Are you in the mood for something sweet but still want that kick and a strong buzz? It’s time to consider sweet cocktails. Alcohol doesn’t have to taste bitter or grainy, and you can do without the aftertaste of tequila if you’re not in the mood for a margarita. Sweet cocktails are made with some of the best liquors that you love but with sweet mixers added to them. Plus, you’ve probably heard of some of the most popular options like Mai Tais, Mojitos, and Piña Coladas. In fact, even a splash of maraschino cherry juice or grenadine is enough to make a sweet cocktail if you pair it with some vodka and tonic.
If you want to learn more about sweet cocktails, you’re in the right place. We have you covered with what a sweet cocktail is, where they came from, and even how to make them. Read on to learn more about these cocktails, their variations, and anything else that sparks your curiosity.
Sweet Cocktails: What You Should Know
A sweet cocktail is what it sounds like, namely a cocktail that is sweet. It’s a type of drink that has some sweet mixers paired with your liquor of choice. For this reason, there are tons of options available and many types of unique sweet cocktails. That said, some of the standard ones include drinks like a Malibu Bay breeze (and other Malibu cocktails), Strawberry Daiquiri, sangria, Mai Tai, Piña Colada, and Sweet Manhattan.
Ultimately, for a drink to be a sweet cocktail, it has to taste sweet. In other words, it should have some sugar or artificial sweeteners that give the drink a sweet taste. For this reason, you’ll usually find juices, chocolate liquors, and even peanut butter in a sweet cocktail. Lime, lemon, and orange garnishes are also useful for adding sweetness to a drink.
Furthermore, some cocktails like an Old Fashioned can also be considered a sweet cocktail as long as simple sugar, actual sugar, or something like Equal is added to the drink. Another great example is Jack and Coke, a drink that has soda and whiskey. It might not be the first thing you think of when considering a sweet cocktail, but it’s definitely sweeter than Jack on the Rocks. Therefore, not all sweet drinks have to look like a vacation in a glass, and you can find one for any type of occasion.
When it comes to sweet cocktails, the type of liquor is also important. Most sweet cocktails use vodka or gin because it doesn’t have a potent flavor profile, especially if it’s a high-end bottle. That said, some sweet drinks also call for bourbon, whiskey, tequila, and other types of alcohol. Ultimately, it depends on what you’re in the mood for! Feel free to get creative when you’re mixing and matching sweet cocktail ingredients.
What Is a Sweet Cocktail’s Flavor Profile?
Sweet cocktails have a wide range of flavors because there are so many options. Therefore, the flavor potential is limitless! Some sweet cocktails will have a candy-like flavor, while others might have a fruity taste to them. You might even come across some sweet cocktails, like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan, that have more of a spice to them at the end of your sip. Ultimately, it comes down to the type of cocktail, the mixer, and the liquor it’s made with. For example, limoncello cocktails are very sweet but you can add more liquor like gin or vodka to alter the flavor.
When it comes to sweet vodka cocktails, most of them have fruity flavors, like a vodka tonic with a splash of maraschino cherry juice or grenadine. Other vodka drinks, like the popular Sex on the Beach, have more of a peach flavor because of mixers like peach schnapps. You can also get creative and add multiple fruit flavors, which makes the Sex on the Beach stand out compared to other sweet cocktails.
Sweet gin cocktails are also similar to vodka cocktails because it comes down to preference; they’re both clear liquids with similar flavor profiles, but some people might want a Sex on the Beach with gin instead of vodka, for example.
Sweet cocktails can also have a hint of bitterness, spice, and even a sour aftertaste. These cocktails are usually made with bourbon and other types of dark liquor. When paired with fruit, simple sugar, and bitters, you get a sweet cocktail that maintains some of the flavor from the bourbon or whiskey.
The last thing to note is that some sweet cocktails can also taste like milkshakes, peanut butter, and chocolate. Drinks like chocolate martinis and mudslides are also sweet cocktails.
What Is the Alcohol Content of a Sweet Cocktail?
The alcohol content of a sweet cocktail varies based on the type of liquor you use, how much liquor you use, and what your ratios are. That said, for a drink to be considered sweet, it typically has less than 10% ABV (alcohol by volume). Drinks in this range will taste more like fruit punch or whatever the mixer is. However, you can go up to 12-15% ABV and still end up with a sweet cocktail if you use the right garnish.
Some people also consider a margarita with sugar on the rim sweet or an Old Fashioned sweet, so it depends on your preferences because these drinks have much higher alcohol percentages than your average sweet cocktail.
What Is the History of a Sweet Cocktail?
Sweet cocktails have been around for a long time. Alcohol has a bitter taste, especially when it comes to liquor, so it’s no surprise that people have been making it sweet for centuries. In fact, the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Chinese were known to add spices, sugars, and other ingredients to their alcohol to make it taste better. Would that flavor hold up to a sweet cocktail today? Probably not, but it’s important to know where these cocktails came from.
Cocktails from the ancients didn’t have much sugar because it wasn’t always available but once it became an abundant resource, countries like India and China began producing some of the best cocktails around. One particular drink was called Sack, which was sweetened sherry. Other additives like eggs, cream, and sugar were also added to this Sack drink to improve the flavor. Still, these drinks don’t hold a candle to some of the early American cocktails.
The United States is known for being a melting pot of cultures, but one culinary tradition that was born in the United States was a love for mixed drinks and cocktails. During the 17th and 18th centuries, warm and sugary cocktails were served in taverns across the country. Popular drinks at the time included beer sweetened with sugar, Sherry Cobblers, and Slings (rum with sugar). From there, the first “cocktail” was thought to be born in Louisiana during the 1800s; it was called the Sazerac. It contained whiskey, bitters, and sugar, and it’s now known today as the Old Fashioned.
While warm cocktails were popular for many years, the availability of ice began to rise during the 19th and 20th centuries, which is when cocktails began to take off. The discovery of bitters and the ability to preserve food for longer periods made it easier to garnish drinks, which is where the Old Fashioned was born – hence the name today.
Now, most bars in major cities have house drinks that pair liquor with ice, juices, and sugar. From there, the modern cocktail was born, and it continues to be refined to this day. You can also ask for simple drinks like a vodka tonic with a splash of cranberry and any bartender can whip it up for you if they have the supplies.
How to Make a Sweet Cocktail
There are hundreds of sweet cocktails, so there are different ways to make each cocktail. If we focus on the original sweet cocktail, the Old Fashioned, all you need is some ice, whiskey, an orange slice, and sugar. However, if you get into more modern cocktails, you run into some more complex recipes. To give you a better idea about how to make a sweet cocktail, we’ll take you through one of the most popular recipes, which is the Cosmopolitan.
The Cosmopolitan became popular during the 1990s because of the show Sex and the City, but it was also popular in San Francisco bars during the 1980s. It’s a simple cocktail that combines vodka, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, and fresh limes. While it’s available at most bars, you can make one yourself by combining all of the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Once you combine the ingredients, pour the cocktail into a martini glass with no additional ice. Garnish it with a lime, and enjoy!
For the best results, use the following amounts:
- 1.5 ounces of vodka
- One ounce of cranberry juice
- A half ounce of Cointreau
- Half an ounce of fresh lime juice
Also, keep some of that lime to use as a garnish, and you’re all set with a delicious and sweet cosmopolitan that packs a punch.
How to Serve a Sweet Cocktail
Sweet cocktails can be served however you like, and some don’t even require a fancy shaker tool or garnish. That said, it’s important to note that most sweet cocktails require a few tools to get the job done right.
First and foremost, you need your sweet cocktail ingredients. In most cases, you’ll need a garnish, a mixer (juice, grenadine, fruit juice, ginger beer), ice, and the liquor of your choice. Once you have these ingredients, you have to combine them in a shaker. Then, you can pour them with or without ice. Depending on the cocktail, the ingredients and tools you need will change. For example, you don’t need tools to make an Old Fashioned because nothing is combined in a shaker; all you need is the ice.
As for what sweet cocktails pair well with, you have plenty of flexibility. Fruity, sweet cocktails pair well with fruit and food you find on vacation. On the other hand, sweet margaritas pair well with Spanish cuisine, and an Old Fashioned pair well with just about anything. What you pair a sweet cocktail with always comes down to your personal preference.
When to Drink a Sweet Cocktail
Sweet cocktails are interesting because you drink them whenever you want. There aren’t specific rules or an appropriate time and place. Unlike dessert drinks or whiskey, it’s not frowned upon to start your day with a mimosa, a cocktail that combines orange juice with champagne. In fact, nobody would look at you in shock if you had a sweet cocktail before, during, and after dinner. This makes it one of the most flexible cocktail options around.
What Are Some Sweet Cocktail Variations?
Sweet cocktails come in several variations, and we’ve touched on many already. That said, it’s important to cover some of the common variations to help you get started with some of our favorite options. We’ll take you through a variation for each type of sweet cocktail starting with a basic sweet cocktail like the Mai Tai.
The Mai Tai is made with rum, orange curaçao, lime juice, and almond syrup (orgeat). You’ll need about a half ounce of most of these ingredients, a shaker, and some ice to really enjoy the drink. It’s perfect for vacations or the summer season when you’re sitting on the beach, by a pool, or at your favorite resort. The famous Sex on the Beach and Mojito are also great variations of sweet cocktails that require similar ingredients.
Moving on from fruity flavors, we have a fun one known as the mudslide. It’s a sweet cocktail that’s perfect for dessert and tastes like a milkshake. You need coffee liqueur, vodka, Irish cream, and heavy cream to make this alcoholic shake. Then, place your desired amounts into a cocktail shaker and garnish it with chocolate shavings. Some bars also have variations of this drink that are frozen, so you can really drink it however you want.
Another variation of the sweet cocktail is something less sweet but still sweet for someone who enjoys the taste of bourbon or whiskey; this is the Old Fashioned. The Old Fashioned was one of the first cocktails ever made, and all it needed was sugar, bourbon, an orange slice, and some ice. In fact, you don’t need a shaker or any other tools to make this drink aside from what you use to stir it. It’s not the sweetest cocktail, but it’s sweet to some and has a great hint of spice at the end.
Enjoy a Sweet Cocktail Today
Who said that alcohol has to be rough? Nobody that we know of. If you want to cut loose and enjoy a sweeter side of alcohol, sweet cocktails have you covered. All you need is your favorite mixer, liquor, and some ice to enjoy a relaxing beverage that doesn’t taste awful.
Feel free to get creative and try sweet cocktails from all different cultures until you find one you like. Some people love a good Mai Tai, whereas others prefer a sugary rim on a fancy margarita.
How will you know your preferences until you try it? So, enjoy a sweet cocktail today and enjoy the sweeter buzz that’s a nice change of pace from the bitterness of every other drink.
