Mocktails and non-alcoholic (non-alc or NA) drinks are ubiquitous in bars and restaurants, catering to a clientele on the lookout for a fun night out without alcohol. And while there are a number of NA spirits, wines, beers and other beverages in the marketplace, you do not all the time need artificial alcohol to make a fantastic non-alcoholic drink.
If you are at a bar that does not have a mocktail menu, wish to keep it easy, or wish to subtly communicate that you simply’re not drinking, these drinks appeal to a big selection of tastes and may also help ease the anxiety of ordering when the bartender asks what you are drinking. Keep these orders in mind for quick, easy, and not-too-expensive mocktails that any bartender could make.
Bitter and soda
Bitters and soda is a two-ingredient drink available at any bar in America. It’s a refreshing mocktail with a touch of bitterness that makes drinking through a straw enjoyable and slow. Typically, the drink is vivid orange, a fun shade, and could be flavored with citrus and even mint or other garnishes. If you would like something sweeter, go for tonic and bitters. Technically, bitters contain a small amount of alcohol, so little that there isn’t a age restriction for purchasing them, but some who avoid alcohol entirely may not wish to drink bitters.
lemonade
Any bar that serves cocktails can mix a lemonade with lemon juice, easy syrup and water. Some even have lemonade available for other drinks on the menu. Order it over ice for a hydrating drink and do not forget to request a lemon garnish. Lemonade is commonly an option too.
Shaken cranberry juice
Cranberry juice shaken with ice becomes cold and frothy and has a beautiful pink color when served in a martini glass. Garnished with a lime, it looks almost exactly like a Cosmopolitan and is actually chic to carry and sip.
Virgin Mojito
A mojito without rum? Groundbreaking! This drink requires minimal effort to make and is as refreshing as a mojito, but without the alcohol. To make it, bartenders mash fresh mint leaves with sugar and add lime juice, easy syrup and soda water. It’s quick, easy and appears identical to the normal cocktail. Caribbean drinks just like the mojito lend themselves well to being made without alcohol because they sometimes contain some sweetness and acidity from citrus fruits. Frozen piña coladas can often be ordered without rum, as can frozen margaritas and daiquiris.
Shirley Temple
Make any drinker jealous by ordering a Shirley Temple, perhaps the very best mocktail ever. It’s sweet, vivid red, and served with a treat on top. If you do not like a lot sugar, order a Shirley with soda water, or with half Sprite, half soda water for a less sweet tackle the child’s cocktail.