What's the Buzz? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Gin

A classic gimlet recipe calls for two ounces of gin and half an ounce of lime cordial, which consists of concentrated lime juice along with sugar and water. It may be garnished with a lime. There is an alternate version of the drink that uses vodka instead of gin, but the classic gimlet recipe calls for gin.

Although it has been disputed as to how the gimlet got it's name, one theory states that it is named after Admiral Sir Thomas Desmond Gimlette (1857-1943), who was a surgeon in the Royal Navy. According to the story, he would prescribe lime juice to sailors to ward off scurvy, and suggested putting the lime in their daily ration of gin.

Answer: Vodka

A very popular cocktail, the screwdriver is commonly made using one part vodka to two parts orange juice poured over ice. The origins of the drink have been disputed; one purported story is that it was created in 1943 during World War II when American soldiers stationed in Turkey experimented with vodka by mixing it with orange juice.

Another possible origin of drink is that it was created by American oil workers in the Persian Gulf in the late 1940s, who would mix vodka with orange juice and use a screwdriver to stir the drink.

Answer: Whiskey

A typical Old Fashioned can be made with either rye whiskey or bourbon. Along with whiskey, the drink is served with Angostura bitters, one sugar cube, and a splash or two of water. It may also be garnished with an orange slice and cocktail cherry. It is served in a old fashioned glass (also known as a "rocks" glass), hence the name.

It is unclear when the drink originated, as there are several theories, but it was likely created some time during the 19th century.

Answer: Vodka

The Bloody Mary can be made using various ingredients, but according to the International Bartenders Association's recipe, it is served with 45 milliliters of vodka, 90 ml of tomato juice, 15 ml of lemon juice, along with Worcestershire sauce, tabasco sauce, celery salt, and black pepper served over ice. When I make mine, I usually leave out the tabasco sauce and lemon juice, but to each his own.

It is unclear whether the name originated from the namesake of Queen Mary I of England, who was known as "Bloody Mary" for her persecution and execution of many Protestants during her reign from 1553-58.

Answer: Gin

The Tom Collins cocktail is made with gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, and club soda poured over ice. It's origins date back to the mid 19th century, and it was noted by Jerry Thomas, also known as "the father of American mixology" in 1876 when he jotted down his recipe. Thomas was a New York bartender who wrote the first book on mixed drinks in the United States entitled "Bar-Tender's Guide" in 1862, and he popularized many cocktails in the US.

How the drink got the name "Tom Collins" is not known, but it could be from an earlier drink known as Old Tom Gin that inspired the name. There was also a hoax known as the "The Great Tom Collins Hoax of 1874" that was a joke played on an unsuspecting person from someone who said that "Tom Collins" (who didn't really exist) was talking disparagingly about them, to which the subject would be sent off in search of this man. If they went in to a bar asking for Tom Collins, the bartender would take this as meaning they wished to buy a drink of gin.

Answer: Tequila

The typical Margarita recipe calls for tequila, triple sec, and lime juice, and it can be served with or without a salted rim. It may also be served with or without ice. The tequila maker Jose Cuervo says that the drink was invented in 1938 by a bartender who named it after a Mexican showgirl, Rita de la Rosa.

The drink is a popular cocktail in Mexican restaurants, and is also the inspiration to Jimmy Buffet's 1977 hit song, "Margaritaville."

Answer: Rum

The daiquiri contains rum with lime juice and sugar, and it is usually served without ice. The origins of the drink seem to date back around the time of the Spanish-American War in 1898 by a mining engineer, Jennings Stockton Cox Jr. (1866-1913), an American who was working in Cuba at a beach named "Daiquiri," where the drink got it's name.

The drink increased in popularity during the 1940s in the United States. Author Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was known to enjoy the drink but did not like the amount of sugar in it, so the sugar was eliminated and became known as the "Hemingway Special" or "Papa Doble."

Answer: Rum

There are several ways to make a Pina Colada, but the IBA recipe calls for white rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice with a pineapple slice or cherry as a garnish. The term "pina colada" comes from the Spanish language and means "strained pineapple." The cocktail originated in Puerto Rico in the 19th century, and one story says it derived from Roberto Cofresí (1791-1825), a Puerto Rican pirate who made the drink and passed it around to his crew. One of the first mentions of the cocktails in writing is from a 1930 book called "The Savoy Cocktail Book" which was written by Harry Craddock.

Answer: Whiskey

A classic Mint Julep is a bourbon-based drink that includes four mint leaves (usually spearmint), simple sugar, and added water served over ice. The drink originated sometime around the latter part of the 18th century in the southern United States, where the drink is still popular.

The cocktail is also a traditional beverage of the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the Triple Crown in thoroughbred horse racing. Each year, it is estimated that over 100,000 Mint Juleps are sold during the weekend festivities at the venue in Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Answer: Rum

Also known more popularly by the simple name "Rum and Coke" in my neck of the woods here in Missouri, the Cuba Libre is a drink that consists of rum and cola served over ice. Lime juice is also sometimes a common ingredient. The drink originated in Cuba around the start of the 20th century, and the name means "Free Cuba" in Spanish.