Alcohol Mixers
Mixers are non-alcoholic ingredients used to blend with spirits or other alcoholic beverages to create cocktails. They enhance the flavors, balance the alcohol content, and add complexity to drinks. Tonic water, often used with gin to make a classic Gin and Tonic, has a slightly bitter taste due to quinine, which complements the botanical flavors of gin. Soda water is a versatile mixer that adds carbonation without altering the flavor much and is commonly used in highballs, such as a Whiskey Soda or a Vodka Soda. Cola is popular with rum to make a Rum and Coke or with whiskey for a Whiskey Cola, adding sweetness and a hint of spice. Ginger beer, used in cocktails like the Moscow Mule (with vodka) and the Dark 'n' Stormy (with dark rum), has a strong ginger flavor and a bit of spice.
Lemon-lime soda is commonly used with vodka to make drinks like a Vodka Sprite, adding sweetness and citrus flavor. Various juices serve as mixers too: orange juice is used in classics like the Screwdriver (with vodka) and the Mimosa (with champagne); cranberry juice is common in drinks like the Cape Codder (with vodka) and the Cosmopolitan (with vodka, triple sec, and lime juice); pineapple juice is used in tropical cocktails like the Piña Colada (with rum and coconut cream) and the Mai Tai.
Bitters are concentrated flavor extracts used in small amounts to add complexity to cocktails, with Angostura bitters being the most well-known and used in drinks like the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan. Simple syrup, a mix of sugar and water, adds sweetness without the graininess of sugar and is a staple in many cocktails, including the Mojito and the Daiquiri. Vermouth, a fortified wine infused with botanicals, comes in sweet (red) and dry (white) varieties and is used in classic cocktails like the Martini and the Manhattan. Club soda adds bubbles to cocktails without additional flavors, making it ideal for drinks like the Tom Collins (with gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup) and the Americano (with Campari and sweet vermouth).
These mixers, when combined with different spirits, create a wide range of cocktails, each with its unique flavor profile.