Drink mixer

Drink mixers are the non-alcoholic ingredients in mixed drinks and cocktails. There are many reasons mixers are used. They change or enhance flavors or add new ones to a drink. Mixers dilute the drink, lowering the alcohol by volume in the drink. They may make the drink sweeter, more sour, or more savory. Some mixers change the texture or consistency of the drink, making it thicker or more watery. Drink mixers may also be used strictly for decorative purposes by changing the color or appearance of the drink.

Caffeinated beverages

Caffeine, a stimulant, masks some of the depressant effects of alcohol.^[1]

• Coffee
• Energy drinks - Red Bull, etc.
• Iced tea, sweetened - Lipton BRISK, Nestea, etc.

Carbonated mixers and sodas

Carbonation adds a festive flair to drinks. It also increases the absorption of the alcohol into the blood stream due to increased pressure in the stomach, potentially resulting in faster intoxication.^[2]

• Carbonated water (also called club soda, soda water, seltzer water, or sparkling water)
• Cola - Coca-Cola, Pepsi, etc.
• Ginger ale
• Lemon Sour
• Lemon-lime soda - 7 Up, Sprite, etc.
• Tonic water
• Ginger beer
• Root beer, orange, grape, and cherry soda, and various other fruit and herb-flavoured soft drinks are used but typically have not been as popular as mixers as the drinks listed above.

Dairy products

Milk products add a smoothing effect to the feel of the drink to counteract the burn of the alcohol. They also turn the drinks opaque, usually enhancing and lightening the color of the drink.

• Cream
• Half and half
• Ice cream
• Milk
• Eggnog

Juices

Orange juice.

Juices are flavorful additions. Some add sweetness, others add a sour tang, and add a sweet-tart sensation. Fruit juices are common additions to rum-based cocktails.

• Apple cider (not to be confused with cider, known as hard cider in the U.S.)
• Coconut milk or coconut water
• Cranberry juice
• Grape juice
• Grapefruit juice
• Lemon juice
• Lemonade
• Lime juice, unsweetened
• Limeade
• Olive juice
• Orange juice
• Pineapple juice
• Tomato juice - plain or flavored (V-8, Clamato, etc.)
• Wheatgrass juice

Prepared mixes

Some suppliers now manufacture pre-made mixes, which contain all the ingredients for a particular drink pre-mixed. The only thing that needs to be added is alcohol.

• Bloody Mary mix
• Margarita mix
• Mojito mix
• Mudslide mix
• Strawberry Daiquiri mix
• Cosmopolitan mix
• Hot Toddy mix

Sauces

The addition of a sauce usually imparts a surprising new taste to a familiar drink. Hot sauces are commonly used in drinking games.

• Honey
• Hot sauce - Tabasco sauce, etc.
• Worcestershire sauce

Syrups

The key ingredient in a syrup is sugar, which sweetens any drink into which it is mixed. Other flavors are often added to a sugar syrup.

• Grenadine
• Lime juice, sweetened - Rose's lime juice
• Simple syrup
• Sour mix
• Orgeat

Other mixers

Many other food and beverage items can be used in mixed drinks. These are some other common ones.

• Egg - egg whites thicken and increase the foaminess of blended drinks.
• Food coloring
• Sports drink - Gatorade, SunnyD, Redbull etc.

See also

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: Bartending

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Drink mixers.

• List of cocktails
• Mixed drink shooters and drink shots
• Cocktail garnish
• Category:Drink mixers
• Category:Mixed drinks
• Category:Soft drinks

References

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