How to Make a Mocktail
Spindrift sparkling water is made with real fruit and tastes light, bright, and totally delicious on its own. But, if you’re like us, you love to get creative with your favorites. Over the years, we’ve found that you can make just about any drink a little better by adding Spindrift to the mix.
We love the recent interest in mindful drinking, mocktails and non-alcoholic beverages, and low-ABV drinks like Spindrift Spiked. It allows us to get creative with ingredients and let taste lead - something we’re all about. For years, we’ve explored all the best ways to make a delicious mocktail so we wanted to share our findings with you.
What is a Mocktail?
A mocktail is a fancy word for a non-alcoholic drink - often a specific rendition of a famous cocktail recipe made without any alcohol. When a mocktail version is made of a known cocktail like a pina colada or daiquiri, you might hear them referred to as a “virgin piña colada” or “virgin daiquiri.” But with the recent increase in conversations about mindful drinking, “dry January” or “damp January,” and more - mocktails have become so much than just a virgin cocktail these days! Our favorite mocktails are delicious, attractive, and worthy of fancy glasses. Something you want to share with everyone at your event or around the table.
3 Tips for Making the Perfect Mocktail
When you’re equipped with the right ingredients and steps for making a delicious mocktail, it’s a win-win for whoever is in the crowd.
Here are 3 tips to take a mocktail from so-so to seriously good:
- Use fresh, real ingredients
- Using especially seeded fruit like berries? Macerate these before through a fine mesh sieve so you don’t have seeds in your final mocktail.
- Set aside some fruit slices or herb sprigs for garnishing (see our bonus tip below)
- If you don’t have fresh berries, frozen berries work great and double as ice!
- If you don’t have a muddler, simply use the handle of a wooden spoon.
Once the sugar has dissolved, let the mixture cool, and stir occasionally. Then strain the syrup into a bottle or jar. Add a splash to your favorite mocktails and store the rest. Your simple syrup will last up to 1 month in the fridge
Bonus Tip: Add some garnish
Garnish is an easy way to elevate the look and feel of any mocktail. Depending on the flavors in your mocktail, some fun garnish options may include herbs, citrus wheels or peels, fresh berries, or a sugar or salted rim.
How Do You Make a Mocktail?
Mocktails are quick and fun to make – and are really easy to customize using your own flavor preferences. But here’s a good base recipe if you’re looking for something to start with.
Ingredients:
- Ice
- 1 can of Spindrift sparkling water (you choose the flavor!)
- 0.5 oz. simple syrup
- 1 oz. fresh squeezed citrus juice (lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange)
- Garnish with fresh or frozen fruit, slices of citrus or sprig of herbs
Directions:
- In a cocktail shaker, add the simple syrup, citrus juice, and ice
- Shake for about 0:30 until cold and strain into a glass filled with fresh ice
- Fill to the top of your glass flavored sparkling water. (We love Spindrift Lime or Lemon)
- Add garnish, if using
When it comes to making and serving mocktails, the options are endless. And if some of your guests are looking for a low-ABV version, remember: any good mocktail can easily be made into a good cocktail (just add your favorite spirit).
Try one of our recipes or create your own from scratch using the tips above. Be sure to share your Spindrift mocktail creations with us! We always love seeing what you’re up to and how you’re using our products.
And if you’re looking for a low-ABV version of the Spindrift experience, check out Spindrift Spiked, our clean twist on hard seltzer. It’s Spindrift, Spiked with 4% ABV from fermented cane sugar.
“Convinced @drinkspindrift Lime is what limes would want their seltzer to taste like.”
Zach C.
And we’re still just getting started. Join us in making every beverage a positive force of nature.