Faux-groni / Tom Bell Blankenship
As with many of their boozier cousins, the best mocktail recipes have balanced flavor profiles that make alcohol or the absence thereof beside the point.
There are several ways to make satisfying mocktails, and you don’t have to spend a fortune or all day to do it. If you’re eager to stock your home bar, consider these non-alcoholic spirits, beers and wine shops vetted by Wine Enthusiast editors and other industry experts. Options for non-alcoholic spirits abound, and include Seedlip, Lyre’s, Three Spirit and Proteau. A wave of non-alcoholic mixers like Avec and Fresh Victor feature balanced blends of fruits, vegetables and aromatics designed to be served spiked, over ice or straight from the can or bottle.
The non-alcoholic space shows no sign of slowing, either. According to one study, consumer demand for non-alcoholic options was up 60% from July 2020 to 2021.
Ready to start serving up non-alcoholic drinks at home? Grab a glass and fix one of the recipes below.
The Detox Recipe
From the now-shuttered Requin in Fairfax, Virginia comes this crisp vegetal concoction that gets its refreshing salinity from dashes of sea salt. The key to the Detox is to juice your own celery and pineapple. If you don’t have a juicer, use a food processor to blend your produce and then push through a cheesecloth or fine-meshed strainer before adding the other ingredients.
Ingredients
• 1 ounce fresh pineapple juice
• 1 ounce fresh celery juice
• ¾ ounce lime juice
• ½ ounce agave syrup (2 parts agave nectar, 1 part hot water)
• 2 dashes sea salt
• Celery frond and/or pineapple leaves for garnish (optional)
Directions
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine all ingredients except optional garnish. Shake well, and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Add garnish if using.
