Photo: Francesco Perre / EyeEm, Getty Images.
Sad but true: you can only drink so much. When you’ve hit your limit, or simply have something worth staying sober for, reach for one of these mocktails. The alcohol-free beverages look as classy as regular cocktails but won’t leave you plastered or curse you with a painful hangover the next day. Like your drinks fruity? You’re covered. Want to kick up the spice in plain old iced tea? Tabasco has a mocktail that’ll do just that. Prefer something caffeinated? Red Bull’s onto you. And for those weekend mornings when you want to feel like a kid again, there’s a cereal milk mocktail that’ll pair perfectly with your cartoon marathon. (Because who said being an adult meant giving up all your simple pleasures?) Make these six mocktails and enjoy all the drinking delight without the booze-fueled consequences.
Red Bull Summer Splash
Photo: Red Bull.
Ingredients:
- Cubed ice
- Red Bull Summer Edition Grapefruit Twist
- 2 ounces peach nectar
- 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- Sliced lime
Preparation:
Combine Red Bull, peach nectar, lemon juice, and simple syrup in glass filled with cubed ice; stir. Garnish with sliced lime.
Also: Perfect Pairings: Cognac and Cigars
Spiced Iced Tea
Photo: Tabasco.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 whole cloves
- Peel from 1 lemon and 1 orange
- 4 tea bags
- 2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 cup peach nectar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco® brand green jalapeño pepper sauce
- Lemon wheels (for garnish)
Preparation:
Combine water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, lemon and orange peels in 1 1/2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Remove spices and fruit peels. Pour mixture over tea bags in a heat-proof pitcher or container. Steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add orange juice, peach nectar, lemon juice, and Tabasco® green sauce. Pour into chilled, ice-filled glasses and garnish with lemon wheels.
Classic Sangrita
Photo: Tabasco.
Ingredients:
- 6 cups tomato juice
- 1 1/2 cups orange juice
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/3 cup diced onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco® brand original red sauce
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
Preparation:
Puree ingredients in a blender and then strain into a pitcher. Recipe can also be served as a chaser for tequila.
Purple Edition
Photo: Red Bull.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces Red Bull Purple Edition Sugar-Free
- 2 ounces fresh lemonade
- 6 mint leaves, divided
- 9 blueberries, divided
- 4 lemon wheels, divided
Preparation:
Muddle 5 mint leaves, 6 blueberries, and 3 lemon wheels in the glass. Add ice, Red Bull, and fresh lemonade; stir with bar spoon. Garnish with 3 speared blueberries, lemon wheel, and mint sprig.
Green Edition
Photo: Red Bull.
Ingredients:
- 2 cucumber strips
- 3 lime wheels
- 8 ounces Red Bull Lime Edition Sugar-Free
- 2 ounces white grape juice
- Strawberry halves (for garnish)
Preparation:
Place 2 cucumber strips and 3 lime wheels in glass. Add ice, Red Bull, and white grape juice; stir with bar spoon. Garnish with speared strawberry halves.
Fruity Pebbles Milk Punch
Photo: Fruity Pebbles.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Fruity Pebbles cereal
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ice cubes
- 1 tablespoon thawed whipped topping (for garnish, optional)
- Dash of nutmeg (for garnish, optional)
- 1 teaspoon Fruity Pebbles cereal (for garnish, optional)
Preparation:
Combine Fruity Pebbles and milk in a cereal bowl. Allow to sit for 30 minutes. Strain out milk and discard cereal. In a cocktail shaker, combine Fruity Pebbles cereal milk and vanilla extract with 3 ice cubes; shake until frothy, about 30 seconds. Strain into a double-old fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with a dollop of thawed whipped topping, a dusting of nutmeg, and a sprinkle of cereal if desired.
