Lena Savoie
Alcohol has a very distinct taste that many people find unappealing. The ethanol in alcohol acts as a solvent and captures the aromatics from the ingredients used, giving alcoholic drinks their complex flavours. Alcohol often has a bitter taste with a burning sensation, which is detected by the pain nerves in the tongue. This bitter taste can be masked by adding sweet or sour ingredients to a drink. Vodka is a popular choice for cocktails that don't taste like alcohol because it has a neutral flavour and can be easily mixed with fruit juices, sodas, or tonic water. Drinks like the White Russian, Kamikaze, Cosmopolitan, and Sex on the Beach are known for their subtle alcohol taste. Additionally, mixing rum with apple juice and ginger ale or cola can also reduce the prominence of the alcohol flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Alcohol type | Vodka, Rum, Cachaça, Champagne |
| Mixers | Cranberry juice, Orange juice, Lime juice, Lemon juice, Peach schnapps, Sugar, Tonic water, Cola, Ginger ale, Apple juice, Pineapple juice, Coffee, Cream |
| Cocktail names | Screwdriver, Mimosa, Cosmopolitan, White Russian, Kamikaze, Caipirinha, Sex on the Beach, Fuzzy Navel |
| Temperature | Served cold |
| Liquor quality | Top-shelf liquor |
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Vodka and cranberry
Vodka has a neutral flavour, which makes it a good choice for mixing with other drinks to mask the alcohol taste. One such popular cocktail is the Vodka Cranberry, which is a simple yet delicious drink that first emerged in Sweden in the 1980s. It is a refreshing drink with a crisp, subtle sweetness and a slight burn from the vodka.
The Vodka Cranberry is typically made with Absolut Vodka and cranberry juice, with the option of adding a squeeze of lime to give it a bright citrus zing. The exact ratio of vodka to juice can be adjusted to personal preference, but a 1:2 or 1:3 part ratio is recommended to balance the flavours. The drink can also be made with other vodka brands, such as Prairie Organic Vodka, Smirnoff, or Titos.
The cranberry juice used in the cocktail is usually a blend of cranberry juice with added sugars and other fruit juices, such as orange juice, to make it less tart and more palatable. This blend of juices gives the cocktail a high ratio of fruit juice to alcohol, making it a good choice for those who want to minimise the alcoholic taste. The cocktail can also be made with cranberry liqueur for a purer cranberry flavour.
To enhance the flavour and presentation of the Vodka Cranberry, garnishes such as orange slices, fresh or sugared cranberries, and rosemary sprigs can be added. For a festive touch, sugared cranberries and a dash of orange juice are a great combination. Chilling the glass and vodka beforehand can also create an icy cold and ultra-refreshing experience.
The Vodka Cranberry is a versatile cocktail that can be enjoyed at any time of the year. It pairs well with brunch foods such as omelettes, quiche, and pastries, and its hydrating qualities make it suitable for a hot day by the pool or a night of dancing. With its simple recipe and adjustability, this cocktail is a popular choice for those seeking a tasty drink with a minimal alcohol taste.
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White Russian
Alcohol has a unique taste, often described as bitter with a burning sensation. This bitterness is detected by our tongue and is important for us to notice as it could indicate poison. To mask the bitter taste of alcohol, drinks are often made with ingredients that are sweet or sour. For example, vodka has a neutral flavour and can be mixed with equal parts fruit juice, espresso, or flavoured sodas.
One such cocktail that includes vodka is the White Russian. This cocktail is made with vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream, and is served on the rocks. It is a decadent and surprisingly easy-to-make cocktail that was popularized by the 1998 movie "The Big Lebowski". The White Russian is believed to have originated in the 1960s when someone added cream to a Black Russian, which is made with vodka and coffee liqueur and is thought to have originated in Belgium.
When making a White Russian, it is recommended to use a decent vodka and quality cream that has a good taste. Half-and-half can be used in place of cream in a pinch, but whole milk or other types of milk should be avoided as they will make the drink thin and insipid. Quality ice that melts slowly, such as large or dense pieces, is also preferred to avoid diluting the drink too quickly.
There are many variations of the White Russian, including the Mudslide, Bolshevik, Blonde Russian (made with Irish cream), Anna Kournikova (made with skimmed milk), White Cuban (made with rum), Dirty Russian (with chocolate syrup), Colorado Bulldog, and Tall Black Russian (with a splash of cola).
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Sex on the Beach
The key to making Sex on the Beach taste good and masking the alcohol is to use good-quality ingredients and to balance the flavours correctly. Here is a step-by-step guide to making it:
Ingredients:
- 45 ml of vodka (a lighter, smoother vodka is preferable, as cheaper vodkas can have a stronger alcohol taste)
- 20 ml of peach schnapps (adds a sweet, peach flavour)
- 120 ml of orange juice (freshly squeezed is best, but store-bought is also fine)
- 60 ml of cranberry juice (unsweetened is preferable to balance the sweetness of the schnapps and orange juice)
- Garnish: cherry and an orange slice (optional)
Instructions:
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add the vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice to the shaker.
- Shake well for 15-20 seconds until the outside of the shaker is cold.
- Strain the contents of the shaker into a highball glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice, if desired.
The result is a delicious, well-balanced cocktail where the alcohol is subtly masked by the flavours of the juices and schnapps. The cranberry juice gives the drink a beautiful pinkish hue, making it visually appealing as well.
Feel free to adjust the measurements to your taste and always drink responsibly.
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Caipirinha
The Caipirinha is a simple drink to make, but it requires patience. The longer you muddle, the more sugar dissolves, improving the taste. The drink is very strong, with an ABV of around 30%, so it is recommended to sip it slowly. It is a refreshing drink, perfect for a hot day, with a taste similar to sweet lime juice and a grassy aftertaste.
There are many variations of the Caipirinha, with different fruits, herbs, and spices added. For example, passion fruit pulp, tangerine, clementine, mandarin, basil, cashew apples, or jabuticaba berries can be used instead of lime. Pineapple, blackberries, strawberries, and watermelon can also be muddled into the drink to make a Caipifruta. Other variations include the Caipiroska, made with vodka, the Caipirissima, made with white rum, and the Caipisake, made with sake.
For a non-alcoholic version, or virgin Caipirinha, the fruit, rind, and sugar are muddled together, and then topped up with ginger beer and garnished with mint.
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Rum and apple juice
The bitterness associated with the ethanol in alcohol is what gives alcoholic drinks their distinctive taste. To mask the alcohol taste, you can mix it with ingredients that have a stronger flavour. For instance, vodka, which has a neutral flavour, can be mixed with equal parts of fruit juice, such as orange or cranberry juice.
If you want to make the cocktail even fancier, you can create an "apple fan" garnish. To do this, cut an apple in half from the top of the stem to the bottom, but not directly in the middle—cut slightly off to one side so that half of the apple has no core. Then, take the half without the core and place it flesh-side down on the cutting board. Cut thin slices longways, and use a skewer to hold the apple slices together. Prop this on top of your cocktail.
You can also experiment with different types of rum and apple juice. For instance, you can use white rum instead of spiced rum, and cloudy apple juice instead of regular apple juice. If you want a lighter drink, you can reduce the amount of rum to 25ml. You can also add lemon juice and slices of lemon to the cocktail, and even decorate the glass with a sprig of mint and a lemon wedge.
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Frequently asked questions
Vodka is said to have a neutral flavour, so it can be masked by other ingredients.
Some cocktails that are said not to taste like alcohol include the White Russian, Kamikaze, Sex on the Beach, and the Fuzzy Navel.
Fruit juices, such as orange, cranberry, pineapple, and apple, are often used to mask the taste of alcohol. Other mixers include tonic water, soda water, espresso, and ginger ale.
While non-alcoholic drinks may not taste exactly like alcohol, you can create similar flavours by experimenting with macerating a mixture of bitter and sweet ingredients. Spices such as ginger and chilli can also stimulate pain nerves, creating a burning sensation similar to ethanol.
