Combine 2 Of The Most Popular Sodas To Make A Faux Ginger Ale

Ginger ale is a soda you might keep in the pantry for the kiddos when they have an upset stomach, or if you like to entertain and use it as a mixer in your cocktails. However, if you find that during your latest grocery shopping excursion, it didn't make it into your cart and you were planning to make a boozy Pimm's Cup or a classic summer shandy, it's time to channel your inner MacGyver and recreate this spicy bubbly drink with two of its carbonated cousins. If you have Coke and Sprite chilling in the fridge, you're in business. 

These two sodas seem like a strange combo, but together, they work. The complexity of Coca-Cola's flavor is going to add shades of warm cinnamon, sweet vanilla, and citrus. Don't let its dark color throw you off. Once it is mixed and diluted with Sprite, which offers a zingy, but sweet lemon and lime taste, the color of your mixture will turn lighter into an almost golden amber hue. The result of this hack is not exactly going to make it on your list of the best ginger ale brands you've ever had, but this fizzy deception will definitely work if you are in a pinch.

Before you begin this culinary experiment, the most important thing about mixing these two sodas together is to get the ratio right. While your inclination might be to do a half-and-half combo, that's not quite right. You want to aim for a 70% Sprite to 30% Coke ratio, rather than a straightforward 50/50 ratio. Otherwise, the flavors of Coke will overpower it. And if you want to use a soda with fewer calories, Diet Coke is actually going to help you come even closer to the warm, sweet, spicy taste you are trying to re-invent. 

When you get the flavor just right with these two liquids, it will feel like Goldilocks discovered the porridge that was perfect for her palate, but if you get it wrong, the feeling is more like eating that poisoned apple the witch in Snow White was handing out. If you are wondering if you can use 7Up, Sierra Mist, or some other lemon-lime soda as a substitute for Sprite, the answer is yes; however, their tastes can be slightly different from Sprite, and they may not give you the same tasty satisfaction. 

You can use this soda combo if you are making a ginger ale and orange juice mocktail, also known as a mimosa, or in place of any drink that calls for ginger ale. No soda? No problem. Make a ginger ale substitute using soda water and a simple syrup flavored with ginger. This is a little more labor-intensive, but it works.