The cocktail gained its popularity during the prohibition years in the United States. Bootleg alcohol was not especially flavorful, hence, the fruity cocktail concoctions were a perfect way to serve it. For a long time, cocktails were made only with gin, rum, and whiskey, however, the rise in popularity of vodka in the 1970s led to vodka cocktails. Cocktail recipes also use different carbonated beverages such as soda, water, seltzer, and tonic water. Cocktails also often contain liqueurs. The word cocktail came into use when colonial taverns combined the cock tailings of their left over spirits and sold it for a lesser price. Another theory on the origin of the word is that it was named after a cock tail, a kind of horse that was a mixed breed. Since cocktails are a mixing of various ingredients, the name stuck. In fact, cocktails often include more than one type of alcohol.