5 Easy Non-Alcoholic Drinks To Try
Making a non-alcoholic drink is as simple as making an alcoholic drink, if not simpler. We recommend treating alcohol alternatives like alcoholic drinks and mixing them in the same proportion. Non-alcoholic drinks are even better since you can enjoy them neat without fear of dehydration and subsequent problems.
If you don't know how to make a non-alcoholic drink, we are here to help you with basic guidelines and recipes. Remember–you can be as creative as you want with non-alcoholic drinks. There's no reason to stick to the letter of the recipes since your creativity might result in even better drinks.
Basic principles of non-alcoholic drinks
Not all spirit alternatives are the same. Some emulate the taste and feel of traditional spirits, while others create their own unique flavors. There is no shortage of options in the market.
As with alcoholic drinks, not all combinations work with every type of liquor. If you don't know where to start, follow the recipes we share below. Once you have a good understanding of what goes with which drink, you'll be able to craft great mocktails with ease. Let's look at some recipes and learn how to make non-alcoholic drinks.
Making a non-alcoholic drink
Mango Mule
A Mango Mule is great for the summer when you want something chilled and refreshing. Making this drink is also easy. All you need are five ingredients, and you'd be good to go. It's a great recipe that doesn't require spirit alternatives.
Ingredients
- Cucumber - 4 to 5 slices
- Honey Syrup - 1 oz.
- Mango purée - 1.5 oz.
- Ginger beer - 1.5 oz.
- Fresh lime juice - 1.5 oz.
- Ice
Once you have gathered the ingredients, making a Mango Mule is simple.
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the cucumber along with the honey syrup at the bottom.
- Shake the mango purée and fresh lime juice vigorously with the cucumber and honey.
- Add ice and continue shaking vigorously.
- Pour into a cocktail glass.
- Top off with ginger beer.
Making a Mango Mule is simple. To make the most of it, ensure that your mango purée is fresh and the ginger beer has a great punch.
Magic Apple
If you are an apple lover, this drink is for you. For this, we'll use Ritual Whiskey Alternative. As you may know, Ritual makes some of the best alcohol alternatives in the world.
Ingredients
- Ritual Whiskey Alternative - 2 oz.
- Apple cider - 2 oz.
- 2 dashes bitters
- 1 cinnamon stick
- A few apple slices
Combine all ingredients in a tall glass over ice and stir. Garnish with apple slices and a cinnamon stick. That's it! your Magic Apple zero alcohol drink is ready.
Virgin mojito
Virgin mojitos are among the most common non-alcoholic drinks for all seasons. To make things even better, you only need five ingredients.
- Sugar - 1 tbsp.
- Bunch of mint leaves
- Juice of 3 limes
- Alcohol-free vodka or botanical spirit of your choice
- Ice
- Muddle the mint leaves, sugar, and a little lime juice at the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Add the spirit alternative, lime juice, and ice.
- Shake to combine and pour into a cocktail glass.
- Garnish or add a straw and enjoy!
This drink can be made with several spirit alternatives. Damrak is a great option or Bax Botanics Verbena.
Passion fruit martini
If you love martinis but want to stay away from alcohol, this is the drink for you. It's an intricate drink that requires several ingredients, but it's well worth the effort.
Ingredients
- Passion fruits - 3 halved
- Egg white - 1
- Zero alcohol spirit - 100 ml
- Ice
- Sparkling grapefruit juice
- Juice of one lemon
Scoop out the passion fruit pulp and place it in a shaker along with the egg white, non-alcoholic spirit, and lemon juice.
- Shake vigorously until the mixture is frothy and well mixed.
- Add ice and continue shaking until the shaker feels cold and the ice is well-spread.
- Strain into a martini glass.
- Top with grapefruit juice and add a few slices of passion fruit.
Your passion fruit martini is ready.
Grapefruit gin sour mocktail
A grapefruit gin sour mocktail is the perfect non-alcoholic drink for gin lovers. To get this right, make sure you have a premium zero alcohol gin like those from Ceder's and Lyre's. The quality of your gin will have a direct bearing on the quality of your grapefruit gin sour mocktail.
Ingredients
- Juice of half a grapefruit
- Zest strips - 2
- Non-alcoholic gin - 1.5 - 2 oz.
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Egg white - 1
- Ice
- Place grapefruit juice, NA gin, lemon juice, and egg white in a cocktail shaker.
- Shake vigorously to froth the egg white.
- Add ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a cocktail glass with fresh ice.
- Garnish with a strip of grapefruit zest.
With these simple steps, your grapefruit gin sour mocktail is good to go.
Conclusion
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, making non-alcoholic drinks is a lot of fun. Remember--there are no fixed rules for zero alcohol drinks. Try different combinations and you'll learn. If you'd rather play it safe, try one of our recipes and let us know how you like them.