This lineup of alcohol-free drinks—okay, fine, mocktail recipes—offers a vibrant, inventive way to craft festive zero-proof beverages. The dull old standards like cranberry and apple juice, iced tea (though, to be fair, agua de jamaica is worth ordering a pound of dried hibiscus for), and even bitters and soda are out; these next-level nonalcoholic drink recipes are in.
Now, let’s talk about nomenclature for a moment. Bartender Julia Momosé advocates removing the word “mocktail” from our lexicon, arguing that “spiritfree” is “more befitting the care and skill that goes into creating these beverages.”
Since then, there have been many hot takes and think pieces on the topic, as well as awkward attempts at coming up with something new. (Writer Camper English has been cataloging them.) Then, earlier this year, cocktail book author John deBary suggested calling off the whole “mocktail” cancellation and moving on. So that’s what we’re going to do—but we agree that “virgin” is, as deBary so eloquently put it, “weird.” Maybe you’ve seen recipes for virgin piña coladas (or margaritas or mojitos or sangrias) trending elsewhere, but you won’t find any here. And that’s that on that.
On to the drinks themselves, because our best mocktail recipes are delicious, thoroughly adult, and a serious upgrade from what you’re used to thinking of as a nonalcoholic alternative.
