Mocktails…..anyone have some good, easy favorites!

[Ottakee]

Last week in Italy I enjoyed some very nice non alcoholic  drinks.   I have no issues with casual social drinking but have never been a drinker and with alcoholism super strong in my family, I feel no need to start.

That said, my lemon daiquiri and mojito were very good.   I would love to make some simple nice drinks here at home.   I have also enjoyed non alcoholic margaritas and cherry sours before.

I don’t have any “drink” making stuff but do have a blender and most kitchen basics.

Any favorites?

[Carol in Cal.]

Stupid easy and very good--half purple grape juice and half ginger beer (I use Reed's extra strong) over mini ice in a lowball or martini glass.  Festive, tasty, and you don't have to make a batch of shrub or even a simple syrup.  I also like to drink ice water served the same way, at times--people tend to assume it's vodka, and I just smile.  I've been doing that since college.

[KungFuPanda]

I’ve made a “sangria” with no alcohol. I soak the fruit in juice all day and, when serving, top it with a flavored carbonated water that compliments it.

ds used to watch Rev Runs Sunday Dinners. It was Run DMC cooking with his family. They don’t drink do they always had d as one sort of mocktail or flavored beverage to compliment the meal. 

[Just Kate]

I just had a fun mocktail! Sprite mixed with either orange juice or pineapple juice (or a combo of both), topped with grenadine. Cherries were added to those who wanted them. 

[Ottakee]

Great ideas.

i just made a mojito with sprite, lime juice, slice of lime, and fresh mint leaves.   It is good.  Not quite like drinking it overlooking the water at sunset in Cinque Terre, Italy….but pretty good.

[LuvToRead]

Cranberry juice and Sprite is good together.  I recently made some non-alcoholic pina coladas.   I don't remember exactly how I made them, but I think it was coconut cream, pineapple juice, and ice - blend in a blender.  I've seen recipes that use frozen pineapple chunks in place of the ice.  

[mmasc]

10 hours ago, Ottakee said:

Great ideas.

i just made a mojito with sprite, lime juice, slice of lime, and fresh mint leaves.   It is good.  Not quite like drinking it overlooking the water at sunset in Cinque Terre, Italy….but pretty good.

Mojitos are my favorite cocktail! If you want it to be less sprite-y, try using club soda and adding simple syrup. You can control the sweetness that way too. Also, it’s even better if you muddle your mint leaves first. So add ice to a slim, tall glass. Then add your mint leaves, limes, and simple syrup. Muddle. (Smash the leaves around a bit with the ice and syrup). Then fill the rest of the glass with club soda. Yum!
This is the recipe I use. 
 

ETA: Limes! I forgot to say limes—gotta have those, obviously!!

Edited April 14 by mmasc

[Dmmetler]

13 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

I’ve made a “sangria” with no alcohol. I soak the fruit in juice all day and, when serving, top it with a flavored carbonated water that compliments it.

ds used to watch Rev Runs Sunday Dinners. It was Run DMC cooking with his family. They don’t drink do they always had d as one sort of mocktail or flavored beverage to compliment the meal. 

We made (non-alcoholic) Sangria in a homeschool co-op at one point (the tweens had been doing a cooking class, and it was part of one of the menus they were doing), and when one of the parents mentioned that was what they were doing to her DH, he commented "Boy, this homeschool world is really different...when I was in school, we had to SNEAK alcohol!" 

 

I also often mix fruit juice with carbonated water and drink out of stemmed glasses, and I once had a kid come over, look at my glass, and comment "Hard day?" 

[AmandaVT]

Club soda w/ a splash of cranberry juice and lime wedge is my go-to "drink" when I'm out. 

[Laura Corin]

There are some decent non-gins these days for g&ts.

[Ginevra]

I like 1/2 pomegranate juice and 1/2 seltzer water; coconut lime seltzer is my favorite to mix with this. I drink it out of my grandmother’s 1940’s wine glasses. Makes me feel very fancy and my brain thinks I’m having a glass of wine. 

[Ottakee]

7 minutes ago, Ginevra said:

I like 1/2 pomegranate juice and 1/2 seltzer water; coconut lime seltzer is my favorite to mix with this. I drink it out of my grandmother’s 1940’s wine glasses. Makes me feel very fancy and my brain thinks I’m having a glass of wine. 

How do you make coconut lime seltzer?

[Ginevra]

Just now, Ottakee said:

How do you make coconut lime seltzer?

I just buy them flavored that way. There is a brand called “Sanio” or something like that. Delicious!