Sometimes you just want to relax. After a long, difficult day at work you just want to sit back and prop your feet up with a pleasant refreshment in your hand. With a little mixing of liquid and a shaking of the ice, you have yourself a soothing, smooth drink with a slight burn on the way down. Yes, a perfect delight.
Some may argue that drinking is not good for you, and in this article I am not claiming that the drinks are. What I am saying is that the relaxing effects of these concoctions can lend a helping hand in relieving stress in the evening hours, or even during the day if you have access to them. It goes without saying that I am only encouraging drinking in moderation, since anything outside of a moderate intake can lead to negative results.
This is certain. The uncertainty lies in how to partake in the drinks effectively, not in the negative effects of the drinks in excess. Until now, a lot of people may not understand the art of the mixed drink, which is why I’m here to elaborate. A lot of people believe that the only way to drink is out of a can or bottle, in a homogeneous mixture crafted in a factory somewhere. Although the drinks themselves are pleasant, I am here to suggest an alternative. Why not open a couple of cans with a friend, mix the two drinks together, and enjoy the wonderful collision of flavor? In a startling moment of enlightenment, I realized what I had been missing all along. It’s not that people do not wish to mix drinks, it is that they do not know how.
The fear of the unknown drives them to immediately reject any notion that lies beyond the simplistic, linear flavor of a predetermined beverage. Why take the risk if a drink tastes just as good without the worry of failure? There is no reason to waste well established formulas in the pursuit of a flavorful thrill. In this, you are wrong.
What I am experiencing, as many of you may have at some point in your life, is a sudden desire to rid myself of monotony, and to experience a masterpiece of culinary art. You see, just because you don’t know how to do something doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it. I’ve wasted many drinks in the pursuit of the perfect fusion, but it didn’t stop me. Now I understand what it takes to remove my boredom and embrace boldness.
In this article I will discuss three of the most common types of drinks you may come across as you pursue this newly found love of liquid. Let us begin with my favorite type of drink. Light colored citrus.
This may sound generic at first glance, but the complexity of this category extends beyond the it’s simplistic definition. Light colored citrus drinks come in a variety of forms including cans, bottles, and even the tap. It’s easy to spot drinks in this category because of their vibrant, green and yellow colors. Good examples of this include Le’ Dew, Up-de-Siete’, and YeMello. All three of these have smooth flavors, sparkling with carbonation and are sweet to the taste. These are the easiest to mix because their flavor profiles are not too bold to prevent a pleasant pairing with similar drinks. In fact, it is best to keep the light colored citrus within it’s own family. For example, Rojo-de-Code’ can blend with Oute’ Blanco quite easily. The red, cherry infused flavor of a well chilled Rojo-de-Code’ mixes with the soft, citrus bite of the Oute’ Blanco, but would not go well with a Peppiere Doctor. Even though there is a cherry flavored Peppiere Doctor, is it different because it is of the bold, dark variety, which we will discuss later.
Now is later. The bold, dark variety of drinks is characterized by it’s dark color, and it’s stubborn inability to mix well with others. Drinks within this category are known for intense flavor and unique tastes, such as Peppiere Doctor, Cola Coca, and Pie’pise’. These are wonderful beverages to enjoy by themselves, but when added to other drinks, their flavors dominate. You may catch a subtle hint of Oute’ Blanco in your Oute’ Peppiere, but most likely the Peppiere Doctor will dominate the cup, or cause a sensory conflict across your taste buds. It’s best to stay away from crossing these boundaries unless you want to waste time with measuring out the perfect proportions for each drink. Personally, I’d rather just crack open a couple of cans and pour them into a cup without measuring them. The science behind Sodacology is a deep well of information of which I do not wish to bore you with. This article is just an overview, not an in depth thesis.
(For a more in depth look at Proportional Sodacology, reference Dr. Pepper’s study called “Sodacology, a Study of Soda in Society Today”. (Pepper, 2017))
You may have noticed that I left out the third category, of which I will briefly discuss in my conclusion. There is one particular variety of drink that is sparingly used in the art of mixing, and is one that I do not partake of myself. It does not fit in the first two categories because of chemical differences that drastically alter it’s content and flavor. The proper term for it is Dietilicious Die’Sucrose. In short, diet. There is nothing else to discuss.
I hope that you have found this article to be somewhat enlightening in your endeavor to enjoy a cold beverage. With this knowledge, I hope to inspire you all to start experimenting with the lonely sodas in your fridge and let me know what results you come up with! It’s a truly wonderful experience that I highly recommend to any Soda Connoisseur.
Happy Drinking!
Jonathan
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