Let me be the first to say it—I’ve not always held the mocktail in high regard. I’ve questioned whether they’re worth the trouble for your bar staff. However, after several operators and bartenders reached out to me to express favorable opinions regarding mocktails, I had a change of heart.
The mocktail certainly provides an option for those who don’t consume beverage alcohol regularly or at all, designated drivers, and guests who run the gamut when it comes to reasons to order an alcohol-free drink. These guests still want to share in the cocktail experience, complete with thoughtfully crafted beverages and impressive attention to detail and presentation.
The Mocktail Movement is picking up steam, and has been doing so for quite some time. Dry January is perhaps the movement’s greatest moment, and Seedlip is no doubt its champion. Maker of the world’s first distilled spirits, Seedlip offers two distinct expressions.
Garden 108 is herbal, a floral blend of peas that were picked by hand and hay that was grown on Seedlip founder Ben Branson’s farm. There are also distillates of traditional English garden herbs, such spearmint, rosemary and thyme. Enjoying this celebration is as simple as combining it with a handful of peas and Indian tonic water.
Then there’s Spice 94, Seedlip’s aromatic expression. Made with barks, spices like allspice and cardamom, and lemon and grapefruit peels, Spice 94 delivers notes of wood, citrus and spice. Add Indian tonic water and a red grapefruit twist and you’re in business.
The 12 recipes below provide you with a viable path to engage with guests who desire the social experience of your venue without the alcohol. These are upscale libations that are more than just an alternative to sodas from the gun or bottled water—each of these is a sophisticated sip that will even appeal to beverage alcohol consumers.
Encounter a guest who’s participating in Dry January and learn he or she is a fan of the Moscow Mule? Check out the Spiced Mule (Mocks-cow Mule?) below. Find out one of your guests loves the Negroni (who doesn’t?) but isn’t consuming alcohol? Read on for the Nogroni recipe. Craft housemade sodas and serve any of the following drinks in chic glassware with creative garnishes and you’ll score big.
Cheers!
Seedlip Garden & Tonic aka Peas & Love
- 1.8 oz. Seedlip Garden
- 4.4 oz. Indian tonic water (such as Fever-Tree, Q Drinks or Schweppes)
- Handful of peas to garnish
Build mocktail over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with peas.
Seedlip Spice & Tonic
- 1.8 oz. Seedlip Spice
- 4.4 oz. Indian tonic water
- Red grapefruit twist to garnish
Build mocktail over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with red grapefruit twist.
Seedlip Garden & Elderflower Tonic
- 1.8 oz. Seedlip Garden
- 4.4 oz. Elderflower tonic (such as Fever-Tree, Jack Rudy or Schweppes)
- Cucumber ribbon to garnish
Build mocktail over ice in a highball glass. To make the cucumber ribbon, carefully trim the ends of a cucumber with a knife and slice lengthwise with a peeler.
Seedlip Spice & Aromatic Tonic
- 1.8 oz. Seedlip Spice
- 4.4 oz. Fever-Tree Aromatic Tonic Water
- Pomelo sash to garnish (grapefruit sash if pomelo is unavailable)
Build mocktail over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with pomelo or grapefruit sash. To make the sash, use a peeler or knife to carefully peel a long strip of pomelo rind. Use knife to clean up shape if necessary.
Seedlip Spice & Ginger Ale
- 1.8 oz. Seedlip Spice
- 4.4 oz. Ginger ale (such as Fever-Tree, Q Drinks or Boylan)
- Orange full moon for garnish
Build mocktail over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with orange full moon.
Pear & Parsnip Soda
- 2 oz. Seedlip Garden
- 1 oz. Pear and parsnip shrub (see note)
- Soda to top
- Basil “boat” to garnish
Build in a highball glass over ice. Garnish with basil boat.
For the pear and parsnip shrub:
- 1 part Pear
- 1 part Parsnip
- 1 part Super-fine sugar
- 1 part Organic, unfiltered cider vinegar
The key to this cold process shrub is the 1:1 ratio for all ingredients. Slice parsnips and pears into chunks. Some believe that par-roasting maximizes flavor, so do so if you wish. Transfer parsnips and pears to an airtight container and add sugar. Stir to combine and cover parsnips and pears in sugar. Store in refrigerator for several hours or one or two days. Strain contents of container into a different, clean container and add vinegar. Whisk until sugar is dissolved fully. Using a funnel, pour shrub into a sterilized bottle (those with flip-up caps work best), shake well, and keep in refrigerator. Shake well before serving.
Seedlip Garden Booch
- 1.8 oz. Seedlip Garden
- Passion fruit kombucha to top (you can use pre-packaged kombucha and passion fruit bitters or make your own)
- Mint leaf to garnish
Build mocktail over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with mint leaf.
Spiced Mule
- 2 oz. Seedlip Spice
- 0.5 oz. Ginger nectar
- 0.3 oz. Fresh lime juice
- Soda to top
- Lime wedge to garnish
Build mocktail over ice in highball glass. Garnish with lime wedge.
Nogroni
- 1 oz. Seedlip Spice
- 0.8 oz. Non-alcohol bitter aperitif (such as Crodino or Riemerol)
- 0.8 oz. Non-alcohol sweet vermouth (such as Versin or Blutul)
- Orange twist to garnish
Build mocktail over a large ice cube in an Old Fashioned glass and stir. Garnish with orange twist.
Seedlip Garden Sour
- 1.8 oz. Seedlip Garden
- 1.2 oz. Cloudy apple juice
- 0.5 oz. Lemon juice
- 0.2 oz. Cider vinegar
- 1 sprig Rosemary
- 1 sprig Thyme
- 1 dash Egg white
- 1 dash Sugar
- Rosemary needles to garnish
Shake all ingredients and strain mocktail into coupe. Garnish with rosemary needles.
Garden Toddy
- 2 oz. Seedlip Garden
- 05 oz. Fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 oz. Cloudy apple juice
- 03. oz. Lemon verbena simple syrup (see note)
- Lemon verbena leaf to garnish
Build mocktail in a glass mug and garnish with lemon verbena leaf.
For the lemon verbena simple syrup:
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup White sugar
- ¼ cup Fresh lemon verbena leaves
Combine water, white sugar and lemon verbena leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 60 seconds. Remove saucepan from heat and let syrup steep (about 30 minutes). Remove lemon verbena leaves by pouring syrup into a sterilized glass container through a mesh strainer, and let cool.
Spice Toddy
- 2 oz. Seedlip Spice
- 0.5 oz. Lemon juice
- 0.5 oz. Manuka honey
- Hot water to top
- Lemon slice to garnish
Build mocktail in a glass mug and garnish with lemon slice.
Related Reading: Bubble to the Top During Dry January with Craft Sodas, 6 Hot Voddy Recipes for National Hot Toddy Day