Vodka Mojito

The Mojito is a simple cocktail—lime, simple syrup, mint, soda and some kind of alcohol. Usually that alcohol comes in the form of rum, but it doesn’t have to—try dropping some tequila in or some pisco. But if you just can’t, because that all sounds complicated, break out a bottle of vodka. The legally neutral spirit leaves room for all the mint and citrus to really explode with every sip. In fact, because of that, it may actually be more thirst quenching than the original.

This take on a Mojito is also good for anyone who finds the traditional rum version to be a little too sweet. If you use a good wheat or potato vodka (not corn vodka like Tito’s—that’s pretty sweet itself) you can cut the sweetness and have a fresher, more tart Mojito. It may not be as authentic as a rum Mojito, but it’s just as refreshing on a hot summer day.