This lineup of alcohol-free drinksâokay, fine, mocktail recipesâoffers a colorful, creative route to festive zero-proof beverages. The boring old standards such as cranberry and apple juice, iced tea (although, to be fair, agua de jamaica is worth ordering a pound of dried hibiscus for), and even bitters and soda are out; these next-level nonalcoholic drink recipes are in.
Now, letâs deal with nomenclature for a moment. Bartender Julia Momosé votes to get rid of the word âmocktail,â arguing in her 2017 manifesto that âspiritfreeâ is a name âmore befitting the care and the skill that goes into creating the beverage.â Since then, there have been many hot takes and think pieces on the topic, as well as awkward stabs at trying to come up with something new. (Writer Camper English has been cataloging them.) Then, earlier this year, cocktail book author John deBary said to call off the whole âmocktailâ cancellation and get over ourselves. So thatâs what weâre going to doâbut, we agree that âvirginâ is, as deBary so eloquently put it, âweird,â so maybe youâve seen recipes for virgin piña coladas (or margaritas or mojitos or sangrias) trending elsewhere, but you wonât find any here. And thatâs that on that.
On to the drinks themselves, because our best mocktail recipes are delicious, thoroughly adult, and a serious upgrade from what youâre used to thinking of as a nonalcoholic alternative.
