Soda and Alcohol Cocktails That Work

If you don't fancy yourself a mixologist or find following a cocktail recipe too daunting, never fear; we have good news. You can make a cocktail with soda and booze. Soda opens up a world of flavors when mixed with the right spirits; with two or three ingredients, you can enjoy your favorite spirit or discover your love for a new spirit with soda. Worried about the health factor? Not all soda is bad soda. Various options are available today, from tonics to flavored sodas made with natural ingredients to mix with spirits.

Let's explore some wildly popular concoctions and a few little-known mixes that will set your world on fire.

Whiskey & Coke

Heavy Metal legend Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead put his favorite drink, the Jack & Coke, on the map, so whiskey and cola are an obvious choice. How can you turn up the volume on this simple mixed drink without too much fuss? Add bitters! Grab your favorite bourbon, single malt, or rye, add ice-cold cola and a few dashes of orange bitters, and experience the flavors develop. Aztec chocolate bitters also take whiskey and cola to another level with a hint of spice and dark chocolate flavors from the bitters that match the undertones of chocolate in the cola and vanilla flavors in the whiskey. The ratio of ingredients in this drink matters in a big way. Choose a quality whiskey like Sagamore's Rye Whiskey, which has a slightly dry profile and spicy notes, which creates a perfect balance with a sweet cola.

The Lemmy Double Loaded

2 oz Sagamore Rye Whiskey

1 oz chilled Fentimen's Curious Cola

3 dashes of Aztec Chocolate Bitters

Add all ingredients to an old-fashioned glass with fresh ice and stir. Garnish with a cocktail cherry, and rock out with these fun flavors.

Vodka Soda

The vodka and soda might seem boring, but it's hard to ignore this simple drink's clean and refreshing quality. The key to taking vodka and soda to another level is the choice of vodka and going for a unique soda flavor and a splash of citrus. Choose a vodka with texture and a profile that won't disappear when other ingredients are added; flavored vodka is an excellent choice for interest. Dry Fly Distilling out of Spokane, Washington, makes an award-winning Huckleberry Vodka. Huckleberries are native to the Inland Northwest, and their flavor is similar to tart blueberry. Try this vodka with Fever-Tree's sparkling lime and yuzu club soda for a winning combination with only two steps. You can't go wrong with this cocktail's tart berry and fresh, bright flavors.

Electrifying Vodka & Soda

1.5 oz Dry Fly Huckleberry Vodka

2 oz chilled Fever-Tree Lime & Yuzu Club Soda

Add all ingredients to a tall glass over fresh cubed ice. Gently stir and enjoy the bright flavors of this cocktail.

Gin & Tonic

The Gin & Tonic is ubiquitous in the world of alcohol and soda. Can you improve upon this drink or make it more exciting for serving guests who might not be big fans of gin? The answer is yes! With the many gin profiles, from Navy strength to botanical, New American, or London Dry, it can be daunting to decide which gin is right and how to pair flavors. Go with sweet flavors for botanical gin. Choose a tonic that has a sweeter profile. For a London Dry gin, create harmony with a tonic with citrus flavors like Chuala's Pomelo Tonic Water. Create a mix of flavors that will transport you with Glendalough Wild Rose Irish Gin, made with fresh rose petals. And Fever-Tree's Mediterranean Tonic, with flavors of rosemary & lemon thyme, strikes the perfect balance of sweet, floral, and herbaceous.

Rose Gin & Tonic

1.5 oz Glendalough Wild Rose Irish Gin

1 oz chilled Chuala's Pomelo Tonic Water

1 lemon slice or mint sprig

Add gin and tonic water to a Collins glass with fresh cubed ice. Stir gently, add the lemon slice or mint sprig, and let the flavors transport you to a faraway botanical garden in just three easy steps.

Try Spirit Hound's New American Gin from Colorado with Fentemen's Valencia Orange Tonic Water and Sorel Hibiscus Liqueur. With notes of coriander, anise, and cardamom, the deep citrus and juicy flavors of the Tonic marry perfectly with the cinnamon-spice-forward hibiscus liqueur for a heavenly combination.

Bold Gin & Tonic

1 oz Spirit Hound New American Gin

1 oz Sorel Liqueur

1.5 oz chilled Fentimen's Valencia Orange Tonic Water

Add gin and Sorel to a Collins glass over fresh cubed ice, top with Tonic, and stir. Kick back and enjoy the journey through bold, exotic flavors.

Campari and Soda

Why does this drink work so well? This flavor combo balances bitter herbal flavors with refreshing savory carbonation, offering a low-alcohol and palate-cleansing aperitif experience. There's a reason it's a global darling. But what if you don't care for Campari? Luckily, there are a host of bitter liqueurs and vermouth, both European and American, that make excellent replacements. A typical comment about Campari is the level of sweetness; some love it, and others do not so much. That's okay. Reach for Cinzano Vermouth Rosso and pretend you're sunning on the Amalfi coast. With just a hint of sweetness, vanilla, and black cherry, this vermouth makes an excellent partner to a savory soda. Put them all together, and you get an Americano, Campari, sweet vermouth, and club soda. Easily swap out a sweeter soda if the bitterness in the Campari is not appealing. The balance and effervescence make the Campari shine.