How to Drink Vodka 5 Ways, Plus 13 Vodka Cocktails

Vodka is a distilled spirit typically made from grains or potatoes. Consider a handful of popular ways to drink vodka.

1. 1. Drink your vodka straight. Pure vodka tastes fairly neutral and has a full-bodied mouthfeel. One common way to drink this alcoholic beverage is to take shots of vodka from shot glasses at room temperature. When drinking high-quality vodkas, consider sipping the liquid slowly from a tumbler glass.
2. 2. Drink your vodka chilled. Chilled vodka has less bite and a slightly thicker texture. Place ice cubes in a tumbler with vodka or place a bottle of vodka in the freezer until it is ice-cold before serving.
3. 3. Mix your vodka into a cocktail. Use vodka in a mixed drink to enhance its flavor and dilute the drink’s alcohol content. Some popular vodka cocktails are simple, such as a vodka tonic with tonic water, while others are more complicated and require several ingredients. Vodka pairs well with a variety of juices, including orange juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice, and lemon juice.
4. 4. Infuse your vodka with flavor. Although flavored vodka is available in stores, you can make your own infused vodka drinks by pouring vodka into a sealable glass jar along with other ingredients. Popular ingredients for vodka infusion include thyme, cucumber, coconut, mint, and blackberries. For a sweeter option, place a handful of gummy candies into a glass jar of vodka. After several hours, retrieve the gummies for a sweet, alcohol-infused treat.
5. 5. Drink your vodka alongside traditional foods. In Russia, straight vodka is typically served alongside appetizers called “zakuski.” Try pairing food with your vodka to complement its flavor. Some foods that work well alongside vodka include sausages, salmon, fresh cucumbers, olives, and pickles.

Vodka is the base spirit in several mixed drinks. Consider some classic vodka cocktails you can mix at home.

1. 1. Bloody Mary: A Bloody Mary is a vodka cocktail that features tomato juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and a mix of herbs and spices.
2. 2. Cosmopolitan: A Cosmopolitan cocktail combines vodka, an orange liqueur like triple sec, cranberry juice, and fresh lime juice. To double down on the citrus notes, many bartenders also use flavored vodka.
3. 3. Godmother: The Godmother cocktail is an easy, two-ingredient drink recipe—vodka with a splash of amaretto served over ice. The Godmother is similar to the Godfather, which uses Scotch whiskey as its primary liquor.
4. 4. Greyhound: The Greyhound is a classic cocktail, traditionally made with just two ingredients: grapefruit juice and either gin or vodka as the spirit.
5. 5. Long Island Iced Tea: The Long Island Iced Tea is a cocktail known for its high alcohol content—it contains vodka, tequila, gin, rum, and triple sec. Despite its name and appearance, the Long Island Iced Tea neither tastes like nor contains any tea at all—its signature amber hue comes from only a tiny splash of cola.
6. 6. Kamikaze: The Kamikaze cocktail recipe contains equal parts vodka, triple sec, and lime. Sometimes blue Curaçao liqueur is added to this classic cocktail in place of triple sec to turn it into a Blue Kamikaze.
7. 7. Moscow Mule: The Moscow Mule is a classic cocktail with a great balance of fizzy, refreshing flavors. The cocktail contains vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice and is traditionally served in a copper cup.
8. 8. Screwdriver: The Screwdriver is a simple cocktail made from vodka and orange juice.
9. 9. Seabreeze: The Seabreeze is a fruity cocktail consisting of vodka, grapefruit juice, and cranberry juice. It is traditionally served in a highball glass and garnished with a lime slice.
10. 10. Vodka Gimlet: A Gimlet is a cocktail with spirit, lime juice, and simple syrup. The classic cocktail is known as a vodka Gimlet when it is made with vodka.
11. 11. Vodka Martini: A vodka martini is a classic cocktail, usually made with vodka, dry vermouth, a dash of orange bitters, and a lemon peel or olive garnish. The key to making a classic vodka martini is to use high-quality vodka and vermouth. Use a cocktail shaker to mix the ingredients and pour your finished cocktail into a chilled martini glass.
12. 12. Vodka Stinger: A traditional Stinger is a combination of brandy and white crème de menthe, but a vodka Stinger is a variation that swaps vodka for brandy.
13. 13. White Russian: A White Russian consists of vodka, coffee liqueur, and heavy cream. The added sweetness from the coffee liqueur makes the White Russian one of the milder cocktail recipes.

Learn more about mixology from award-winning bartenders Lynnette Marrero and Ryan Chetiyawardana. Refine your palate, explore the world of spirits, and shake up the perfect cocktail for your next gathering with the MasterClass Annual Membership.