I don’t really have anything funny to say about the Alabama Slammer. I know there used to be a team named after the drink in the old hockey minor leagues, but that’s not really funny. It’s a damn good drink, though.

Alabama Slammer - Recipe:

• 1/2 oz amaretto almond liqueur
• 1/2 oz Southern Comfort®
• 1/2 oz sloe gin
• 1 splash sweet and sour mix
• Balance orange juice

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker over ice and shake until completely cold. Strain into a glass and serve.

This name became popular after Jimi Hendrix wrote a song with this title in 1967. Many believed that it was a song about drugs, and since, many different drugs, drug related paraphernalia, and drug-inspired songs and movies have been named after Purple Haze as well. However, Hendrix said in an interview that the song had nothing to do with drugs, but instead was based on a dream where he was walking around underwater, and was surrounded by a “purple haze,” which engulfed him and led to him being lost.

Let’s just hope the same doesn’t happen to your guests after they drink this cocktail.

Purple Haze - Recipe:

• 1 oz vodka
• 1 oz chambord
• Balance cranberry juice

Mix vodka and chambord in a cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Balance (fill the remainder with) cranberry juice, and garnish with a cherry.

Fuzzy Navels used to be one of my favorite drinks. In fact, for about nine or ten months straight back in ‘04, I ordered these every time I went out. That is, until a bartender in Brooklyn told me that it was by far the “wussiest” drink she’d ever seen a man order, told me to “be a man,” and then served me a Jack and Coke.

If you’re reading this, June - thanks for shaming me into quitting Fuzzy Navels.

She probably wouldn’t approve of this, either, but I actually put my own little spin on the fuzzy navel recipe. Hopefully, she never reads this and starts shaming me into unpublishing this recipe…

Fuzzy Navel - Recipe:

• 2 oz Peach Schnapps
• Balance Orange Juice
• Splash Triple Sec

Pour ingredients in a highball glass filled with ice. Splash with Triple Sec, and serve.

If I were the one naming these drinks, I’d have named the Lemon Drop after Lemonheads candy (as evidenced by the picture on that page, and this drink after the old Cherry Clan candies. Many bartenders make this with grenadine, but I prefer Sloe Gin, as its made with Sloe berries, which taste a lot more like cherries than grenadine. Grenadine, for those who are wondering, is from the French word grenade - which means pomegranate, not those little fragmentation bombs with the pins in them. Grenadine used to be made out of pomegranate and cherry juice, but now is made entirely out of high fructose corn syrup, food coloring, and “artificial flavors.”

Cherry Bomb - Recipe:

Pour your vodka and Red Bull energy drink into a rocks (small) glass. Add sloe gin slowly (no puns intended) so it sinks to the bottom; it should look like a layered drink, if done right.

I had totally forgotten about this drink until yesterday afternoon, when my cousin mentioned that he was watching the Back to the Future trilogy. Since then, this shooter has been on my mind, and Huey Lewis and the News songs have been stuck in my head for the past 24 hours. Maybe I’ll drink some of the former until I forget about the latter.

1.21 Gigawatts

- Recipe:

0.5 oz Hypnotiq
0.5 oz raspberry vodka
3 drops grenadine syrup
1/2 can Red Bull® energy drink

This is a “bomb” drink, which means it’s a shot that’s dropped into a pint glass, then chugged. For the shot: pour the Hypnotiq in the shot glass, then the raspberry vodka, then the drops of grenadine. The drink should be layered; in fact, you may notice it comes out red, white and blue. For the glass: pour half a can of Red Bull into the pint glass.

Drop the shot glass into the pint glass, then chug.

This drink, despite its main ingredient, was not invented in Mexico, but rather in Arizona. It became popular because of constant references in pop culture; hit song by groups as diverse as The Eagles and Cypress Hill, a movie with Mel Gibson and Kurt Russell, and a finishing maneuver by popular North American wrestler Konnan. It also doesn’t hurt that it also tastes great.

Tequila Sunrise - Recipe

• 3 oz. Tequila
• Balance Orange Juice
• Splash of Grenadine
• Orange and Cherry Garnish

Fill a pint or highball glass with ice, and pour your tequila, then balance (nearly to the top) with orange juice. Tilt your glass, and pour some grenadine down the side of the glass, then set it upright, so that the grenadine slowly trails down to the bottom of the glass. Garnish with a cherry and slice of orange, then serve. (To make a Tequila Sunset, pour the grenadine at the bottom first, then add the ice, tequila and OJ.)

Sex on the Beach isn’t a particularly strong drink (usually, anyway), but it is pretty controversial. Just to avoid having to say the word “Sex” in the title, chain restaurants often rename it. For instance, at Red Robin, it’s called “Sand in your Shorts,” and at TGI Friday’s, it’s called “Fun on the Beach.”

Whatever you want to call it though, it tastes great, and you can drink a few of them before getting truly drunk.

Sex on the Beach - Recipe:

• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz peach schnapps
• 2 oz cranberry juice
• 2 oz orange juice

Add vodka and peach schnapps to a highball or pint glass over ice. Fill with equal measures of cranberry juice and orange juice, and stir. Garnish with a cherry and/or orange slice (optional)

If you’re throwing a party on the cheap, a great way to keep everybody happy in the drinks department is to serve up some Jell-o Shots. The cups barely cost anything, and you can get them in biodegradable plastic if you have ecological concerns about using lots of little plastic one-use cups (like me.)  You really only need one type of liquor for each batch of shots (when in doubt, vodka works with almost every flavor, but it might not always be the best fit), and a pack of Jell-o doesn’t really cost much either.

Rather than just name the ingredients like I normally would, today I’m going to list the instructions first, then offer some ideas as to the kinds of liquor/jello combinations you can use to make your shots. Some are my own, others are just popular variations. If you have any variations you’d like to share, feel free to drop in a comment.

Jell-o Shots - Recipe:

• 1 Packet of Jell-O
• 5 oz Boiling Water
• 3 oz Simple Sugar
• 1 Cup (8 oz) Liquor/Liqueur of your choice

Mix hot water and jello, then add the alcohol. Pour into your 2 ounce cups and refrigerate. Serve after the jello has set; this should only take a couple of hours.

Variations (don’t forget - each requires 1 cup of boiling water per packet):

• Strawberry Jello and Raspberry Vodka
• Berry Blue Jello, UV Blue Vodka
• Margarita Jello, Tequila
• Peach Jello, Rum
• Lime Jello, 1/2 cup of Vodka, 1/2 cup of Triple Sec
• Pinapple Jello, Malibu Rum
• Strawberry-Banana Jello, 99 Bananas
• Grape Jello, 1/2 cup of Vodka, 1/2 cup of Grape Pucker Schnapps

The Pina Colada is, obviously, one of the most popular drinks around - and with good reason. Pina Coladas are one of those drinks that you can have in any weather, any time of the year, to relax and unwind at the end of the week, or to make for friends for your friday night card game. The best part about making this drink for multiple people is that it’s not as expensive to make as other drinks - so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank on your drink budget just to entertain your guests.

Pina Colada - Recipe:

• 1 can Cream of Coconut
• 1.5 oz Malibu
• 2 oz rum
• 3 oz (or balance) Pineapple Juice
• Cherries and PIneapple slices (if you have pineapple) for garnish

Fill a blender about half way with ice (more or less, it’s a cup of ice). Combine all ingredients, and blend until smooth. Pour into a parfait glass, or whatever else you’d like to serve in.