Mixing La Croix and Booze: Best Flavor Combinations
Our country’s obsession with seltzer is unabated, and ahead of that trend is La Croix, the ubiquitous flavored soda that people just can’t get enough of. You can enjoy La Croix on your own, but why would you if you can pour some booze too?
I’ve always been a big fan of soda cocktails and La Croix can make them even better with just a hint of extra fruity flavor. Like all flavors, some pair better with certain drinks than others. Lucky for you, I took the time to try a lot of alcohol with a lot of La Croix, and wrote a colorful roadmap that you must follow.
It is pertinent to note, however, that these are hardly cocktails — in the words of Peggy Olson, “youneed three ingredients for a cocktail, ” but not every night there are calls for a proper cocktail. Some evenings require a fast, convenient alcohol delivery system that doesn’t have to be fiddled with, and that’s exactly what you need. (La Croix also feels a little healthier than other mixers due to the whole sugar-free situation, so it’s nice.)
There are two categories of booze you can mix with La Croix: liqueurs and liqueurs. For spirits that are around 40% ABV, I prefer to use a 1 1/2 to 2 ounce can of La Croix . For liqueurs below 20% ABV, I will make 1-1 1/2 ounces for every 6 ounces . If you really feel like putting in a little effort, you can squeeze in some lemon or lime.
Alcohol
Lemon and lime go well with just about any booze flavor, but other cans can complement or contradict each other depending on what you pair them with.
- Gin: Botanical gin with a juniper flavor pairs well with exquisite pomelo melon, berry and cucumber infused Mure Pepino, iconic Pamplemousse (grapefruit) and sweet and simple apricot.
- Rum: For dark rum, look for the elusive nicolas (cola flavor) and the combination of white rum with passionfruit and mango.
- Tequila: Lemon and lime are the obvious choices, but tropical mango and passionfruit will work as well.
- Whiskey: tangerine, peach-pear and ceris-lemon (cherry-lime) go very well with bourbon and rye.
- Brandy: Pair brandy like Peruvian pisco with peach and pear and never look back.
You may notice that vodka is not on the list. This is because vodka takes on the flavor of whatever you mix with it, so just pick your favorite flavor and add a shot.
Combinations with liqueur
Liqueurs and fortified wines can be a little tricky as there are so many of them, but the next three pairs are meant to be together and you must make them a part of your life.
- Campari + Pamplemousse: Like an Italian greyhound, only much more sparkling and comfortable.
- Pimm’s + Mure Pepino: Want a cup-like experience like Pimm’s, but want to skip the whole “fruit and cucumber slicing” step? Do it instead.
- Mandarin + Cocci Americano: In the classic case where “two great flavors go well together,” my favorite vermouth and my favorite La Croix are natural partners.
For those of you who are going to mention the lack of coconut, cran raspberry and all-purpose berries, I must apologize. I left them out because I think these flavors suck, but if you have to drink them, pair them with rum, vodka, and gin, respectively. Rum may not fully compensate for the deficiencies of the coconut scent with sunscreen, but it will help. It always helps.