Alcohol Mixers

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.