As we approach the halfway point of January, don’t let boredom set in! These nonalcoholic drinks bring full flavor and feel-good vibes.
The Stipe
from RBF, Your Authentic Champagne Bar
handful of blackberries
several sprigs fresh rosemary
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon simple syrup
¼ cup ginger beer
1 cup sparkling water
Muddle the blackberries, leaves from one rosemary sprig, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Strain into a glass. Top with ginger beer and sparkling water. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
Mild Green
from Brewery Bhavana
1 ½ ounces cilantro syrup
1 ½ ounces lime juice
1 ½ ounces coconut water
5 mint leaves
3 slices of cucumber
tonic water
In a shaker, combine all ingredients except tonic water. Add ice and shake. Pour into a tall tumbler glass and top with tonic water. Garnish with mint leaf, cucumber slice, and lime wedge.
For cilantro syrup: Heat equal parts sugar and water, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add a bunch of fresh cilantro (leaves and stems). Steep until cooled, strain through a fine-mesh strainer, and chill.
Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy
from Fox Liquor Bar
¾ ounce lemongrass syrup
1 ½ ounce Seedlip Garden 108 spirit-free gin
½ ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
soda water
fresh rosemary sprig
Combine lemongrass syrup, gin, and lemon juice in a shaker tin with ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass. Top with soda water and garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig!
For lemongrass syrup: Boil 4 cups water. Add 5–6 sticks of lemongrass (substitute ¼ cup tea leaves if you can’t find fresh) and simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain, add 4 cups of sugar, and let chill.
Rosemary Riviera
from Artful Libations
4 ounces fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
½ ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce rosemary syrup
optional: 1 ¼ ounces vodka
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake for 20 seconds, and strain into your favorite glass (we LOVE a coupe!). Garnish with a fresh or dehydrated grapefruit slice and a rosemary sprig.
For rosemary syrup: Combine equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir, and add a fresh rosemary sprig. Steep for 30 minutes. Strain.
Electric Grove
from Crawford and Son
1 ¼ ounces Seedlip Grove 42 (a distilled nonalcoholic spirit with flavors of ginger, mandarin, blood orange, and lemongrass; order directly online or from Amazon)
1 ounce fresh pineapple juice
¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce turmeric-ginger cordial (see recipe below)
1 teaspoon lemon curd (homemade or store-bought)
fresh mint
Begin by adding the lemon curd to your shaking tin, following with the rest of the liquid ingredients. Add 2-3 ice cubes and whip the cocktail for several seconds to incorporate the lemon curd into the drink while dissolving the ice and frothing the pineapple juice. Pour the mixture into a rocks glass and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with a bouquet of mint crowns. Enjoy!
Turmeric-Ginger Cordial:
(Note: This recipe can be scaled down.)
1 cup roughly chopped turmeric root
½ cup roughly chopped ginger root
¼ cup red miso paste
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon citric acid
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
Add all of the listed ingredients, except for the sugar, into a blender. Blend on low/medium speed, letting the turmeric and ginger pulverize until the mixture is evenly blended. The mixture will take on a bright orange color. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and add the sugar. Cook on medium heat, letting the sugar dissolve completely. Simmer for 15 minutes. Finish by cooling the mixture and straining through a cheesecloth-lined sieve or any strainer you may have handy.
