Soda water
Juice & mixers · usually a lengthener · in 9 cocktails here
What it is
Carbonated water, nothing else. Buy small bottles: a large one goes flat long before you finish it.
Typically about £4 a bottle in the UK.
What it tastes like
Nothing at all, which is the point. It contributes carbonation and dilution, not flavour.
What it does in a drink
Lengthener. It carries aroma upward and dilutes to drinking strength without altering flavour.
Cocktails with soda water
Unlocks 9 recipes on Drinki.
Best known
- Americano IBA The Negroni’s daytime cousin. Bond ordered it first.
- Aperol Spritz IBA Three, two, one: prosecco, Aperol, soda. Fill the glass with ice first.
- Paloma IBA What Mexico actually drinks while tourists queue for margaritas.
- Mojito IBA Press the mint, do not shred it. Bruised mint tastes like a lawn.
- Planter’s Punch IBA One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.
- Whisky Highball Japan perfected this. Cold glass, cold soda, one stir.
- Nogroni Bitter, orange-led and adult. Grapefruit does the Campari’s job.
- Tom Collins A gin sour, stretched long with soda.
- Virgin Mojito All of the ritual, none of the rum.
What it pairs with
The ingredients that turn up alongside soda water far more often than chance would predict.
Substitutes
Nothing substitutes for soda water convincingly.