Non-alcoholic cocktails for adults

[Will]

In Australia, Lemon, Lime Bitters is a local classic and a really excellent mocktail.

If it has bitters, it doesn't meet many people's definition of non-alcoholic. It will work for people who just want to avoid driving drunk, or don't feel like drinking, but probably not for recovering alcoholics.

Edited July 7, 2011 by Will (log)

[Will]

I think there's definitely a shortage of good non-alcoholic drinks that are balanced / not overly sweet.

Haven't tried this one, but it sounds kind of interesting:

http://www.chow.com/galleries/149/nonalcoholic-cocktails/2363/little-pink-pearl

A local place makes a "ginger ale" which is a bit more like a lime ginger soda, with a strong ginger kick (juiced ginger, I think, not just ginger syrup). I think it's just lime, simple syrup, ginger juice, topped with club soda, in a highball glass with ice (preferably a single thin, tall block). Works well with lemon (Meyer or Eureka) too.

[Mjx]

I'm on board with non-alcoholic drinks for adults, but I don't see the point of calling them 'cocktails'... what's wrong with 'drink', even if they contain ingredients that are often used in cocktails?

[Will]

I'm on board with non-alcoholic drinks for adults, but I don't see the point of calling them 'cocktails'... what's wrong with 'drink', even if they contain ingredients that are often used in cocktails?

That's true, but the same could be said about many alcoholic drinks also if you really want to be a purist about it.

And, at the least, I can live with "non-alcoholic 'cocktail'" if it means I don't have to hear "mocktail".

[Shalmanese]

In Australia, Lemon, Lime Bitters is a local classic and a really excellent mocktail.

If it has bitters, it doesn't meet many people's definition of non-alcoholic. It will work for people who just want to avoid driving drunk, or don't feel like drinking, but probably not for recovering alcoholics.

By my calculations, it would come out to 0.1% alcohol which means you'd have to drink 50 of them to get the same effect as a single beer. Hardly a risk for recovering alcoholics, IMHO.

[Will]

By my calculations, it would come out to 0.1% alcohol which means you'd have to drink 50 of them to get the same effect as a single beer. Hardly a risk for recovering alcoholics, IMHO.

It's not that you'd run the risk of getting drunk from it. But folks in 12 step programs such as AA are supposed to abstain from alcohol, often even in cases where it's being cooked with, or is present only in small amounts. I think the point is not so much that it would get you drunk, but that it might cause someone to relapse.

And, this thread is about "adults", so probably not an issue in this case, but I believe you also couldn't serve a drink containing bitters to someone under 21.

Again, I'm not saying this would be in issue in many cases, but it's something to keep in mind -- it may not be much, but it's still technically not a "non-alcoholic" drink, any more than kombucha or non-alcoholic beer is.

Edited July 8, 2011 by Will (log)

[suzilightning]

Woke up this morning craving

 

A.  a diet Dr. Pepper

OR

B.  grapefruit juice with lime seltzer

 

I had neither soda nor grapefruit juice in the house.  Picked up some pink grapefruit juice, mixed it with some grenadine then topped with some lime seltzer. 

[PassionateAmateur]

I wanted some OJ but was out of oranges.  Mixed some passionfruit puree leftover from a baking project with a little cinnamon simple syrup and seltzer.  A winner.

[suzilightning]

love the new flavored seltzers and now will start to try to work with making some home made ones I believe.  Love ginger and pomegranate and some spicy things......

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

A liter iSi is wonderful for carbonating beverages.

 

[blue_dolphin]

I've enjoying using some of the shrubs I've made recently, topped off with sparkling water.   I find they can share the combination of fruit plus palate-cleansing acidity that I appreciate in many wines.  

[ananth]

I found those recipes a few weeks ago

https://www.supercall.com/recipe/salted-rosemary-paloma

https://www.supercall.com/recipe/this-mocktail-features-turmeric-cilantro-and-pineapple

they seem quite interesting, really need to try them

[suzilightning]

1 hour ago, ananth said:

I found those recipes a few weeks ago

https://www.supercall.com/recipe/salted-rosemary-paloma

https://www.supercall.com/recipe/this-mocktail-features-turmeric-cilantro-and-pineapple

they seem quite interesting, really need to try them

The second one looks very interesting but unfortunately I am one of that minority to whom too much cilantro makes my mouth taste like it was washed with soap.  This looks like it may be just below that threshold and I adore pineapple and turmeric.  Thanks!!

[ananth]

if you have others recipes, do not hesitate to post them

 

I posted on the 'fancy mocktails' thread one year ago but didn't get any answer

 

maybe I'll try it here :

 

Quote

Hello everyone

I would like to try some mocktail recipes, nothing complex, just to have fun with different kind of syrups.

 

How would you proceed for a "non-alcoholic sour" ?

I guess it has to be topped with soda water/tonic water or ginger ale, collins glass then. Let’s call it non-alcoholic fizz or Collins then

 

How to make the drink?

The first time I tried something like this, I shook 1 oz of lemon juice and 1 oz of simple syrup like I would shake a normal cocktail. Even if it is obvious, I didn't think at the moment that a good part of the liquid would freeze. I felt kinda stupid when I tried to strain it.

So what is the best option?

-          Build the drink? I’ve read that carbonation naturally mixes the drink but does it really mix well if it contains citrus?

-          or shake the drink with fewer (one or two) ice cube like bartenders from Death & Co do for a Mai Tai for instance. The aim is not dilution here but merely to combine citrus and sugar.

 

Shaking it seems to be more efficient but if building it is enough to make a decent drink, I would gladly do that.

 

What about ratio? Basically for a sour, the ratio is 2:0,75;0,75 (sugar can be reduced to 0,5).

When no alcohol is used, is there a ratio we can use for having a good balance ? 1 of citrus and 0,75 of sugar maybe?

In a Collins glass (10oz), that would allow room for 4 oz of whatever carbonated liquid we want to add. But again, top the drink with 4 oz of soda water and 4 oz of ginger ale will not have the same balance so I guess that amount of syrup need to be adjusted in consequence. It is harder than it looks

 

any advice?

 

[blue_dolphin]

Yesterday, I mixed up a new batch of coriander syrup for Dave Arnold's Cliff Old Fashioned from Liquid Intelligence and decided to try the coriander soda that he also describes in the book. 

For the soda, he recommends using ~ 20% less coriander in the syrup and mixing with 4 parts water.  I made the full strength syrup and added 5 parts water before carbonating.  Served with a generous squeeze of lime. 

Sort of a coriander version of ginger beer or ginger ale.  I'd be very happy with this as a non-alcoholic cocktail.

The syrup is made like so: 125 g coriander seeds + 550g water blended for a few sec to break up all the seeds, transfer to a pan with 500g sugar + 5g salt and heat to a simmer.  Remove from heat, add 10 g crushed red pepper, let sit a few min, tasting often and strain when it gets a pleasant heat in the back of your throat.

Edited December 17, 2017 by blue_dolphin (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I am minded that Charles H. Baker Jr. devotes a chapter to one dozen temperance delights.

 

[BooBear]

I take medication so I can't drink anything with alcohol. I love Virgin Pina Coladas, and I'm wondering if there are other drinks that taste really good with no alcohol. Please post the names of the drinks below.

[heidih]

NA drinks AKA "Mocktails" are all over the internet. Sweet stuff like the Pina Colada - not at all my thing but peruse list https://www.seriouseats.com/non-alcoholic-recipes-5117842  and we have existing topics here like  https://forums.egullet.org/topic/116717-non-alcoholic-cocktails-for-adults/

 

Edited March 23, 2022 by heidih (log)

[BooBear]

Thanks for the links.

[JAZ]

Some years back, I needed a few non-alcoholic cocktail recipes for an event, and came up with these:

The Faux Margarita

1-1/4 oz chipotle orange syrup (recipe below)

2 oz lime juice

1/4 oz grapefruit juice

1 oz water

Shake over ice and strain into chilled, salt-rimmed glass. Or pour over ice if desired.

Chipotle orange syrup

Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add 1 dried chipotle pepper and 2 strips orange peel. Cover and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (liquid should be slightly spicy but not overtly hot). Strain out the pepper and orange and add ¾ cup sugar. Bring back to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool.

Twisted Mojito

1-1/2 oz jalapeno mint syrup (recipe below)

2 oz lime juice

3 oz club soda or seltzer

Shake the syrup and lime juice over ice. Pour into an ice-filled hurricane or tall glass and top with club soda.

Jalapeno Mint Syrup

Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add 2-3 sliced jalapeno peppers and leaves from one small bunch mint. Cover and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (liquid should be slightly spicy but not overtly hot). Strain out the peppers and mint and add 1 cup sugar. Bring back to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool.

 

These days, when I want something tasty but non-alcoholic, I tend toward fresh citrus juice (orange and grapefruit are my favorites) with tonic water (I use Fever Tree) and a big splash of Angostura bitters. The bitters do contain alcohol, although you add so little, it's not much. If you can't have any alcohol at all, you can use Fee Brothers brand bitters, which as far as I know are non-alcoholic. Their Aromatic Old Fashion bitters is pretty close to Angostura.

 

Also, unlike back then, today there are quite a few non-alcoholic "spirits" such as Seedlip and bottled or canned non-alcoholic cocktails like Curious Elixer and Kin Euphorics. I haven't tried any of these, but they get good reviews.

[paulraphael]

I'd think there'd be a lot of attention in this space ... not just "mocktails," but whole new creations built around the flavors of delicious ingredients. No need to try to simulate the flavor of booze. 

 

I gather this is what soda fountains were about back in the day. Modern things like coke and root beer are probably sad industrial incarnations of things people used to craft with infusions and fresh-squeezed juices and who knows what else. 

 

I hope this tuns into a whole new culinary category and not just the sad-sack options for people who can't imbibe.

[heidih]

1 hour ago, paulraphael said:

I hope this tuns into a whole new culinary category and not just the sad-sack options for people who can't imbibe.

There are many cultures especially in warmer climates  with long traditions. On a hot day I get a craving for the cantaloupe Agua Fresca from the fish place near my old office. Our @Panaderia Canadiense shared this incrdible beverage https://forums.egullet.org/topic/119376-herbal-teastisanes-what-are-your-favorites/?do=findComment&comment=1823988  I had a thing with citrus bossom infusions for a while, and kombucha is certainly around. I think in the food dehydrator topic a member has shown her? citrus slices used in drinks, I am also a huge jamaica (hibiscus) fan and sorrel drinks from the Islands are longstanding.  https://www.seriouseats.com/jamaican-sorrel-hibiscus-drink Nothing new - just how portrayed/marketed

ETA: my preggers drink when trapped in Vegas casinos and something I enjoy years later is club soda, squeeze of lime and a few drops of Angostura bitters 

 

Edited March 28, 2022 by heidih (log)

[cdh]

Does anybody have any experience with Seedlip and its relatives in the non-alcoholic but distilled genre?  The idea seems interesting, but I've not taken the plunge because I can't imagine them having any body or mouthfeel... Clarified herbal teas are unappealing. 

[btbyrd]

The Aviary's book "Zero" focuses on alcohol free cocktails, as does Salway and Water's book "Redemption Bar (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)." 

[TdeV]

Don't seem to be able to look inside Redemption Bar, @btbyrd

Edited March 29, 2022 by TdeV (log)