak it a little, and you have something a little different. Simply swap out the basic vodka for VeeV and add a splash of triple sec and lemon or lime juice. The drink will have a sharp citrus kick to it. You can also make it with peach, raspberry, cherry or strawberry juice. Any flavor of juice will work.

The classic cocktail recipe for a traditional martini is another one that everyone should have in their mental file. The classic martini recipe calls for five parts vodka or gin and one part dry vermouth. We suggest using VeeV instead of vodka for a more unique taste. Mix the ingredients carefully in a shaker, pour into a glass and garnish with a lemon peel, olive or onion. Of course not everyone loves this classic martini recipe, which is why there are so many variations on it.

One variation on this cocktail recipe calls for sweet vermouth as opposed to the dry vermouth. This gives the drink a slight kick. You can also pour the VeeV directly into the glass and stir in the vermouth. Supposedly shaking the mixture dulls the taste of the vermouth, but this can be avoided with a gentle stir. Then there are those that pour a small amount of vermouth into a chilled glass, twirl it around and pour out the vermouth before adding the VeeV.

Another martini recipe calls for olive brine instead of vermouth, which is called a dirty martini. The recipe is exactly the same except for the olive brine. Martinis made with VeeV are particularly hot right now, and even the burgeoning bartender can whip up a classic at home. In the mood for something spicy? Omit the vermouth and substitute in a dash of hot sauce. Looking for a drink that's a little sweeter? Use sweet vermouth, VeeV and a splash of watermelon with a lemon peel for garnish.

There's no reason why these cocktail recipes can't be made at home. With a well-stocked liquor cabinet and a shaker, anyone can channel their inner bartender.

Written by Jennifer Eblin

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

R.I.P. Here lies Vodka, born in a common still in the European vodka belt sometime in the middle ages, died on the rocks in a nondescript cosmopolitan lounge at the start of the 21st century.

The body isn't yet in the grave, but the stone cutter and grave digger are standing by.

It's been a long time since straight vodka (or vodka drunk "neat," as they say in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe) has been considered anything short of yawn-worthy. Determined to postpone its inevitable demise, vodka quietly spirited itself into a variety of trendy liquids in a desperate bid to cast itself as an essential ingredient for the nouveau social drinking experience. In its travels, vodka struggled to identify itself as cosmopolitan, pairing up with ingredients far from its pedestrian Eastern European origins.

But instead of reinvigorating its reputation, vodka became a laughingstock. Vodka's first effort to bolster its flagging reputation saw it latching onto poor Red Bull, the Austrian energy drink. Rejected by Red Bull, which packs a punch by itself and has no need for an albatross like vodka dimming its effects, vodka's desperation took a ludicrous turn. Knowing that it would never again bask in those glory days of vodka shots, vodka tonics and the staple martini, vodka scurried off to Vermont for infusions of (oh, please try to be sensitive and not laugh too hard) - cow's milk and maple syrup. Even vodka could see that the result was lame.

When competitor Brazilian VeeV hit the markets, poor, befuddled vodka simultaneously grasped at faint marriage prospects with South American guarana and Asian ginseng but was soundly rebuffed. VeeV, açaí fruit-derived liquor with acerola cherry and prickly pear accents, not only outdid vodka drinks in the taste and sophistication categories, it lured in remaining vodka loyalists with its eco-friendly aura. With VeeV boasting 57-percent more antioxidants than popular pomegranate and 30-percent more cardiac-protective anthocyanins than red wine, vodka seemed to accept its looming diagnosis and crept away toward oblivion.

VeeV cheerfully filled the glasses once reserved for vodka and innovations sprung forth. From simple pairings with lime and club soda to intertwining with cucumber, basil, mint and tea rose fusion, newcomer VeeV's versatility fed the perception that VeeV is destined to become even more ubiquitous than vodka once was.

And what of those whispered rumors of a last-ditch vodka comeback? No, folks aren't drinking vodka again.

Wine X Magazine reported in its current issue that some young Irish and Brits have resorted to snorting pure vodka through straws. Its VeeV folks are drinking. Vodka is destined to spend its final days in the dank, dark nasal passages of retrograde British Isles bar-goers.

Written by Carol Bengle Gilbert

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

VeeV's clever website, TheEndOfVodka.com, also contributed to the waving of the white flag. The Russians are so horrified by how dumb vodka has made Americans, they have admitted defeat and are mortified to have been such a pivotal part of the decline. They even go so far as to label the vodkabots on the site as "despicable characters who do not know how to behave in society".

To read their full concession speech, including an admission that VeeV is indeed a better way to drink, visit their site.

Namely, international spies. "Vodka martini. Shaken, not stirred." Why shaken and not stirred? I suppose that stipulation was to make James Bond, who travels around wearing a tux, look very cool. Bond knows what he wants, even if the drink is just a mixture of vodka and vermouth, shaken with ice and served up with an olive. Kind of lame when you think of it that way.

Alright, I have to admit that vodka does go well in a screwdriver, a drink first invented, it is said, by Texas oil workers. It consists of vodka and orange juice, stirred up, but not necessarily with a screwdriver. But you can easily swap the vodka for something better, like VeeV. This spirit is made with the açaí berry, which grows in the rainforest of Brazil. For every bottle of VeeV sold, $1 is donated to the Brazilian Rainforest. Açaí berries offer a wealth of health benefits. They are rich in antioxidants and heart-healthy anthocyanins. When you drink a cocktail make with VeeV - instead of vodka - you are doing a service to your own health as well as that of our planet.

What better drink to recline with, whether you're on the beach, the deck of a cruise ship or even your own porch? Can vodka provide the same pleasure? I think not.

Written by Mark Whittington

Vodka is turning into the cheapest of liquors. For example, the cheapest vodka in my local Wines and Spirits is Nikolai Vodka 1 liter for only $7. Being under the influence of vodka is like playing Russian roulette. No matter how much you drink, your experience level, the brand of vodka, when you drink or how you drink, each time is an entirely different experience. Two screwdrivers (vodka and orange juice) can put you in the same boat as five straight shots of vodka.

If you want to take into consideration your health, vodka (along with whiskey, beer and some wines) contributes to heartburn and abnormal functioning of the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve that keeps stomach acid in the stomach and out of your food pipe.) If the condition becomes severe enough, it could result in surgery or ongoing medication. It's better to go with VeeV, an açaí spirit that has antioxidants. Drinking VeeV is actually good for you.

With vodka's price falling and alcohol content on the rise, the possibility of fake vodka is becoming a problem. Since vodka is mostly made of water and ethanol, which is made from fermenting potatoes, the dangers of obtaining fake vodka have already been seen in the United Kingdom where many were exposed to methanol poisoning. Fake or black-market vodka, sometimes called "bathtub vodka," can cause blindness and even death due to the industrial ethanol substitutes. According to the BBC News, at least 120 people have died due to this "vodka," and more than a thousand have been poisoned by black market vodka.

If you are planning on having some fun with friends, vodka is a dangerous way to go.

Written by Pcmiztress

VeeV

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

Classic Martinis
In recent years, classic mixed drinks like the martini have been redefined from perspectives that some might call unusual; classic cocktail martini purists might call them downright sacrilegious; and yet others might simply call them bizarre.

According to venerable Esquire Magazine's Drinks Database, a classic cocktail recipe for the martini simply consists of: one ounce dry vermouth and four ounces gin (vodka is frowned upon by purists).

Old Skool Martini Variations
One of the most popular recent martini variations is the appletini, a mixture typically containing vodka and apple juice, cider or apple liqueur. A modern martini that features a fruity new twist uses Veev, an alcohol made with the Brazilian berry açaí. Less common martini variations include the dirty martini, a classic martini mixed with olive brine.

The late president Richard Nixon had his own variation on the classic martini, the in and out martini. In his variation, he had a glass chilled with ice and vermouth, then completely emptied the glass out and immediately filled it with gin.

Herbal Martini Variations
Because there's a strong global trend of eco-friendliness, some currently created martini variations at some of America's poshest bars are now including infusions (or muddling) of fresh herbs into the mix. At Boston's Radius Restaurant bar, you can order a thyme martini. At the Poste Moderne Brasserie (PDF) in Washington D.C., you can order a basil lemontini.

Just Plain Bizarre Martini Variations
Leave it to posh Los Angeles bars to come up with the concept of the edible mixed alcoholic drink, including the edible martini. These martini variations are jiggly gelatin-based cubes mixed with classic cocktail mixture recipe ingredients. For example, Bar Nineteen 12 at the Beverly Hills Hotel has served a pear martini jelly shot that includes pear puree and classic martini ingredients. They currently serve (sacrileges of all sacrileges) martini popsicles with flavors that include apple martinis, watermelon martinis and cherry martinis.

Written by Elliot Feldman

Do you remember Peggy from the TV show "Married with Children?" She was the bonbon eating, bouffant wearing mom of the Bundy family. Everything she did was outdated, including her choice for drink. What was it? Vodka.

For a while now, vodka has been passé. Most people will only drink it if they are out of beer or wine. Then, they have to mix other things with their vodka like Red Bull or juice. It's a way to rework a drink that by itself is lame. Yet, the final sign that vodka is going out of style is the fact that manufactures of it are turning to celebrities for help.

In October 2007, music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs signed on with Ciroc vodka. Not only did he get a lucrative deal, he also got full reigns of their marketing program. Why? Ciroc vodka needed a way to make their drink exciting to people under the age of 40 and the only way to do it was to get an appealing figurehead.

Well, only time will tell us if Sean "Diddy" Combs can pull this one off. He's a marketing genius, but even this kind of person can fail sometimes if the product is shaky. Considering vodka's reputation, Combs may have bitten off more than he can chew.

So what should you do in the face of vodka? Drink VeeV instead. You can still enjoy all your favorite cocktails, just have the bartender swap vodka for VeeV. VeeV is a spirit made with the açaí berry, which is full of antioxidants. Stay in the now. Leave vodka to the Peggy Bundys of the world.

Written by Stephanie Modkins