By OnMilwaukee Staff Writers   Published Mar 30, 2009 at 4:24 PM

The snowstorm that hit Milwaukee Saturday night and early Sunday morning was enough to drive you to the liquor cabinet. After slogging and shoveling through a typically punishing winter, we want to think warm thoughts, put on spring clothes and enjoy a springtime cocktail.

Here are some cocktails for you to enjoy (responsibly, of course) that goes beyond the routine gin and tonic and wine spritzer:

APRIL RAIN
Ingredients
2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. dry vermouth

Preparation -- Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime peel.

BEAT THE TAXMAN
Ingredients
2 oz. gin
1/4 oz. sweet vermouth
1/4 oz. dry vermouth
1 oz. orange juice
Angostura bitters to taste

Preparation -- Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist.

THE NEPTUNE
Ingredients
1-1/2 ounces OF Mount Gay Extra Old Rum
3 watermelon chunks
1 slice of cucumber
1 teaspoon superfine sugar

Preparation -- Muddle the sugar, cucumber and watermelon in a shaker. Add ice and Mt. Gay and shake well. Strain into martini glass. Garnish with cucumber.

DRUNKEN SPRING BREAK ORGY
Ingredients
3 oz. Malibu Rum
1 can Dr. Pepper

Preparation -- Pour over ice in a Collins glass. Act like you're back in college.

IRISH SPRING
Ingredients
1 oz. Irish Whiskey
1 oz. Orange Juice
1 oz. Sweet and Sour Mix
1/2 oz. Peach Brandy

Preparation -- Pour all ingredients into a collins glass over ice cubes. Garnish with a slice of orange and a cherry.

THE CASTAWAY
Ingredients
1 oz. Absolut Mandarin Vodka
A splash of lime juice
Ginger ale

Preparation -- Pour ingredients over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with lime.

RASPBERRY MOJITO
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. rum
1 1/2 oz. De Kuyper Raspberry Liqueur
Simple syrup
Mint leaves
Lime juice
Sprite or other white soda

Preparation -- Muddle the sugar syrup and some mint leaves in a highball glass. Add crushed ice and lime juice, then the De Kuyper Raspberry and White Rum. Stir gently and top up with soda to taste. Skewer some raspberries and blackberries to garnish.

LIMELIGHT
Ingredients
2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. triple sec
1/2 oz. lime juice
Lemonade

Preparation -- Pour all ingredients into an ice filled highball glass. Stir gently and serve.

TANGERINE DREAM (non-alcoholic)
Ingredients
3 oz. orange juice
3 oz. grapefruit juice
2 dashes lemon juice
1 dash grenadine

Preparation -- Mix over ice and serve with slices of orange and lemon floating on the ice cubes.

MINT JULEP
Ingredients
2 oz. bourbon
4 mint springs
1 tsp. powdered sugar
2 tsp. water

Preparation -- Muddle mint leaves, powdered sugar and water in a collins glass. Fill glass with crushed ice and add bourbon. Top with more ice and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve with a straw.

SOUTH BEACH MARTINI
Ingredients
2 oz. Absolut Citron
2 oz. Absolut Mandarin
3/4 oz. Cointreau
3/4 oz. lime juice

Preparation -- Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with orange peel twist.

77 SUNSET STRIP
Ingredients
1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. gin
1/2 oz. spiced rum
1/2 oz. triple sec
1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
1/2 oz. grenadine
Sprite or 7-up

Preparation -- Mix vodka, gin, rum, triple sec, pineapple juice and grenadine together in a highball glass over ice. Top with a splash of Sprite. Garnish with a strawberry and an orange slice.

CITRON SEA BREEZE
Ingredients
1 oz. Absolut Citron
3 oz. grapefruit juice
3 oz. cranberry juice

Preparation -- Pour over ice.

MAY DAY
Ingredients
2 ripe peaches, pitted and chopped
3 oz. rum
4 cubed strawberries
2 passion fruit
4 oz. apple juice
1 tbsp. superfine sugar
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

Preparation -- Combine ingredients in a blender, pour into two highball glasses and garnish with apple slices.

LYNCHBURG LEMONADE
Ingredients
1 oz. rum
1/2 oz. brandy
1/2 oz. gin
Orange juice
Sweet and sour mix

Preparation -- Pour alcohol over ice and add equal parts orange juice and sour mix.