No spice quite as elegantly marries heat with sweet as ginger, which is why it's been a favored ingredient of barhops and mixologists for centuries. If you adore potable manifestations of ginger, but if you're looking for adult beverages a bit more unusual than the standard Dark 'n' Stormy, try these five ginger cocktails on for size.

5. Ginger Sour. Recipes for this riff on the vodka sour use ginger vodka or ginger simple syrup (or both), which gives the drink an extra twang, especially in combination with the traditional lemon juice component. Beat in an egg white to your ginger sour, for some additional froth and an excuse to drink one for breakfast.

4. Oaxacan Punch. Most tequila cocktails use sweet citrus flavors to tone down the liquor's potentially overbearing taste; in the case of Oaxacan Punch, however, tequila is paired with grapefruit and spicy ginger beer to produce a powerful, slightly mouth-puckering potion that can't (and shouldn't) be downed quickly.

3. Perfect Storm. Grand Marnier replaces whiskey or rum in the ginger ale/beer highball rendering the drink sweeter and less serious. A perfect "daytime cocktail," sip a Perfect Storm during casual lawn games; then switch to harder-hitting Moscow Mules for evening drama.

2. The Dahlgren. Naval-gazering historians may recognize the name "Dahlgren" as a type of military artillery common to 19th-century warships. After this article, I hope it also functions as a referent for an earthy cocktail comprising port, tequila, bitters, and ginger ale. And while the combination of red wine and tequila might seem to be a recipe for stomach discomfort, the ginger smooths out any alcoholic discord.

1. Mamie Taylor. Name for a popular early twentieth-century opera singer, the Mamie (or Mayme) Taylor provides a piquant twist on the classic whiskey 'n' ginger via the addition of fresh lime juice. This citrus prevents the whiskey's smoky flavor from dominating the drink and plays well off the sweetness of the ginger beer.