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I would like the virgin version of some drinks. I stopped drinking some time ago. I have nobody to drink with and now when I have alcohol it goes right through me like a pipe. Anyway for summer mixed drinks would be fun. I remember a friend ordering a virgin mojito and I tasted it and couldn't tell (maybe because I was also drinking a margarita). Hopefully this will land me some must have ideas.
The easiest virgin drinks are soda water + homemade syrup. Summer is a great time to make a syrup. Grab your favorite fruits, some sugar (or honey or maple syrup), lemon/lime/yuzu juice, and blend it up with enough water so it is thin enough to mix. Then mix to taste with bubbly water. Melons, berries, and stone fruits all work great for this. You can also add other flavorings: herbs like mint, basil, and even cilantro. Also ginger is a great thing to add to one of these syrups.
If you want a really fun combo - try peaches/nectarine/apricots (peel them for the most attractive color), crushed ginger, basil, and lime - blend this up into a syrup. Honey is really nice in this combo. And mix with soda water! This is delicious!
If you are OK have a little bit of alcohol, I would recommend buying some bitters to adds some balance and interesting flavors. I like bitters in soda water. Technically bitters are mostly alcohol, but even if you go crazy and add 10 drops - it is not going to impact you, so I'd recommend it for some interesting beverages. I keep a citrus, vanilla, and chocolate around.
Lastly, you can get tonic syrup. This is alcohol free. I like th Jack Ruby Elderflower one. Mix with sparkling water, and a little lemon or some bitters. It is really yummy. But I also like tonic.
When I was traveling, I had a variation of a beverage called "bitter lemon." It was basically tonic water with lemonade. Really refreshing.
Lastly make fancy citrus juice. Squeeze lemons, limes, oranges, or grapefruits.
Make a syrup out of just herbs or ginger. I like the idea or ginger, basil, mint, lavender syrups. Also you can make some with rose water or orange blossom water. Play around with the sugars as well - brown sugar vs raw sugar vs honey vs maple syrup vs date syrup will give you a wildly different effect.
Mix the citrus + soda water + your favorite special syrup. And you'll have a delicious combo.
FYI: a take on a virgin mojito is basically mint syrup + lime juice + soda water. Virgin Pina colada = pineapple juice + coconut milk/cream (and maybe some lime for good measure).
If you want to emulate more cocktail techniques - practice muddling your herbs and/or citrus fruit with some sugar. Or muddle a melon into some soda water. And don't forget the garnishes - cut citrus, a piece of fruit or even a cherry!
Hope these ideas help. I haven't seem many virgin cocktails that do not skew fruity or sweet.
The easiest virgin drinks are soda water + homemade syrup. Summer is a great time to make a syrup. Grab your favorite fruits, some sugar (or honey or maple syrup), lemon/lime/yuzu juice, and blend it up with enough water so it is thin enough to mix. Then mix to taste with bubbly water. Melons, berries, and stone fruits all work great for this. You can also add other flavorings: herbs like mint, basil, and even cilantro. Also ginger is a great thing to add to one of these syrups.
If you want a really fun combo - try peaches/nectarine/apricots (peel them for the most attractive color), crushed ginger, basil, and lime - blend this up into a syrup. Honey is really nice in this combo. And mix with soda water! This is delicious!
If you are OK have a little bit of alcohol, I would recommend buying some bitters to adds some balance and interesting flavors. I like bitters in soda water. Technically bitters are mostly alcohol, but even if you go crazy and add 10 drops - it is not going to impact you, so I'd recommend it for some interesting beverages. I keep a citrus, vanilla, and chocolate around.
Lastly, you can get tonic syrup. This is alcohol free. I like th Jack Ruby Elderflower one. Mix with sparkling water, and a little lemon or some bitters. It is really yummy. But I also like tonic.
When I was traveling, I had a variation of a beverage called "bitter lemon." It was basically tonic water with lemonade. Really refreshing.
Lastly make fancy citrus juice. Squeeze lemons, limes, oranges, or grapefruits.
Make a syrup out of just herbs or ginger. I like the idea or ginger, basil, mint, lavender syrups. Also you can make some with rose water or orange blossom water. Play around with the sugars as well - brown sugar vs raw sugar vs honey vs maple syrup vs date syrup will give you a wildly different effect.
Mix the citrus + soda water + your favorite special syrup. And you'll have a delicious combo.
FYI: a take on a virgin mojito is basically mint syrup + lime juice + soda water. Virgin Pina colada = pineapple juice + coconut milk/cream (and maybe some lime for good measure).
If you want to emulate more cocktail techniques - practice muddling your herbs and/or citrus fruit with some sugar. Or muddle a melon into some soda water. And don't forget the garnishes - cut citrus, a piece of fruit or even a cherry!
Hope these ideas help. I haven't seem many virgin cocktails that do not skew fruity or sweet.
I have questions.
The difference between soda water, tonic, sparkling water , etc
How do you muddle
What is yuzu juice...sounds delicious
I appreciate the detail thanks
I have questions.
The difference between soda water, tonic, sparkling water , etc
How do you muddle
What is yuzu juice...sounds delicious
I appreciate the detail thanks
soda water = sparkling water. Club soda is also similar but it has extra minerals in chemical form (vs from the water source like in mineral water)
Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit that tastes like lemon/lime/tangerine. We don't usually get them fresh here, but you can buy the juice from a myriad of sources (online or at an Asian market). I use it for dressings, marinades and in beverages.
Muddling is just crushing stuff in your glass. Get a tall glass and a heavy spoon or spatula. You lightly bruise herbs or crush fruits and citrus. In mojitos you crush sugar with the mint. But this muddled fruit mixed into soda water is yummy too.
Tonic water is a sparkling water with a bitter herb called quinine (and sugar). It has a unique flavor - you can see if you like it pick up some Schweppes from your grocery store or gas station. Try it alone and mixed with juices.
you can make virgin pina coladas just leave out the rum or buy rum extract at the supermarket. You can buy non alcoholic wine too. I tried it and I did not like it but you might. make a Shirley temple using grenadine syrup and ginger-ale. Make a bloody virgin too.
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