The scarlet color symbolizes love and good fortune as well as anger and danger. Blood is red as are stop signs and fast cars. And, in a fun culinary twist, red is also a popular cocktail color.
Despite their similar hues, red cocktails are not all the same. Some are classic and sophisticated while others are fruity and fun. Flavors run a gamut that includes sweet, savory, sour and bitter. And, for those seeking the perfect drink to serve on Christmas, Chinese New Year or Valentine’s Day, red cocktails can also be bubbly and frothy.
Red cocktails get their vermillion color from a variety of different ingredients that are relatively easy to source. In fact, you probably have one or two of the following items in your pantry or liquor cabinet.
These are our favorite red cocktails and the ones you’ll love sipping:
Dirty Shirley
The Dirty Shirley isn't just a grown up version of the popular Shirley Temple drink. It's also a refreshing red cocktail that's super easy to craft at home in just five minutes.
The Ward 8 cocktail isn't as famous as its cousin, the Whiskey Sour, but it should be. Simultaneously sweet and spicy, this pre-prohibition potent potable has an added bonus – its red color.
With just three ingredients, the Kir Royale is proof that less can be more. An elegant drink that's super easy to craft at home, this ruby-colored Champagne cocktail is appropriately festive for any holiday or special occasion.
Drinking a Hurricane cocktail at Pat O'Brien's is a rite of passage for first-time visitors to New Orleans. However, you can craft a better version of the fruity red cocktail at home no matter where you live.
Inspired by one of Hollywood's top actresses during the Prohibition, the Mary Pickford cocktail is a tasty tipple that has passed the test of time. It's also easy to craft with just a handful of ingredients.
The Old Pal is a boozier version of the Negroni and Boulevardier. It's also delicious. Craft one at home in just five minutes and find out if the Old Pal will be your new best friend.
This easy Tomate cocktail recipe has just has four ingredients including water and ice. Though you'll be tempted to drink this refreshing red drink on a hot summer day, it's also the perfect color to serve at a Christmas party or other festive event.
Canada's Bloody Caesar is a delicious brunch drink whether you sip the tasty tipple in the Great White North or elsewhere. It's also the most famous vodka cocktail crafted with savory Clamato juice.
The Negroni Sbagliato was allegedly invented by mistake. Fast forward 50 years and this mistaken 'Negroni with Prosecco' has become a worldwide sensation. Join the hype and craft the sparkling red cocktail at home.
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.
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Funding We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft these cocktails.
