6 Mocktails to Sip This Winter—and Beyond

There was a time when alcohol-free beverages were a sad afterthought, but with the advent of ABV-free spirits and non alcoholic wine and beer, bartenders have upped their game. So whether you’re celebrating dry January or simply opting for an alcohol-free lifestyle, these spirit-free libations from scouted businesses across the nation will enable you to imbibe without any ill effects. We’ll raise a glass to that!


Cucumber Basil Gimlet


“The Gimlet is a classic cocktail that often goes under the radar. Adding in cucumber and basil with fresh squeezed lime juice is such a refreshing way to start a meal, celebrate, or sip throughout the night,” explains Jess Ford, owner, chef, and director of operations of Peppercorn Events in River Vale, New Jersey. “No one will miss the gin or vodka this cocktail typically uses, and it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser since you can adjust sweetness based on everyone’s personal preference.” 

Yields 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

  • 6 ounces club soda
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • 2 ounces simple syrup or agave (can be adjusted to taste)
  • 3 basil sprigs
  • ½ cucumber sliced + cucumber ribbon for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a cocktail shaker, muddle basil, cucumber, and lime juice. Add simple syrup and shake. Strain into 4 glasses with ice, top with club soda. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon on a bamboo skewer.

Recipe courtesy of Jess Ford of Peppercorn Events. Peppercorn Events appears in The Scout Guide Bergen County.


Layla’s Lemonade


“Hearth and Hill has featured mocktails on our menu since we opened four years ago. The original four are named after our dogs (this one included),” shares Brooks Kirchheimer, co-founder of Hearth and Hill in Park City, Utah. “Mocktails offer our guests the opportunity to enjoy a handcrafted beverage without the alcohol, and the option to always add in a spirit if they would like!”

Yields 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 ounces strawberry puree
  • 6 ounces lemonade
  • 2 ounces soda water
  • Basil seeds for garnish
  • Lemon wheel for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix the strawberry puree and lemonade in a cocktail shaker. Pour over ice in a pint glass and top with soda water. Garnish with basil seeds and a lemon wheel.

Recipe courtesy of Brooks Kirchheimer of Hearth and Hill. Hearth and Hill is featured in The Scout Guide Park City.


Photography courtesy of The Aerobar.


Blackberry Spritz


“We spend as much time and attention to detail crafting our mocktails, as we do with our cocktails,” says Jordan Pruitt Fuente, owner of The Aero Bar in Nashville, Tennessee. “We always want to make sure each of our clients feel as though they have delicious drink options, whether it be dry January or just another day.”

Yields 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 ounce of blackberry simple syrup
  • Fresh muddled jalapeño (to taste)
  • 1 ounce of lime juice
  • 3 ounces of club soda 
  • Garnish with a fresh blackberries

INSTRUCTIONS:

Stir blackberry simple syrup, muddled jalapeño, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Pour into a serving glass with ice and top with club soda. Garnish with fresh blackberries.

Recipe courtesy of Jordan Pruitt Fuente of The Aero Bar. The Aero Bar appears in The Scout Guide Nashville.


Pattaya Pearl


“Pattaya Pearl is a mocktail that has Thai influences—thanks to the curry and cardamom syrup— that are in perfect harmony with the flavor of coconut,” says Brittney Gaudet, assistant food and beverage director of The Hive in Bentonville, Arkansas. “It’s a light and refreshing drink that has an understated note of curry leaves with a burst of citrus from the lime zest.” 

Yields 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

For the curry simple syrup

  • 1 quart of water
  • 8 ½ grams curry leaves
  • 5 whole, untoasted cardamom pods
  • 2 cups of sugar

For the cocktail

  • 2 ounces pressed coconut water
  • 1 ½ ounces curry simple syrup
  • 1 ounce of coconut milk beverage
  • ¼ ounces fresh lime juice
  • Club soda
  • Lime zest for garnish
  • Curry leaf stalk for garnish
  • Cinnamon for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the curry simple syrup

Bring the curry leaves and cardamom to a boil at 250 degrees, boil 8 minutes, add sugar, let simmer at 230 degrees for 25 minutes.

For the cocktail

Combine pressed coconut water, curry simple syrup, coconut milk, and fresh lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a serving glass with ice and top with club soda. Dash cinnamon over top, along with a generous amount of lime zest.

Recipe courtesy of Brittney Gaudet of The Hive. The Hive appears in The Scout Guide Northwest Arkansas.


Photography courtesy of The Hope Farm.


Yucatan Lines


“This mocktail screams tropical getaway. We keep it on the menu year-round so our guests have the option to either enjoy it in the sun or sip on it for a mental getaway in the colder months,” explains Lawren Reaves, chief marketing officer and business development at The Hope Farm in Fairhope, Alabama.

Yields 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 ½ ounce mango purée 
  • 1 ounce tepache de pina (pineapple-flavored fermented beverage)
  • 1 ounce simple syrup
  • ½ ounce passionfruit purée
  • ½ ounce lemon juice
  • Tajin Rim 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine mango purée, tepache de pina, simple syrup, passionfruit purée, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Shake all ingredients together and strain into a Collins glass with a Tajin rim.

Recipe courtesy of Lawren Reaves of The Hope Farm. The Hope Farm appears in The Scout Guide Mobile Bay.


Winter Rose


“This recipe sprung from a popular cocktail we’ve had on our menu in the past. We kept getting requests for mocktails and this one is so full of flavor I knew with a few ingredient adjustments it would work wonderfully,” shares Art Tippetts, beverage director of Blue Collar Restaurant Group in Bozeman, Montana. “It’s fairly simple and people will have the ingredients on hand most of the time.” 

Yields 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

For the rosemary simple syrup

  • 2 whole rosemary sprigs
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar

For the cocktail:

  • 1 ounce fresh lime juice
  • ¾ ounce rosemary simple syrup
  • ½ ounce cranberry juice
  • Sparkling water
  • Frozen cranberries for garnish
  • Rosemary sprig for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the rosemary simple syrup

Steep 2 whole rosemary sprigs in 1 cup of hot water for about 10 minutes, remove the sprigs and stir in 1 cup of sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. 

For the cocktail

To assemble the cocktail, pour the fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and cranberry juice into a cocktail shaker. Stir or shake all the ingredients with ice for 10-15 seconds, then strain into a fresh glass filled with ice, top with sparkling water and drop 3-4 cranberries and 1 rosemary sprig for garnish.

Recipe courtesy of Art Tippetts of Blue Collar Restaurant Group. The Blue Collar Restaurant Group appears in The Scout Guide Bozeman.

Feature photo by Marilyn Lamanna.