Your guide to turning basic mixers into budget but excellent bevvies (beyond the rum and Coke).

If, like us, you were sentient in the early noughties, you’d remember the grip MTV had on society at the time. Between the music videos, hardcore reality shows and frightening interviews lived a hugely popular show (nostalgia warning ahead) called Pimp My Ride. The premise was essentially taking an average, totally fine car and then adding a butt-tonne of shag and paint to it. It was truly… something.

Bad show aside, the idea got us thinking: what if we used the bones of the idea (sans car) and made it better? So, we took our fave run-of-the-mill mixers – Sprite, Mountain Dew, Coca-Cola and more, and “pimped” them, minus the shag, of course (unless?). These are recipes outside your standard Cuba Libre, Vodka Sodas and even your Kalimotxos, creating delicious and complex-tasting cocktails that won’t break the bank (or take you more than a min to whip up). So, if you like saving a few bucks but still like drinking well, read on.

1. Fanta, mezcal and Campari

There’s an obvious pairing when it comes to mezcal, and that pairing is orange. With its fresh sweetness, orange offsets the heat of mezcal beautifully, yet harmoniously. In short, it's a dope pairing, so when “pimping” our chosen mixer Fanta, mezcal was an obvious choice. Yes, mezcal and Fanta are a solid match, but to bring the drink to life, we needed another flavour element – bitterness. So, splash a bit of Campari into the mix. The Campari will add that depth, while complementing the Fanta and mezcal with its bitter orange flavour. Serve it tall, with a stack of ice and a slice of orange for good measure.

A light rum cocktail with a bottle of light rum and can of Sprite

2. Sprite, Cuban white rum, mint and lime

Sprite is delicious. It’s zippy, it's sweet, it's refreshing, and that’s why it belongs in a Mojito. We know, we know, it's not very tradicional of us, but damn, is it good. Think of it this way – in a traditional Mojito, you’re already mixing soda water and sugar, but with Sprite, you’ve got that element built in. So, we’re really just cutting out the granulated sugar part. Sprite also has a very light citric base, so it won’t overpower or interrupt the fresh citrus from your limes. Simply build your Mojito the way you normally would, but sub in your Sprite instead of soda. Super easy, super delicious, super sexy.

3. Mountain Dew, Wild Turkey and something extra

The Kentucky classic Mountain Dew and Wild Turkey (or ‘Turkey Dew’) has garnered a bit of a cult following. It’s one of those don’t-knock-it-’til-you-try-it bevvy pairings that has just the right amount of intrigue to turn a few bartender heads. Traditionally used to mask some of the harsher flavours of less premium bourbons, Mountain Dew, with its vivid green hue and pronounced acidity, is on the rebound. While the ol’ Turkey Dew is a good little pairing in itself, much like our Fanta, mezcal, Campari hybrid, it still needs a little zhuzhing. We suggest either a good splash of Suze, Strega or Yellow Chartreuse to add some herbaceous bitterness to the mix. Again, serve it up tall with a good scooping of ice. If Yellow Chartreuse is the go, garnish with a maraschino cherry for a little twist on the Last Word cocktail.

4. Coca-Cola and Fernet Branca

Move over Cuba Libre, Coke’s got a new girlfriend and she’s bittersweet. If you're not from the land of hospo (or Argentinian), then you may not be intimately acquainted with the li’l amaro Fernet, commonly referred to as the bartender’s handshake. It is a very herbaceous, abrasive drink that can be quite hard to swallow (for those not used to it). But mixed in with Coke, those bitter, herby notes mesh with the sweet flavour of cola to create a complex and intriguing mix. Sometimes referred to as the Fernandito or the Fernet Con Cola, the drink is insanely popular in Argentina where it was created. Serve it over a tonne of ice and a wedge of lime, give it a stir and salud!

5. Passiona, vodka and sparkling wine

Ah, Passiona, that subtle passionfruit-flavoured soda that is horrendously underrated. Think about it – when was the last time you saw a bottle of Passiona in someone's fridge? For that very reason, it's time for a comeback, and what better way to make its triumphant return than in a Spritz? We reckon dolling up Passiona with a little bit of vodka (it can even be vanilla vodka) and sparkling wine is perfect. Add your vodka to a large wine glass and fill with ice. Next, add your sparkling of choice and top with Passiona. Garnish with half a passionfruit, and you’ve got yourself a really cute and thrifty riff on a Pornstar Martini.

Coca-Cola mixed with Fernet Branca in a tall glass with ice

Solo and Galliano in a glass filled with ice, with the bottles of each behind it

6. Solo and Galliano

Here’s a unusual one – Solo and Galliano, coming straight from the depths of…TikTok. Unholy mix or delicious duo? We’ll let you be the judge. Galliano is known for its distinctive vanilla-anise flavouring, and when combined with Solo, it produces a drink that tastes somewhat like a lemon cheesecake. We’re optimistic and hesitant at the same time. But hey, if you have a bottle of Galliano in the pantry, you might as well spring for a bottle of Solo and give it a whirl. Simply build over ice in a short glass and that’s it! We’ve seen TikTok folk attempt some sort of a lemon cheesecake rim around the edge, but we think simplicity is best here, so just whack a nice slice of lemon in there to garnish.

7. Kirk’s Lemon Squash, London dry gin and lemon

If you have a squash-like mixer, whether that’s Kirk’s, Solo or even a bottle of Lift lying around (RIP), mix it up in a makeshift Tom Collins. Again, if we look at the traditional ingredients of a Tom Collins, you’ll see lemon juice, simple syrup and soda. What is squash? Basically bubbles, lemon flavour and sugar. So, by switching out those three ingredients for squash, you’ve sort of halved your work. All you really have to do is add your dry gin and a little squeeze of fresh lemon to a Collins glass and stir. Add a good scoop of ice and top with squash. If you’re feeling fancy, garnish with a lemon wedge skewered with a maraschino cherry. Luxe.

8. Creaming soda and spiced rum

Turns out pink is the new pink. And you can't get much more pink than creaming soda. If you grew up in Australia, you’d be familiar with this magenta-hued monster. It was definitely a once-in-a-while treat at this author’s house. But in terms of taste, it absolutely slaps (Gen Z, am I saying that correctly?). Anyway, pairing it with something that can take on all that flavour was difficult, but we ended up with spiced rum. Why? Well, all those vanilla notes of the soda work pretty harmoniously with the vanilla notes of the rum, while the spiciness of the spirit brings a little extra love to the creaming soda’s flavour. Serve it up in a tall glass over a lot of ice and dash in some bitters for a bit of intrigue – or be naughty and make it a spiked float. Grab yourself a large glass, pour in your rum and creaming soda, and then add a couple of good scoops of vanilla ice cream. Delish.

9. Ginger ale or ginger beer with amaretto and lime

An Italian, almond-ish spin on the OG Moscow Mule – sometimes called an Italian Mule – is a delish alternative if you’re not into vodka, or want something a little lower-alc. It’s a super-easy built cocktail so, no fuss, no muss. Simply assemble over ice, give it a couple of dashes of bitters, and garnish with a lime. Those lovely spicy notes of the ginger ale or beer add some much-needed intrigue to amaretto’s vanilla and almond taste, while the bitters bring out the bitter finish of the liqueur.