Gatorade Cool Blue

Gatorade Cool Blue is a non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink sports beverage. It's stocked in the mixers aisle because its bright blue color and sweet, fruit-forward flavor make it a handy ingredient for colorful drinks. The label doesn't give a flavor description, but Cool Blue-style drinks usually taste like blue raspberry with a light citrus edge, mildly tart and fairly sweet, with a faint saltiness in the finish typical of the sports-drink category. Expect a smooth, still (not carbonated) drink with a clean, candy-like fruit character. Served on its own, it's best cold, straight from the fridge or over a generous amount of ice. Dilution softens the sweetness, and a wedge of lime or lemon adds some acidity. A tall highball or a large tumbler packed with ice works well for either neat or mixed pours. As a mixer, it suits simple two- or three-part drinks where the color is part of the appeal. Vodka and white rum are the usual choices because they leave the blue untouched. A common ratio is about one part spirit to three or four parts Cool Blue over ice, finished with a splash of lemon-lime soda for fizz or a squeeze of fresh citrus to cut the sweetness. It also works in a batch punch bowl or in frozen drinks, where the sugar helps the texture. Clear spirits with a neutral flavor give the cleanest result, and a heavily botanical gin or an aged spirit will compete with the fruit. On the food side, it goes best with salty, casual snacks such as pretzels, popcorn, chips, and pizza. The sweetness balances the salt and grease.