Everybody knows there's nothing like Rum and our natural Colorado Cola to take the edge off on a hot summer day. But what about other partners in mixology? We're talking about those perhaps lesser-known cocktails that rely on a frosty natural soda to bring them to life and tickle our taste buds? In this post, the team here at Rocky Mountain Soda Company have decided to dig into the recipe book to see if we can come up with a few miraculous soda and spirit combos that have long existed off the beaten track.
Most of the following are based on existing recipes we discovered in dusty recipe books. But on one or two occasions we put our own spin on the proceedings. Anyway, enjoy.
Whiskey and Ginger
Whiskey and Golden Ginger Beer leads off this list, because combining whiskey with any type of light soda is a sure-fire winner. This drink is easy to mix, budget-friendly and has broad-based appeal. It is also a great cocktail to fudge around with as it lends itself to myriad variations. One of our favorite variants is mixing Rocky Mountain Soda Co. Golden Ginger Beer with Rye Whiskey. Just saying those words together you can almost smell the spicy notes of the Rye playing off the effervescence of the Ginger Beer.
Tequila and Lemon-Limeade
If your summer barbeque is starting to sag a bit and the crew on the backyard deck are getting a bit restless, break out the tequila and some Loveland Lemon-Limeade from Rocky Mountain Soda Company. Some people will call tequila and lemonade a lazy man’s version of a margarita. Not us. We call it de-li-cious! Refreshing as all get-out too. The natural Lemon-Limeade soda adds a lively touch you won’t find in a standard margarita and will have your guests clamoring for more. Also, if you really want to get heads a-spinning with delight, try mixing tequila with our Palisade Peaches and Cream soda. Your pleasure center won’t know what hit it.
Bourbon and Black Cherry Soda
Or more precisely, bourbon, natural black cherry soda and chocolate! This one-of-a-kind cocktail is sure to engage your sweet tooth, create that bourbon blast in the back of your throat and tie all its various component parts together using our lively and perfectly in-tune Buena Vista Black Cherry Soda. All you need to make this particular taste treat is some fresh lime, 1/2 a cup of mint tea, 6 dashes of chocolate bitters, 2 shots of bourbon and enough Buena Vista Black Cherry soda to top off your glass.
Natural Root Beer and Everclear
Never heard of Everclear? Don't worry. You're not alone. Everclear is a type of rectified spirit that its own manufacturer says should never be consumed straight up. Why? Because it's basically 190-proof grain alcohol. In fact, it has such a notorious reputation that it's banned in several states. But here we're mixing it with our Rocky Mountain Root Beer to produce a unique concoction we're calling either RootClear, EverBeer or maybe WhatEverclear. You can call it what you like. Asking any soda to take the edge off of and balance out 190-proof grain alcohol is a tall order. But if any soda can do it, it's our natural root beer.
Vodka and Grape Soda
We don’t have an official name for this concoction. We just started mixing stuff together and finally came up with a combo that rocked the staff here at Rocky Mountain Soda. All we did was mix our favorite brand of vodka (meaning whichever brand was available), with our Grand Teton Grape natural soda. Once that combo didn’t produce blindness we tweaked it a bit and wound up using a dash of fresh lime juice and a few small watermelon cubes. At one point one of our team added a splash of our Telluride Tonic Water to dilute things a bit, which seemed to be just what it needed to activate all the various flavors.
Vodka and Natural Cola
There is nothing particularly new about vodka and cola but when you add our gluten-free, vegan Colorado Cola to your favorite vodka and then (here's the kicker) add a half teaspoon of vanilla extract, well, we thought our taste buds had died and gone to heaven. Which of course they had. All but the 'died' part that is. We're not sure what to call this, because after-the-fact research turned up both vanilla vodka and cola as well as vodka and vanilla cola recipes. But as far as we can tell, our take on adding vanilla extract is unique, and quite the tongue teaser.
Colfax Cream Soda and Rum
We can’t claim credit for the basic recipe behind this cocktail. But we did tweak it a bit to give it some extra pizazz. Most recipes for this kosher creation call for your favorite rum, cream soda, and a few maraschino cherries. We’d recommend adding a little whipped cream and chocolate syrup on top for an extra creamy and delectable drink with ice-cream-sundae overtones.
Cheers to Creative Cocktail Combinations!
The spirit of exploration is not dead, it’s just moved into the bar! By experimenting a bit and mixing your favorite spirits with natural soda flavors from Rocky Mountain Soda Company, you can achieve tasty cocktail treats that soothe the spirit and tantalize the taste buds.
