A vodka soda is often the perfect choice for the cocktail bar patron who's looking for something light and refreshing. It's low in carbs and has such a beautifully delicate flavor that professional bartenders often have one as a palate cleanser after a long night of tasting drinks to make sure they're up to snuff. But, like anything else, it's possible to have too much of a good thing. So if you've had too many vodka sodas of late and are on the market for another go-to drink that is similarly light, refreshing, and relatively guilt-free, we have some suggestions for you. Here are the best drinks to order instead of vodka soda.
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00:00There's a lot to love about a nice vodka soda, but the fact is it can get pretty old pretty fast.
00:06Luckily, there are plenty of other cocktails out there that are just as refreshing,
00:09boozy, and low in calories. These are the best alternatives to the vodka soda.
00:14The thing about vodka sodas is that, while they're certainly refreshing,
00:17the flavor of the vodka is so delicate that it's often buried by the dilution.
00:21As Philly-based mixologist Mike Reisman says,
00:23the spirit and soda model can serve a few purposes depending on how it's approached,
00:27but it primarily serves to lengthen flavor and recontextualize it with texture.
00:31Enter the Japanese whiskey highball. Japanese whiskey was first pioneered
00:34by Masataka Taketsuru, who had studied distilling in Scotland. As a result,
00:38a lot of Japanese whiskey tends to lean toward flavor profiles similar to those
00:42you'll find in Scotch whiskeys. As such, a well-made Japanese whiskey highball
00:45has a simultaneous lightness and depth. According to Reisman, it's an exercise
00:49in restraint and precision, lest you diminish the fruit and spice notes hallmarked to many
00:53of its brands. It's worth noting that the best Japanese whiskeys can be a little pricey,
00:57so while this cocktail is worth trying, you'll need to make sure you get it absolutely right,
01:00and that means using the best ice and club soda you can find. Reisman adds,
01:04for the full experience, you can even delve into the full mizuwari ritual,
01:08which, among other steps, involves stirring the whiskey precisely 13 and a half times
01:12in one direction before adding the soda. The finished cocktail will be light but complex,
01:16delicate but rich, fizzy but sophisticated — the perfect upgrade for any vodka soda
01:21fan who wants to push the boat out. Gin and tonics have many structural similarities
01:25to the vodka soda, and like the vodka soda, this classic cocktail has a significant fan base in its
01:30own right. Chicago bar expert Jess Sandberg, bar manager of the Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant
01:34Proxy, explains,
01:35"[Gin and tonics are the best summer cocktail. They are super refreshing and easy to make,
01:39and they are easily customizable too. Of course, you can make a great gin and tonic out of whichever
01:44gin you prefer. The trick is using the right kind of tonic. Nowadays there are so many available,
01:48and they all have different flavor profiles too, so you can really play around with some
01:52cool combinations."
01:53"'Schweppes' tonic. Essence of fresh fruit. Cheeky little bubbles."
01:59Sandberg prefers making gin and tonic, Spanish-style, in a large glass with different
02:03herbs and fruits to complement the gin. She says,
02:06"...I like using the local Chicago brand Koval Dry Gin,
02:08along with mint and berries to highlight the specific flavors in their gin."
02:12The gimlet evokes feelings of classic eras gone by, and for good reason, too. While no one is
02:17exactly sure as to the origin of the classic gimlet, there is one theory that suggests it
02:21originated in the 1860s. Back then, sailors in the British Royal Navy would combine gin with
02:25lime juice to help fight scurvy. It's similar in concept to vodka soda, but has a more elegant feel,
02:30and offers a good amount of versatility too. A gimlet is composed of three simple ingredients.
02:35Classically, the base spirit would be gin, but in a vodka gimlet, it'd be vodka,
02:39lime juice, and simple syrup. Marshall Minaya, the beverage director and mixologist for both
02:43Valerie and Alfie's Bar & Kitchen, explains,
02:45"...most bars carry these three ingredients, making it a delicious,
02:48simple cocktail to order when you want to stray from the normal vodka soda."
02:51Ryan McKenzie of Sia Manana and Patent Pending says,
02:54"...I always encourage those who enjoy the taste of vodka, looking to try something new,
02:58to venture into gin. For summer, a super easy modification that I love to make
03:02is a rosemary gimlet, made with a rosemary simple syrup."
03:05If you're looking for something more complex but equally refreshing as a vodka soda,
03:09you might want to consider reaching for a Paloma. The Paloma is a favorite of resort
03:13bars and Mexican restaurants, and it's as simple to make as it is refreshingly smooth and delicious.
03:17This is a simple cocktail that consists of only three ingredients — tequila,
03:21fresh lime juice, and grapefruit soda. Dickie Dunn, beverage director at Washington,
03:25D.C.'s Allegory Speakeasy Bar, says,
03:27"...it is light and refreshing, low in sugar, and is perfect to ward off the summer heat.
03:31You can drink them all night long, and you won't ever feel weighed down, too."
03:34Dunn explains,
03:35"...the vodka soda might be the current zeitgeist,
03:37but the Paloma is quickly making its claim to be the successor."
03:40Mules have long been popular because they're fun and buzzy, and usually come in a cool copper mule
03:44mug that's extremely Instagram-friendly. But it also just so happens to be a great
03:48alternative to the vodka soda. Mules are generally made out of vodka, ginger beer,
03:52and lime, making it quite similar to a vodka soda, only with a bit more flavor depth,
03:56thanks to all that ginger beer. Mules are also interesting as a cocktail choice because a lot
04:00can be done to give them even more depth. One idea is to add some fresh herbs to the lineup,
04:05such as a little mint. Another fun twist is to add some sort of fragrant and flavorful syrup.
04:09Bethany Branford, head mixologist at Holstenhaus, explains,
04:12"...I highly recommend asking the bar if they make their own ginger syrup,
04:15and adding that to soda to cut some of the sugar and calories. If diet,
04:18ginger beer is not an option."
04:20These extras will give new life to even the simplest of cocktails,
04:23making them even more enticing — and delicious.
04:26"...Wait. Three measures of Gordons, one of vodka, half a measure of quinoa lily,
04:31shake it over rice, and then add a thin slice of lemon peel."
04:34"...Yes, sir."
04:35There's no cocktail more instantly recognizable than the martini,
04:38even though it wouldn't often be compared to a vodka soda. However,
04:41people who typically go for vodka sodas often do because they're seeking something light and
04:45low on the sugar and calories. They may want something that won't make them feel bloated,
04:48like a beer or some wine stew. A martini can rise to that occasion,
04:52and do so while being both satisfying and elegant.
04:54The procedure for making a Vesper is rather straightforward. You simply shake vodka and
04:58gin together with a little Lillet coating the glass, before adding a lemon peel.
05:02It is a very easy cocktail to make, but looks and feels sophisticated. And then,
05:06of course, there's the whole James Bond association. In fact,
05:08the Vesper Martini was literally invented and named by Ian Fleming in his 1953 novel Casino
05:13Royale. Cool, no? The Vodka Collins is a perfect option for classic vodka soda lovers,
05:18especially when you take the original cocktail and tweak it ever so slightly. These tweaks on
05:22the traditional can range from the simple, like adding an orange slice or a cherry,
05:26to something more exotic altogether. Milo Zika, Partner and Beverage Director at
05:29Fandemata in Brooklyn, New York, says,
05:31"...if you like vodka soda but don't feel like vodka soda,
05:34you should definitely indulge in Lemongrass Vodka Collins. This spin is refreshing,
05:38with a sharp lemon-like scent and a slight hint of exotic ginger."
05:41Zika says,
05:41"...lingering grassy and floral notes complements light and effervescent texture
05:45that make your hot summer days more enjoyable."
05:47The Tom Collins is usually made with gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda,
05:52making it a close cousin to the vodka soda. But it's one that leaves much more of an impact.
05:56Jason Kraft, Beverage Director of Roberta's, explains,
05:58"...vodka sodas are one of those drinks that you can slam. You don't have to think twice
06:02about what's in it, and will quench your thirst, especially during the hot weather."
06:05Kraft, though, has tastes that lean toward the gentler,
06:07more flavorsome side of things, or what he calls a reward for the palate.
06:10So if someone at the bar were to ask for a simple highball cocktail that screams summer
06:14and has similar qualities to a vodka soda, he would recommend a Tom Collins. Kraft says,
06:18"...gin, for me, embodies summer with all the floral and botanical elements happening on your
06:22palate, and it's the perfect balance of herbaceousness, acid, and sweetness with
06:26refreshing cold soda water to finish it off."
06:28For something extra special, it's never a bad idea to get a little floral with your cocktails.
06:32Sommelier Nick Gergen of Juniper & Ivy in San Diego says,
06:35"...I'd highlight a Lillet spritz, because it's really hitting the aperitif mark,
06:39getting someone ready for their meal."
06:40While this spritz has several variations, it is usually made with Lillet,
06:43a wine that is fortified and flavored with herbs, and is often paired with club soda.
06:47Gergen continues,
06:48"...it is, in a nutshell, a riff on an Aperol spritz, which has been a wildly classic and
06:52popular cocktail for many years, but especially lately with the trend on low-alcohol-by-volume
06:56cocktails hitting the mainstream again."
06:58Gergen believes this aperitif isn't as widely appreciated in this country as it is in Europe.
07:02But it is nonetheless a great habit to get into. Gergen says,
07:05"...it really gets guests ready for their meal with both bubbles from the sparkling wine used
07:09to stimulate the palate, but also the herbs and botanicals that Lillet is flavored with
07:12to open up the appetite."
07:14The relatively recent trend of drinking the combination of tequila and tonic provides
07:18a simple and tasty alternative for a vodka-soda drinker, especially if all they really want to
07:22change is the base spirit. The sweetness from the tequila combines beautifully with the slight
07:25bitterness from the tonic, and it's a simple cocktail to make as well. Andrew Shannon,
07:29co-founder of Candor Drinks, says,
07:31"...behind the bar we often hear, I don't like tequila, which tends to come from a bad experience,
07:35generally involving too many shots of the spirit."
07:37A TNT, however, will allow you to dip your toe into the world of agave without defaulting to
07:42the traditional citrus-led tequila cocktails you've probably tried a million times. If you're
07:46hesitant about tequila, there might be no better way to dip your toe in than a TNT. Who knows?
07:50Maybe it'll change your opinion on the spirit altogether.
07:53One of the trendiest drinks of recent summers is the Aperol Spritz. This cocktail is made of
07:57Aperol, soda water, and Prosecco, which is then paired with an orange peel garnish.
08:01It's popular partially because it's so light. As Caroline Galzon,
08:04managing partner of Nicky's Coal Fired in Nashville, says,
08:07"...it's very Italian. If you were to walk through an Italian town on a summer afternoon,
08:10you'd see everyone drinking Aperol Spritzes. The cocktail has a low alcohol by volume level,
08:15so it's something you can sip without worrying about overindulging.
08:17Vodka-soda drinkers like something that is light and smooth, not too sweet or too strong,
08:21and the Aperol Spritz is about as quintessential of a summertime cocktail as it gets."
08:25Mandy Pickering, bar manager for Flatiron, also in Nashville, explains,
08:29"...this might appeal to vodka-soda drinkers because it is lower in alcohol,
08:32and during these hot summer months, it can transport the drinker to sitting along a canal in Venice."
08:37Another close cousin of the vodka-soda is white vermouth and tonic, which is made with white
08:41vermouth, tonic, and some kind of citrus fruit. While vermouth is often most associated with
08:45drinks like the classic martini, it can be quite delicious in a more spritz-type cocktail.
08:49Vodka-soda fans will like that this is a low-calorie cocktail, but still a flavorful one.
08:53Lex Rettenmayer, assistant general manager at Church & Union in Nashville, says,
08:57"...vermouth is an often-forgotten-about main component in a cocktail.
09:00It is generally added as an extra flavor boost."
09:02According to Rettenmayer, it's the classic licorice flavors, inherent to white vermouth,
09:06pairing with the tonic that makes this drink really special. He says,
09:09"...this is for people that like to taste what they are drinking."