Long, hot summer nights are perfect for relaxing on the patio with a cool, refreshing cocktail. There’s nothing like watching the sun go down after a long, hard day, with an exciting, flavorful drink, some good company, and your favorite music. Knowing a few good cocktail recipes will help you pull off a fun, relaxing summer get-together whenever your friends or your significant other make time for some quiet conversation on the patio.

The cocktail gained popularity during Prohibition in the United States when drinkers needed to disguise the flavor of alcohol in their drinks. They did this by adding fruit juice, sauce, milk, cream, honey, spice, and other flavorings to a combination of liquors and liqueurs. These early cocktails set the template for the huge number of varieties of cocktail developed over the next seventy years.

One favorite variation doesn’t have any alcohol at all but is instead a descendant of the saucy mixtures used in the 1920s to mask alcoholic beverages. Shrimp cocktail recipes involve a mixture of ketchup, chili powder or sauce, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice, which combine into a tangy, spicy mixture. Traditionally, this sauce is served in a large glass with peeled and cooked shrimp perched along the edge, ready for dipping. More sophisticated shrimp cocktail recipes skip the ketchup and use fresh tomatoes instead.

A shrimp cocktail can be combined with some of your favorite (liquid) cocktail recipes for a cool, refreshing pairing. Choose a cocktail with a fruity base and a splash of citrus to harmonize with the lemon-infused cocktail sauce. Be careful not to go too acidic in your cocktail, since the shrimp sauce will be tangy enough for both courses!