I gave up drinking sodas in general during my sophomore year of college. I used to get a Sprite or some other soda whenever I went to a restaurant, but then I realized that I didn’t really like it all that much. So I gave it up, and I never went back. Well, except when it’s in a cocktail. And I somehow lost 40 pounds after giving up soda! OK, so it might have been a combination of other factors, like moving away from all-you-can-eat dorm food, walking more, and eating breakfast. Plus, I’ve gained a lot of it back…
So this past week, I tried making some drinks with soda. The first one I tried was based on a cocktail I had at Ozumo, called the Lychee Press. The menu description said it was vodka, lychee juice, and Sprite, but of course, they don’t give the proportions, since that gives away the secret. But I tried coming up with my own version.
Lychee Fizz
1 oz Soho lychee liqueur
1 oz vodka
0.5 oz lychee syrup
Sprite
lemon slice
lime slice
I just mixed the lychee liqueur, vodka, and lychee syrup in a glass filled with ice, and topped it off with Sprite. It had a nice sweetness and the lychee flavor was strong, but there was also a bit of bitterness. I’m not sure if that came from the Sprite or from the vodka. I’d definitely make it again, though.
Next I tried a classic, the Cuba Libre.
Cuba Libre
2 oz white rum
juice of 1/2 lime
Coke
lime slice
I probably used too much ice in the glass, which decreased the amount of Coke needed to fill up the glass, which made the drink strong. I did like the lime juice in there, it made it not taste overwhelming sweet even with all the Coke.
Another classic I’ve enjoyed at bars is the Midori Sour.
Midori Sour
1 oz Midori
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz simple syrup
2 oz Sprite
maraschino cherries
I enjoyed this drink quite a bit. It was nice and sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. The acidity from the lemon juice went well with the melon flavor from the Midori.
The soda in these cocktails give them a nice fizz, and they’re definitely better than just straight soda, which I often find is too sweet.