We Ranked Vodka Mixers, And Here's Why This Tropical Juice Won By A Landslide

Vodka is quite a versatile spirit and there are many ways to enjoy it. Whether you like it simple with club soda or as a fancy espresso martini, there isn't much that vodka doesn't pair well with, although some drinks mix better with the liquor than others. We took matters into our own hands to rank the best and worst vodka mixers, and there was one classic juice that surpassed them all. Pineapple juice was the perfect mixer in our eyes — its sweetness balances the strong bite of vodka just right. 

Pineapple juice is a common mixer used in alcoholic beverages, and it's not limited to vodka only. The juice pairs well with tequila, rum, gin, whiskey, or just about any liquor of your choice. Its acidity levels help to smooth out the alcohol, making it the ideal mixer for a tasty drink. When mixed with vodka, you're left with a refreshing, tropical cocktail perfect for a hot day. We found that the vodka also tones down any excessive sugariness of the fruit juice so that the resulting drink is just sweet enough that you'll forget there's alcohol in it. Pineapple juice and vodka taste great together on their own, or you can add in extras like grenadine and lime for an even more tropical cocktail.

While vodka is relatively neutral in taste, not every mixer pairs as great with it as pineapple juice. Espresso, for example, tastes great with vodka when combined with simple syrup, coffee liqueur, and other ingredients to make a classic espresso martini, but the two together on their own taste bitter and unpleasant. In fact, espresso came last in our ranking and was the worst vodka mixer that could leave you feeling like a jittery mess. Pineapple juice is also much more widely available and a mixer you'll always be able to find at a bar, making it a perfect go-to base. While many of the other mixers needed extra additives for a better taste, pineapple juice can stand alone with vodka. It even goes well with flavored vodkas, like vanilla vodka for a drink inspired by a classic pineapple upside down cake.

Pineapple and liquor just work together, so much so that there are even pineapple-infused spirits out there. With vodka, you can never go wrong with adding pineapple juice to get your drink down smoothly. While we found that other mixers like cranberry juice or lemonade also pair nicely with vodka, none make vodka as smooth and balanced as pineapple juice. If you're someone that doesn't like the burn of vodka, pineapple juice will be your new best friend.