Catching a Buzz

Some of the country's trendiest nightspots have raised the bar on cocktails. You may feel like raising the bar, too, after you toss back a concoction of alcohol and energy drink. These babies pack a wallop--think of them as liquid power boosters. The canned or bottled kicks boast brands such as Red Bull, Magic Recovery and Rockst*r. Flavors range from the light and creamy Merlins to the sweet strawberry taste of Power Horse. Bomba comes in four varieties--champagne blast (it tastes like candied bubble gum), mint raspberry, orange fire and black magic (currants)--each bottled in a hand grenade-shaped glass container. By the way, don't pack one in your carry-on. Some drinks have enough carbonation to pop the lid off a martini shaker. Handle with care when mixing, or you may end up wearing your cocktail. Many drinks contain B complex vitamins--niacin (B3) and pyridoxine (B6)--and herbs such as caffeine-rich guarana and ginseng (said to increase sexual prowess), plus taurine (supposedly reduces stress). The cocktail on the right is the Star F**ker--that's the way it's spelled on the menu at Lola's, the West Hollywood hot spot that originated it. According to Loren Dunsworth, owner of Lola's, "Customers order the drink just so they can say 'Star Fucker' to their dates." As the number of energy drinks grows, so does the number of cocktails you can make with them. Here are a few to get you started--then experiment with your own.(concluded on page 116)

[recipe_title]Star Fucker Lola's west hollywood[/recipe_title]

The Star Fucker was created for the 2001 Oscars, as many attendees end up at this Hollywood restaurant after the ceremony.

[drinkRecipe]2 ounces Finlandia Arctic Cranberry vodka[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 ounces De Kuyper Apple Pucker schnapps[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3 ounces Red Bull energy drink Star fruit slice[/drinkRecipe]

Pour vodka and schnapps into shaker filled with ice. Shake for 30 seconds, then pour into chilled martini glass that is filled one third with Red Bull. Garnish with star fruit.

[recipe_title]Bat and Bull[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]2 ounces Bacardi Light rum[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]6 ounces Red Bull[/drinkRecipe]

Pour into tall glass filled with ice. Stir.

[recipe_title]Sapphire Bull[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]2 ounces Bombay Sapphire gin[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 ounces Red Bull[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Fresh lime[/drinkRecipe]

In tall glass filled with ice, pour gin and Red Bull. Add squeeze of lime and stir gently.

[recipe_title]Naughty by Nature Vision nightclub, Saugus, Massachusetts[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1/3 ounce Absolut vodka[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2/3 ounce Passoã passion fruit liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]8 ounces Sobe Adrenaline Rush energy drink[/drinkRecipe]

In collins glass filled with ice, combine vodka and Passoã. Add Sobe and stir. Note: Passoã is available at liquor stores in a number of states, mainly in the East, Midwest and South.

[recipe_title]Pacific Rim[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1200ml bottle Red Square energy drink (contains alcohol)[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/4 teaspoon powdered wasabi[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 drops Tabasco[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 chili pepper[/drinkRecipe]

Pour Red Square into shaker filled with ice. Add the wasabi and Tabasco. Shake gently and pour into chilled martini glass. Slice pepper into halves. Remove seeds. Garnish with pepper.

[recipe_title]Strong Arm[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1 bottle Guinness stout (cold)[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 bottle Red Square (cold)[/drinkRecipe]

Gently pour Guinness into highball glass until half full. Add Red Square. Do not stir.

[recipe_title]Boris Yeltsin[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1 bottle Red Square[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ounces Stolichnaya vodka[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ounces Beefeater gin[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ounces Jose Cuervo tequila[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ounces peppermint schnapps Lemon slice[/drinkRecipe]

Pour Red Square into highball glass filled with ice. Stir in vodka, gin, tequila and schnapps. Garnish with lemon.

[recipe_title]Blow me[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1 bottle Red Square[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ounces Smirnoff vodka[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ounces Kahlua[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 tablespoons freshly whipped cream[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 teaspoon powdered nutmeg[/drinkRecipe]

Pour Red Square into highball glass filled with ice. Add vodka and Kahlua and stir. Using the back of a teaspoon, gently float whipped cream on top. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

[recipe_title]Irish Floridian Abby's highway 40, Reno[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]3/4 ounce Boru orange-flavored vodka[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3/4 ounce Boru citrus-flavored vodka[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 ounce fresh orange juice[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]4 ounces Red Bull[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 tablespoon sugar[/drinkRecipe]

Combine all but sugar in shaker and shake gently, keeping a tight hand on the lid. Rim an oversize chilled martini glass with sugar. Fill glass with crushed ice. Strain contents of shaker into glass.

[recipe_title]Absolut Rockst*r the sound factory, San Francisco[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ounces Absolut vodka[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]5 ounces Rockst*r energy drink[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Lime slice[/drinkRecipe]

Pour vodka and Rockst*r into rocks glass filled with ice. Stir and garnish with lime slice.

[recipe_title]Rocky sake Miyagi's, West Hollywood[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]8 ounces Rockst*r[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ounces hot sake[/drinkRecipe]

This is a group drink. Each person places two chopsticks parallel over the top of a highball glass filled with Rockst*r. Fill shot glasses with sake and set on chopsticks. Everyone bangs on the table with their fists until the chopsticks part and the sake shot falls.

[recipe_title]Celtic Pipeblower Dick & Jane's, Reno[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]8 ounces 180 energy drink[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ounces Celtic Crossing Irish liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

Pour in ice-filled collins glass. Stir.

[recipe_title]The Energizer Bunny[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 ounce Boru orange-flavored vodka[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 ounce apricot brandy[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 ounce Celtic Crossing Irish liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]4 ounces Red Bull[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/4 ounce cranberry juice[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Lemon wedge[/drinkRecipe]

Combine all ingredients except lemon in rocks glass filled with ice. Stir. Squeeze in lemon.

[recipe_title]Red Bull Margarita Garduño's, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1-3/4 ounces Jose Cuervo Gold tequila[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3/4 ounce triple sec[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3 ounces Red Bull[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3 ounces sweet-and-sour mix[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 tablespoon sugar[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Lime wedge[/drinkRecipe]

Place all ingredients except sugar and lime in blender. Blend well. Rim margarita glass with sugar. Add crushed ice. Pour ingredients into glass. Garnish with lime.

[recipe_title]Raving Margarita Garduño's, Albuquerque[recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/4 ounces Jose Cuervo Gold tequila[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3/4 ounce triple sec[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3 ounces Red Rave energy drink[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3 ounces sweet-and-sour mix[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 tablespoon sugar[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 lime wedges[/drinkRecipe]

Combine all ingredients except sugar and lime in shaker and shake gently. Rim margarita glass with sugar. Fill with ice. Pour mixed ingredients into glass. Squeeze juice from one lime wedge into glass, stir, then garnish with other lime wedge.

[recipe_title]Red Magic[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ounces Redrum (tropical fruit-flavored rum)[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]8 ounces Magic Recovery energy drink[/drinkRecipe]

Pour into tall glass filled with ice. Stir.

[recipe_title]Cannonball[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1 bottle Red Square[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]4 ounces blanco tequila[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/4 ounce Angostura bitters[/drinkRecipe]

Pour into glass over crushed ice. Stir.