If you would like to treat yourself to a boozy cocktail, here are some local artisan versions, all vegan-friendly and in sustainable packaging. For non-alcoholic options, make a mocktail!
Tonic waters contain quinine, so avoid serving them if pregnant or you have an abnormal heart rhythm, kidney or liver disease or low blood sugar. Avoid grapefruit slices for certain medical conditions, and avoid rhubarb tonic waters for stomach/kidney issues.
Cucumber & Lime Gin Cocktail (Crowded Kitchen) is tangy and slightly sweet. A refreshing and earthy cocktail, with a beautiful natural colour. Gin is made with juniper berries, which grow abundantly through the UK. Juniper berry (a seed cone that looks like a berry, but isn’t) tastes like a mix of citrus and pine. Gin has been enjoyed for hundreds of years, just ensure your brand is vegan, and not filtered through bone char . Be careful with some gin cocktails, as many brands of vermouth are not vegan either (neither is Martini).
Where To Buy Ready-Made Cocktails
Punchy Drinks makes fruit punches in a can, made with artisan natural ingredients, all sold in plastic-free . These ‘cocktails in a can’ are great for anyone cutting back on booze and low in sugar too. Good for festivals, picnics or veggie BBQs, the set includes 2 x 250ml cans of:
- Holiday Romance (peach, ginger & chai)
- Golden Hour (blood orange, bitters & cardamom)
- First Dip (cucumber, Yuzu, rosemary)
All 12 of Tapp’d Cocktails are vegan-friendly. Blended in Essex with real fruits, the range includes peach cranberry, strawberry daiquiri, pina colada, mojito and espresso martini. All the drinks are flash pasteurised to keep fresh flavour, so have a 12-month shelf life (once opened, consume within 48 hours).
Each order includes a serving guide. Wake the bottle by shaking in a cocktail shaker, then add ice and shake for 10 seconds, before straining into a glass. The Mojito is already carbonated.
Italian Cocktails (alternative to Martini)
There are many popular Italian cocktails (note that you need to find a vegan gin instead of Martini, as it’s not vegan). Campari used to be made with red insects (it’s not now, but it’s made with chemicals not beet juice, so you may wish to omit this).
This cocktail is made with gin, sweet vermouth, orange peel and Campari. Or a little cherry juice and simple syrup can sweeten things up. Note that many vermouth brands are not vegan due to filtered through bone char or containing casein. Campari used to be made with red insects (carmine) which is no longer the case. However although it’s vegan-friendly, the company do not list what makes the dye red, a bit concerning. You can always leave it out and use more vegan vermouth, which will make the drink sweeter.
Negroni is a popular Italian cocktail drink made with blood orange and spices. Seedlip Nogroni is made in Lincolnshire, and it’s alcohol-free too. Based on the classic Italian cocktail, this is a bitter citrusy blend of Chinotto orange, grapefruit, allspice and gentian (not for high blood pressure).
You don’t have to be teetotal to enjoy this drink. It’s great for designated drivers or anyone who wishes to enjoy a little tipple, but is trying to cut down. Seedlip is an established brand of non-alcohol drinks, which you find in most good stores. The recipes are based on a recipe that is a few hundred years old, created by a medical doctor back in the day, to help his patients.
East London’s Square Root Negroni is sold in beautiful bottles, and is also free from alcohol. Made with fresh fruit and gently infused spices, this contains grapefruit, orange, blackcurrant and raspberry juice with balsamic vinegar and quinine. Serve with a splash of ice and a fancy garnish.
The Little Book of Mocktails is a guide to alcohol-free drinks, for any occasion. Ideal for people who are teetotal, want to drink less or designated drivers, these recipes prove that you don’t need alcohol, to have fun. Not drinking booze does not have to mean sipping glasses of plain water at every social function. Mocktails are more sophisticated than before, and these recipes give you inspiration to take your mixology skills to the next level.
Wow your guests at your next party, by mastering the art of the mocktail. These classy recipes include tips for booze-free beverages. Let these teetotal tipples dazzle and and delight your tastebuds:
- Alcohol-free takes on traditional cocktail recipes like Booze-Free Bramble & Snowy Russian
- Expert tips to blend the perfect drink
- Advice on equipment to stock the ultimate home bar
- Insights into the history & origins of each cocktail
Quick & Simple Mocktail Recipes
Tonic waters contain quinine, so avoid serving them if pregnant or you have an abnormal heart rhythm, kidney or liver disease or low blood sugar. Avoid grapefruit slices for certain medical conditions, and avoid rhubarb tonic waters for stomach/kidney issues.
Easy Tequila Sunrise Mocktail (Crowded Kitchen) uses orange juice and grenadine (a pomegranate based syrup) along with tequila (there is no ‘worm in the bottle’, just avoid its cousin mezcal). Refreshing, sweet and tart.
Blue Lagoon Mocktail (Crowded Kitchen) tastes of citrus and has a bit of fizz. For the natural blue colour, see how to make your own food dyes.
Make Your Own Mexican Margaritas
No matter where you live, most people enjoy a Margarita (Spanish for ‘daisy’) drink, especially when served alongside Mexican food. It’s not usually true that there is a ‘worm in the bottle’, for tequila. But its cousin mezcal may have one, so avoid those. Tequila is made from the blue weber agave plant (related to cactus) and this cocktail is so popular in the USA, than Americans drink almot 200,000 of them, every hour! Here are some nice recipes for you to try. Blueberry Lavender Margarita (Crowded Kitchen) uses fresh blueberry juice with mint and lime. The perfect companion to a summer dinner party.
Apple Margarita with Cinnamon Sugar (Crowded Kitchen) is sweetened with maple syrup, and garnished with a cinnamon sugar rim. Just 5 minutes to make.
Margarita with Orange Liqueur (Crowded Kitchen) uses Grand Marnier with tequila, lime juice and freshly squeezed blood orange, for colour.
Vegan Cranberry Tequila Cocktail (Crowded Kitchen) is not a margarita, but uses the same spirit. Choose from a boozy or non-alcoholic version.
Mango Jalapeño Margarita (Short Girl, Tall Order) makes the perfect cocktail. Sweet ripe fruit is mixed with spices, lime and tequila, for a spicy frozen drink.
