When it comes to clean-tasting spirits, vodka leads the pack. Its ability to blend in with nearly anything you can throw at it makes it an incredibly versatile option. And if you are wondering what to mix with vodka, you’re in the right place.
In this article, we’ll review what is so special about vodka, along with the top ten things to mix with vodka. These items include five mixers to turn up the volume and bring on the effects of alcohol, plus the other side of the coin with five mixers to tone it down and improve the taste.
Are you ready for this vodka journey? Let’s do this.
5 Things To Mix With Vodka To Get Drunk
While vodka is usually a full-strength spirit clocking in at around 80 proof or 40% alcohol content by volume, there are times when you want to crank it up.
Since vodka does well at hiding its flavor when added to others drinks, it’s sometimes worthwhile to add other spirits or things to increase the effects.
1. Rum
People use rum in many different cocktails. It can be aged or young, spiced or unflavored, and carries many distinct profiles depending on the brand and origin.
Rum is a good spirit to mix with vodka. It can work very well because of the particular flavors. While many drinks use these two separately, combining them can be appropriate and add a unique quality.
One incredible benefit is that you can often pick up vodka for a low price. So, if you have a rum that’ll add a lot of flavor, but want to stretch it out without watering down your drink, throw in a splash of vodka to keep up the potency.
2. Schnapps
It’s hard to overestimate the flexibility of schnapps. It comes in many different flavors and is a versatile liqueur that is an essential ingredient in countless cocktails and beverages.
Sometimes the problem with schnapps is that it has a low alcohol content. If you’re trying to imbibe with a bit more force than schnapps provides, add vodka. It can do the trick.
It will keep the schnapps flavor profile front and center. Plus, it will increase the alcohol content of any creation. You’ll have to be careful not to take it too far because the schnapps and other base mixers can hide the amount of alcohol you throw in.
3. Sake
Proper sake is incredible as its drink. Sake can be clean and filtered, but also can be cloudy, unfiltered, and incredibly flavorful.
Some sake is served warm. Made by fermenting rice polished to remove the bran exterior, sake is known as rice wine to many.
In addition to being incredible on its own, there are times when you can add sake to other spirits and mixers to create extraordinary beverages. Sometimes these creations tone down the sake, like when mixed with tropical fruit juices or teas.
But if you want to turn the relatively low-alcohol sake into a cocktail with something behind it, add a splash of vodka. Once again, the vodka does well at minimizing the loss of sake flavor. But it can increase the alcohol content dramatically.
Sake is one of the top ten things to answer, “What to mix vodka with?”
4. Chambord
As a unique liqueur originating in France, Chambord is a popular way to increase the flavor profile of many drinks. The raspberry flavor mixed with a hint of vanilla is downright delicious.
You can add it to champagne for a punch of flavor in a glass of bubbles. Or you can bring other cocktails, including many made with vodka, a different layer of sophistication.
Chambord and vodka work very well together, with Chambord bringing in the lower alcohol contents with tons of flavor and vodka serving as the alcohol base.
5. Energy Drinks
You’re going to need to hold on tight if you take this road, but you can mix vodka with energy drinks like gatorade to create a mighty mix. The combination of energy-inducing products with ample alcohol makes for a wild ride.
It’s best to use this combination in moderation. Some drinks have been pulled from shelves when they take this to the extreme because of the health consequences. So use caution when putting vodka and energy drinks together.
If you want to know what to mix with vodka to get your groove on, it’s energy drinks. Just be careful!
5 Things To Mix With Vodka To Taste Better
On the other side of the equation exists a vast world of options for what to mix with vodka to make it taste better. These options can also suppress the alcohol content, making them excellent solutions for cocktails to drink throughout the night instead of that initial buzz.
1. Cranberry Juice
A classic combination is cranberry juice and vodka. Usually added to a soda or tonic water base, along with a squirt of lemon, lime, or another citrus, a vodka cranberry combination is delicious.
If you pay attention when you go out on the town, there is a decent chance that you’ll run into someone ordering a vodka cranberry at the bar.
2. Orange Juice
Another all-time classic mixer for vodka is orange juice. The two flavors work ridiculously well together, with most of the profile overpowered by the orange juice taste. The results can be incredible, even if the vodka is somewhat lackluster.
3. Ginger Beer
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen copper mugs floating around restaurants and bars. And you might have heard the name Moscow Mule used at the bar.
Inside this drink, you’ll find a ginger beer base fused with a shot or two of vodka and a squirt of lime.
This popular drink is refreshing and can do the trick. The good thing is that the potent ginger flavor will rule over almost everything else.
4. Tonic or Soda Water
Thanks to vodka’s light profile, it also goes well with relatively taste-free liquids. Two popular options for what to mix with vodka are tonic and soda water. Tonic provides increased sweetness, while soda water is essentially carbonated water sometimes with a bit of sodium added.
Toss some vodka into a glass of ice and tonic or soda water, then top off with a squirt of citrus juice, and you’ve got an easy, affordable, and delicious cocktail.
5. Lemonade
Our last thing that’s good to know when looking for what to mix with vodka out of the top ten things is lemonade. A simple mixture of lemon juice, sugar, and water, lemonade is an excellent base for vodka drinks.
On a hot summer day, a good lemonade with a bit of vodka will give you lots of refreshment plus that hit of booze you’re looking for. The best lemonades allow the citrus flavor to rule, tempering the sugary side.
Can You Drink Vodka Straight?
One final shout-out is going to vodka on its own. When it comes to vodka, there still are differences between the different brands, mashes, and distillation methods. Some use specific botanical and spice additives to enhance flavor, but these aspects are often kept to a minimum.
The base ingredient can vary dramatically. Many vodka producers stick to widely used, cheap, and available crops such as potatoes, corn, and cereal grains like wheat, rye, or sorghum. But vodka can be made from a wide variety of other things, including sugar beets.
At its core, vodka is quite similar across the board. It has an especially clean flavor that can have a flavor punch if the distiller decides to throw something in during or after distillation. This quality makes it excellent for deciding what to mix with vodka.
And while many things are great when looking for what to mix with vodka, you can leave it alone. Vodka is well-known as a good spirit to drink alone, either in shots or slow sipping with or without ice.
More vodka mixtures:
