There's a lot to love about a nice vodka soda, but the fact is it can get pretty old pretty fast.
Luckily, there are plenty of other cocktails out there that are just as refreshing,
boozy, and low in calories. These are the best alternatives to the vodka soda.
The thing about vodka sodas is that, while they're certainly refreshing,
the flavor of the vodka is so delicate that it's often buried by the dilution.
As Philly-based mixologist Mike Reisman says:
"The spirit and soda model can serve a few purposes depending on how it's approached,
but it primarily serves to lengthen flavor and recontextualize it with texture."
Enter the Japanese whisky highball. Japanese whisky was first pioneered by Masataka Taketsuru,
who had studied distilling in Scotland. As a result, a lot of Japanese Whisky tends to lean
toward flavor profiles similar to those you'll find in Scotch Whiskies. As such, a well-made
Japanese whisky highball has a simultaneous lightness and depth. According to Reisman:
"It's an exercise in restraint and precision,
lest you diminish the fruit and spice notes hallmark to many of its brands."
It's worth noting that the best Japanese whiskies can be a little pricey. So while
this cocktail is worth trying, you'll need to make sure you get it absolutely right.
And that means using the best ice and club soda you can find. Reisman adds:
"For the full experience, you can even delve into the full Mizuwari ritual which,
among other steps, involves stirring the whisky
precisely 13 and a half times in one direction before adding the soda."
The finished cocktail will be light but complex, delicate but rich,
fizzy but sophisticated — the perfect upgrade for any vodka soda fan who wants to push the boat out.
Gin and tonics have many structural similarities to the vodka soda, and, like the vodka soda,
this classic cocktail has a significant fanbase in its own right. Chicago bar expert Jess Sandberg,
bar manager of the Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant PROXI, explains:
"Gin and tonics are the best summer cocktail. They are super refreshing and easy to make,
and they are easily customizable too."
Of course, you can make a great gin and tonic out of whichever gin you prefer. The trick is
using the right kind of tonic. Nowadays, there are so many available, and they all
have different flavor profiles, too — so you can really play around with some cool combinations.
"Schweppes tonic… essence of fresh fruit, cheeky little bubbles."
Sandberg prefers making gin and tonic "Spanish-style" in a large glass with
different herbs and fruits to complement the gin. She says:
"I like using the local Chicago brand Koval dry gin,
along with mint and berries to highlight the specific flavors in their gin."
The gimlet evokes feelings of classic eras gone by, and for good reason, too.
While no one is exactly sure as to the origin of the classic gimlet,
there is one theory that suggests it originated in the 1860s. Back then, sailors in the British
Royal Navy would combine gin with lime juice to help fight scurvy. It's similar in concept
to vodka soda, but has a more elegant feel – and offers a good amount of versatility, too.
A gimlet is composed of three simple ingredients. Classically the base spirit would be gin,
but in a vodka gimlet, it'd be vodka, lime juice, and simple syrup. Marshall Minaya,
the beverage director and mixologist for both Valerie and Alfie's Bar and Kitchen, explains:
Most bars carry these three ingredients, making it a delicious, simple cocktail to order when
you want to stray from the normal vodka soda. Ryan McKenzie of Seeyamañana and Patent Pending says:
"I always encourage those who enjoy the taste of vodka, looking to try something new,
to venture into gin. [...] For summer, a super easy modification that I love to
make is a rosemary gimlet, made with a rosemary simple syrup."
If you're looking for something more complex but equally refreshing as a vodka soda,
you might want to consider reaching for a Paloma. The Paloma is a favorite of resort bars
and Mexican restaurants, and it's as simple to make as it is refreshingly smooth and delicious.
This is a simple cocktail that consists of only three ingredients: Tequila, fresh lime juice,
and grapefruit soda. Deke Dunne, beverage director at Washington D.C.'s Allegory Speakeasy Bar, says:
"It is light and refreshing, low in sugar, and is perfect to ward off the summer heat."
You can drink them all night long and you won't ever feel weighed down, too. Dunne explains:
"The vodka soda might be the current zeitgeist,
but the Paloma is quickly making its claim to be the successor!"
Mules have long been popular because they're fun and buzzy, and usually come in a cool copper mule
mug that's extremely Instagram-friendly. But it also just so happens to be a great alternative
to the vodka soda. Mules are generally made out of vodka, ginger beer, and lime — making
it quite similar to a vodka soda, only with a bit more flavor depth, thanks to all that ginger beer
Mules are also interesting as a cocktail choice because a lot can be done to give
them even more depth. One idea is to add some fresh herbs to the lineup,
such as a little mint. Another fun twist is to add some sort of fragrant and flavorful syrup.
Bethany Branfort, Head Mixologist at Holston House, explains:
"I highly recommend asking the bar if they make their own ginger syrup and adding that to soda
to cut some of the sugar and calories, if diet ginger beer is not an option."
These extras will give new life to even the simplest of cocktails,
making them even more enticing — and delicious.
"Wait. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet,
shake it over ice and then add a thin slice of lemon peel."
"Yes, sir."
There's no cocktail more instantly recognizable than the martini,
even though it wouldn't often be compared to a vodka soda. However, people who typically go
for vodka sodas often do because they're seeking something light and low on the sugar and calories.
They may want something that won't make them feel bloated, like a beer or some wines do.
A martini can rise to that occasion, and do so while being both satisfying and elegant.
The procedure for making a Vesper is rather straightforward. You simply shake vodka and
gin together with a little Lillet coating the glass, before adding a lemon peel. It
is a very easy cocktail to make, but looks and feels sophisticated. And then, of course,
there's the whole James Bond association; in fact, the Vesper martini was literally
invented and named by Ian Fleming in his 1953 novel Casino Royale. Cool, no?
The Vodka Collins is a perfect option for classic vodka soda lovers, especially when you take the
original cocktail and tweak it ever so slightly. These tweaks on the traditional can range from
the simple, like adding an orange slice or a cherry, to something more exotic altogether.
Milos Zica, partner and beverage director at Fandi Mata in Brooklyn, New York, says:
"If you like vodka soda but don't feel like vodka soda,
you should definitely indulge in lemongrass Vodka Collins."
This spin is refreshing, with a sharp lemon-like
scent and a slight hint of exotic ginger. Zica says:
"Lingering grassy and floral notes compliments light and effervescent
texture that make your hot summer days more enjoyable."
The Tom Collins is usually made with gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup,
and club soda, making it a close cousin to the vodka soda. But it's one that
leaves much more of an impact. Jason Kraft, Beverage Director of Roberta's, explains:
"Vodka sodas are one of those drinks that you can slam, you don't have to think
twice about what's in it, and will quench your thirst... especially during the hot weather."
Kraft, though, has tastes that lean towards the gentler, more flavorsome side of things,
or what he calls a "reward for the palate." So if someone at the bar were to ask for a
simple highball cocktail that screams summer and has similar qualities to a vodka soda,
he would recommend a Tom Collins. Kraft says:
"Gin, for me, embodies summer with all the floral [and] botanical elements happening on your palate,
and it's the perfect balance of herbaceousness,
acid, and sweetness with refreshing cold soda water to finish it off."
For something extra special, it's never a bad idea to get a little floral with
your cocktails. Sommelier Nick Gergen of Juniper and Ivy in San Diego says:
"I'd highlight a Lillet Spritz because it's really hitting the aperitif mark,
getting someone ready for their meal."
While this spritz has several variations, it is usually made with Lillet, a wine that
is fortified and flavored with herbs, and is often paired with club soda. Gergen continues:
"It is, in a nutshell, a riff on an Aperol Spritz,
which has been a wildly classic and popular cocktail for many years, but especially lately
with a trend on low [alcohol by volume] cocktails hitting the mainstream again."
Gergen believes this aperitif isn't as widely appreciated in this country as it is in Europe,
but it is nonetheless a great habit to get into. Gergen says:
"It really gets guests ready for their meal with both bubbles from
the sparkling wine used to stimulate the palate,
but also the herbs and botanicals that Lillet is flavored with to open up the appetite."
The relatively recent trend of drinking the combination of tequila and tonic provides a
simple and tasty alternative for a vodka soda drinker — especially
if all they really want to change is the base spirit. The sweetness from
the tequila combines beautifully with the slight bitterness from the tonic,
and it's a simple cocktail to make, as well. Andrew Shannon, Co-Founder of Candra Drinks, says:
"Behind the bar we often hear 'I don't like tequila,' which tends
to come from a bad experience, generally involving too many shots of this spirit."
A TNT, however, will allow you to dip your toe into the world of agave without
defaulting to the traditional citrus-led tequila cocktails you've probably tried a million times.
If you're hesitant about tequila, there might be no better way to dip your toe in than a TNT.
Who knows? Maybe it'll change your opinion on the spirit altogether.
One of the trendiest drinks of recent summers is the Aperol Spritz. This cocktail is made
of Aperol, soda water, and prosecco, which is then paired with an orange peel garnish.
It's popular partially because it's so light. As Caroline Galzin,
managing partner of Nicky's Coal Fired in Nashville says:
"It's very Italian — if you were to walk through an Italian town on a summer afternoon,
you'd see everyone drinking Aperol Spritzes."
The cocktail has a low alcohol by volume level, so it's something you can sip without worrying
about overindulging. Vodka soda drinkers like something that is light and smooth,
not too sweet or too strong, and the Aperol Spritz is about as quintessential of a summertime
cocktail as it gets. Mandy Pickering, bar manager for Flatiron, also in Nashville, explains:
"This might appeal to vodka soda drinkers because it is lower in alcohol, and during
these hot summer months it can transport the drinker to sitting along a canal in Venice."
Another close cousin of the vodka soda is white vermouth and tonic, which is made with
white vermouth, tonic, and some kind of citrus fruit. While vermouth is often most associated
with drinks like the classic martini, it can be quite delicious in a more spritz-type cocktail.
Vodka soda fans will like that this is a low-calorie cocktail, but still a flavorful one.
Lex Rettenmyer, assistant general manager at Church & Union in Nashville, says:
"Vermouth is an often-forgotten-about main component in a cocktail;
it is generally added as an extra flavor boost."
According to Rettenmyer, it's the classic licorice flavors inherent to white vermouth,
pairing with the tonic, that makes this drink really special. He says:
"This is for people that like to taste what they are drinking."
"Chin-chin."
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus,
even more Mashed videos about your favorite drinks are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.