Who said non-alcoholic cocktails have to be boring? 5 exciting and complex mocktail recipes

Who said non alcoholic cocktails have to be boring? Non-alcoholic cocktails or as they are commonly referred to “mocktails” don’t have to be overly sugary lacklustre and a “mock” of alcoholic cocktails. Here are 5 non-alcoholic cocktails with complexity and depth.

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“Non-alcoholic cocktails are boring” is something we hear a lot. It's quite annoying, don’t you think? 

Whilst it is true that historically non-alcoholic cocktails are, to put it in a way, unimaginary. These days things in the non-alcoholic world have shifted massively. 

Big changes have been happening right under our noses. Non-alcoholic cocktails used to be a cocktail without the booze. They lacked the simple balance that bartenders learn in cocktail making 101. Take the nojito for example, a non-alcoholic version of the ultimate summer rum cocktail the Mojito.

This is quite the simple drink, you take a glass, mix in some white rum, add a generous squeeze of lime, a little sugar syrup, a handful of mint leaves and top the whole thing of with crushed ice and soda water.

It works because its well balanced. Its quite the citrusy drink, but that sugar and alcohol cuts right through the citrus making harmony in a glass. Once you remove the rum what you’re left with is a very sour drink. Barely drinkable. You have to adjust the ratio of ingredients and find something with the hard-hitting qualities of white rum to cut through that acidity or at least bring down the lime juice.

And yet, there’s no balance, no adjustments, no passion. Bartenders would just remove the rum and serve it how it is.

Those days are coming to an end. With a surge of people choosing to bin the alcohol and go sober, its left brands forced to produce higher quality non-alcoholic products and bartenders to put the same craft they would put into making alcoholic cocktails, in to non-alcoholic cocktails.

I could go on and on about this all day however I’ve already covered this quite a bit in my tips to mindful drinking post.

So instead, lets just jump right in to my 5 non-alcoholic cocktail recipes that have all the complexities and craft as alcoholic cocktails.

Find the best non-alcoholic products

Before we jump into this list. I just wanted to touch on something I mentioned briefly which is brands elevating their craft and creating brilliant non-alcoholic products.

I have previously covered an excessive list of the top non alcoholic brands for both UK and USA delivery and accessibility. From spirits, to aperitifs, wine and beer. All split into brands that deliver to the USA and brands that deliver to the UK. So make sure you check that out first. You can find them below.

5 Complex Non-alcoholic Cocktail Recipes

 

#1 Elevated Espresso

Non alcoholic espresso cocktail recipe

Ingredients

  • 50ml Agar agar clarified espresso

  • 5ml caramel syrup

  • 3 dashes of cacao nib tincture

Method

  1. Add all ingredients to a mixing jar and stir till diluted by 50%

  2. Strain into a chilled brandy glass and enjoy

Agar agar clarification tutorial coming soon…


#2 Rose and Hibiscus tonic 

Non alcoholic rose and hibscus tonic

Ingredients

Method

  1. Fill a rocks glass with ice.

  2. Pour over the syrup and Seedlip and stir to combine

  3. Top with tonic and give a final light stir to combine

  4. Garnish with Hibiscus or rose petals

Full details on this cocktail and how to how to make the rose syrup here


#3 Lychee and lime fizz

Lychee and lime fizz non-alcoholic cocktail recipe

Ingredients

Method

  1. Mix everything apart from the soda in a tall glass filled with ice.

  2. Stir to combine then top with the soda.

  3. Garnish with 3 pineapple leaves, a fresh mint sprig or if you prefer, a slice of grapefruit.

Full details on this non-alcoholic cocktail found here


#4 Tepache highball

Ingredients

Method

  1. Mix everything in a tall glass over ice.

  2. Stir to combine


#5 Tonic smoothie

Ingredients

  • Indian Tonic water

  • 50g Frozen Mixed berries

  • 200ml Apple juice

  • Cubed ice

Method

  1. In a blender, mix the apple juice, frozen berries and a handful of ice.

  2. Blend till a smoothie consistency

  3. Fill a glass 3/4 full with your smoothie then top if of with tonic

  4. Give a stir to combine


Support Smartblend?

If you have enjoyed this guide to non-alcoholic cocktails with a difference then why not check out some more articles here. I also have an Instagram dedicated to mindfulness and functional cocktails which you can find at @mindful_mixologist. The USA non-alcoholic product recommendations are here and the UK product recommendations are here. This blog is a one man show so I appreciate all the support you can give.

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