Vodka and limeade make a stellar combination whether they're used in a complex cocktail recipe or simply poured together over ice. By itself, this popular combination is one of many "highball" drinks that pair a particular spirit with a larger amount of mixer.
What Is Limeade?
Limeade is a citrus drink similar to lemonade, using lime as its key ingredient. Lime is a great alternative to lemons for many cocktail recipes because it balances sweet ingredients with its tart flavor, but it doesn't have overwhelming flavor. It offers a smoother flavor with a little less pucker.
A basic limeade recipe uses limes, sugar, ice and water. Some recipes use carbonated water in place of plain water. The ingredients can be combined in a number of ways to suite your taste. Leaving the lime rinds in the mix gives the limeade a little more flavor and slight bitterness.
The beverage is simple to make from scratch, but you can opt for powdered mix or concentrate. The mixes tend to be considerably sweeter than the homemade version, and they can be overpowering in some recipes.
Vodka and Limeade
This pair makes a great combination because vodka is clean, allowing the flavors of other ingredients to shine through. Vodkas are anchor ingredients for many cocktails, and limeade is a nice complement for recipes using this popular liquor. The vodka serves as a blank canvas, and limeade gives the drink a hint of color.
Vodka and limeade works well as a refreshing drink that stands well on its own. Simply mix one ounce of vodka with two or three ounces of limeade over ice, garnish and serve. Garnishing ideas include:
- Lime wedge
- Lemon wedge
- Twist of lemon or lime
- Sprig of mint
- Maraschino cherry
- Orange wedge or peel
The garnishes themselves may inspire ideas for cocktails using vodka and limeade.
Cocktail Recipes
Limeade and vodka cocktail recipes are vast, and nearly every taste can be accommodated using the simple mixture. Consider some of the following ideas, some inspired by the garnishes.
Cherry Limeade and Vodka
Cherry and lime are excellent partners, and the cherry comes in a number of different forms, each offering a slightly different flavor. Some premixes have already combined lime and cherry for extra simple recipes.
- Add maraschino cherry juice to limeade and vodka.
- Use cherry flavored vodka.
- Mix lime juice with cherry soda.
- Replace plain water with cherry juice and sparkling water when making limeade.
Apples and Oranges
Fruit-flavored vodkas are great choices for adding interest to simple drink recipes. Flavors range from apple to berries to oranges, including super sweet mandarin oranges. Flavored vodkas tend to be subtle.Flavorful options include fruit-flavored schnapps, as in the following recipe:
- One ounce vodka
- One ounce Apple Pucker schnapps
- One ounce limeade
- One ounce lemon-lime soda
Mix the ingredients over ice, garnish and serve.
This sweet-tart mix may be a little too sweet for some people. Replace lemon-lime soda with plain soda water for a lighter flavor.
New Lime Twist on Classic Cocktails
Limeade and vodka can be used in a number of popular recipes for vodka drinks:
- Strawberry daiquiri
- Long Island ice tea
- Ice pick
- Vodka martini
Food Pairings
Limeade vodka drinks are ideal for sipping on a hot afternoon, but they make great aperitifs because they are not filling. The combination pairs well with salads, and you can create drinks to go along with the salad recipes and appetizers. A cocktail using mandarin orange flavored vodka would pair well with a crisp bed of greens topped with mandarin oranges, almonds and ginger dressing. Consider a spring of mint and sparkling soda in a limeade cocktail served with cucumber sandwiches.
Making cocktails is an art, and ingredients such as limeade and vodka are wonderful because they offer subtle flavor and interest, accentuating the flavors of the other ingredients. When mixed alone, they offer a light and refreshing drink.
