Recently, we discussed hard soda, a new trend hitting store shelves. While experimenting with the boozy beverages in cocktails, the hard soda cherry limeade, a recipe that's received great feedback, was born. I've noticed at least six hard root beers on the market since writing that first piece, alongside other aforementioned varieties like orange cream, ginger ale and cherry.
This week, I'm highlighting two hard soda libations I made for WFLA's Daytime (watch the video to see the drinks in action) as well as exploring some fresh flavors. Hard sodas taste similar to their nonalcoholic counterparts, so they make easy substitutes for our favorite cocktails.
One brand of hard ginger ale, for instance, is made with cane sugar, which is more than one could say about many sodas in a typical grocery store. As a side note: I'd advise folks interested in who the company behind their hard soda of choice is to do some homework (Best Damn Root Beer is owned by Big Beer purveyor Anheuser-Busch, etc.).
The sodas are a good way to make simple drinks a little less basic. If I plan on using a mixer in my go-to cocktail, bourbon and ice, it might as well be one with alcohol.
http://up.anv.bz/latest/anvload.html?key=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 Gin and Ginger
Makes 1
2 ounces gin
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Ginger ale hard soda
Fill a Collins glass with ice. Add gin and lemon juice. Top with ginger ale hard soda and garnish with a lemon wheel.
Hard Soda Sangria
Makes 1 pitcher
12 ounces dry red wine
12 ounces lemon lime hard soda
12 ounces orange hard soda
4 ounces pomegranate juice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Add all ingredients to a large pitcher and stir. Serve over ice with an orange wheel garnish.
Boozy Vanilla Cherry Cola
Makes 1
1.5 ounces vanilla vodka
4 ounces cherry hard soda
Fill a rocks glass with ice. Add vodka and top with cherry hard soda. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Jameson and Ginger
Makes 1
1.5 ounces Jameson Irish Whiskey
4 ounces hard ginger ale
Juice of lime wedge (optional)
Fill a rocks glass with ice. Add whiskey and top with hard ginger ale. Finish with lime juice, if desired.
Tootsie Roll
Makes 1
2 ounces chocolate vodka
4 ounces hard root beer
Fill a rocks glass with ice. Add vodka and top with hard root beer.
Follow @cfasick on Twitter, or email him at cdfasick@gmail.com if there's a cocktail or recipe you'd like featured.
This article appears in Feb 25 – Mar 2, 2016.