16 Red Cocktails That Brighten the Night

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Discover 16 red cocktails that brighten the night with their vibrant hues and tasty flavors.

Woo Woo Cocktail with Black Background — Image: ©2foodtrippers

Red is powerful.

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.

What Makes Red Cocktails Red?

Pouring Grenadine for Clover Club Cocktail — While grenadine is a popular red cocktail ingredient, it’s not the only red ingredient in red cocktails. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

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.

Cassis
Clamato Juice
Cranberry Juice
Grenadine
Red Wine
Sweet Vermouth
Tomato Juice

16 Of The Best Red Cocktails

Dirty Shirley Cocktail with White Background

1. 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.

Dirty Shirley Recipe

2. Tinto de Verano

Spain's Tinto de Verano is a refreshing red wine cocktail that's super easy to craft at home in mere minutes. If you love drinking Sangria but hate cutting up fruit, then this summer sipper is for you!

Tinto de Verano Recipe

3. Bloody Mary

Discover the pleasures of drinking a Bloody Mary at home. Easy to craft despite its laundry list of ingredients, the iconic brunch cocktail's zesty flavors will make your taste buds sing with delight.

Bloody Mary Recipe

4. Classic Negroni

Unique for its deep red color and acerbic flavor, the Negroni packs a potent punch with equal parts of bitter Campari, dry gin and sweet vermouth.

Classic Negroni Recipe

5. Ward 8

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.

Ward 8 Recipe

6. Kir Royale

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.

Kir Royale Recipe

7. Woo Woo

The Woo Woo is red and fruity. The tasty vodka drink is also also super easy to sip either with or without a straw.

Woo Woo Recipe

8. Clover Club

This Clover Club cocktail is simultaneously sweet and tart. Learn how to make this frothy pre-prohibition cocktail at home in just five minutes.

Clover Club Recipe

9. Hurricane

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.

Hurricane Recipe

10. Mezcal Negroni

With its fusion of Italian and Mexican liquors, the Mezcal Negroni is a riff on the original Negroni. It's like the classic but better… and smokier!

Mezcal Negroni Recipe

11. Mary Pickford

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.

Mary Pickford Recipe

Old Pal Cocktail with Black Background Angled View

12. Old Pal

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.

Old Pal Recipe

13. Tomate

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.

Tomate Recipe

14. Bloody Caesar

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.

Bloody Caesar Recipe

15. Negroni Sbaglioato

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 one at home.

Negroni Sbagliato Recipe

16. Singapore Sling

The Singapore Sling is a fruity and fun cocktail that's sweet, herbaceous and tart. It's also easy to make at home despite its long laundry list of ingredients.

Singapore Sling Recipe

🎥 Video Recap

🍸 More Cocktail Collections

Mimosa with Orange Wedge and White Background

Brunch Cocktails That Start the Day with a Bang

12 Classy Campari Cocktails

Campari Spritz at JFK Capital One Lounge

A Rainbow of 32 Colorful Cocktails

Whiskey Highball with Black Background from Above

36 Pre-Prohibition Cocktails That Passed the Test of Time

⚙️ Disclosures

Article Updates
We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.

Funding
We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft these cocktails.

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Daryl and Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. 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.