It's no secret that consumers are moderating and drinking less alcohol. Even as we enter the holidays, a season commonly associated with indulgence, make sure your cocktail menu is balanced and offers something for those looking for a lower ABV as well.
Here are some recipes for lower-alcohol offerings—plus a mocktail!
Pallini Floral Cloud
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Gin Mare
0.75 oz Pallini Limoncello
0.5 oz Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Crème de Violette
Directions:
- Shake on ice.
- Strain into a chilled wine glass.
- Top with a hibiscus, rose, and orange blossom “cloud.”
Gumamela
Ingredients:
1 oz. Aperitivo Primo
1 oz. Hibiscus Syrup
2 dash Peychaud's
4 oz. Prosecco
1 ea. rosemary sprig for garnish
Directions:
For the hibiscus syrup:
- Bring 500g of water to a boil and remove from heat.
- Add 500g of white sugar and 250g of dried hibiscus flowers to the water and stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Steep for at least 30 minutes and strain.
For the cocktail:
- Fill a stemmed glass with fresh ice.
- Add Primo, hibiscus syrup, Peychaud's bitters, and top with Prosecco.
- Garnish with the rosemary sprig, slightly stirring to incorporate before serving.
Lemon Chu-Hai
Ingredients:
0.5 tsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Nardini Cedro
1.75 oz iichiko Silhouette
3.5 oz Club Soda
Glassware: Highball
Garnish: Lemon Twist
Directions:
- Shake with ice.
- Strain into highball over ice.
- Top with club soda.
FLUÈRE Basil Smash
Ingredients:
50 ml FLUÈRE Original Botanical
25 ml Lime Juice
15 ml Simple Syrup
Directions:
- Muddle fresh basil with lime juice, add simple syrup, shake with ice.
- Double-strain into a tumbler.
- Add FLUÈRE and garnish with a basil leaf.
Bornean Spiderhunter
Ingredients:
2 oz Cynar
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1 pinch Salt
Directions:
- Dissolve the salt in the fruit juices (or use 3-4 drops 20% saline solution to skip the dissolving step).
- Add rest of the ingredients and shake with a few ice cubes.
- Strain into a Tiki mug, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with mint sprigs and an edible flower if available.
Ingredients:
20 oz. Monin Granny Smith Apple Syrup
10 oz. fresh lemon juice
39 oz. white cranberry juice
39 oz. green tea
20 oz. filtered water
Garnish: Gummy candy
Directions:
- Pour ingredients into suitable mixing container in order listed.
- Whisk well to mix.
- Portion into appropriate storage container(s).
- Cover, label, day dot, and store refrigerated.
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