What is a cocktail? 

According to the currant definition a cocktail is a mixed beverage of at least two ingredients, which are shaken or stirred. Mixed beverages have been known for centuries. The name "cocktail" appeared first on May13th, 1806 in the New York "Balance" magazine: "A cocktail is a mixed energizing alcoholic beverage, from fruit fires, sugars, water and bitters. A delightful poison." The USA are the world center of cocktail culture, especially in the twenties of last century, when most of today's well-known cocktails were created. In the last decades the cocktail enjoyed increasing popularity all over the world. New ingredients, exotic alcoholics and fruits, found their way to the bar and led to new, ingenious forms of cocktails.

What does "cocktail" mean?

The most common and overall accepted version of the name's history originates from South America. The first immigrants enjoyed a special pastime: the cock fight. After the showdown, the losing cock was plucked and the owner of the winner got the tail feathers. At the victory ceremony the owner proposed a toast of the cock's tail. Later the beverages served for this purpose were simply called "cocktail". In addition, the cock tail is obviously connected to the beverages of the same name very easily, because both are visually stimulating by means of their dazzling colors.