Summer is a great time to be outdoors and enjoy time with family and friends. When the heat starts to rise, what’s the first thing you reach for? A nice and refreshing cold beverage. Ahhhh!

And if you’re like most people, your beverages are probably refreshing fruit-inspired alcoholic cocktails or maybe ice-cold beer. If you’re wanting to cut back on the adult beverages, then guess what…you don’t need alcohol to have a good time! And you definitely don’t need alcohol to make a tasty treat of a drink! In fact, you can turn any of your favorite fancy cocktails into a clean and alcohol-free mocktail.

But just because your glass is free from alcohol, doesn’t mean it has to be boring! In fact, mocktails are always a fun idea, whether for you or your guests. And with a few tips and tricks, you can make easy mocktails that taste just as good as the real thing.

What is a mocktail?

A mocktail is a non-alcoholic beverage. It’s a beverage that mimics traditional cocktail recipes while cutting out the liquor. This is perfect for those who are pregnant or otherwise avoid alcoholic drinks. Or for people who don’t prefer the taste of alcohol!

There are plenty of ways to mix and match your ingredients to make flavorful refreshing beverages for a hot summer day. Enjoy all the summer flavor with the hangover.

Here are a few ingredient tips for throwing together your favorite drinks.

Tips For Crafting Your Mocktail

•    Use a carbonated or bubbly mixer. Club soda, tonic or sparkling water, ginger ale or ginger beer are all nice and carbonated to add the classic sparkling element to your mocktail.
•    Try a fancy simple syrup. Simple syrups will add some sweetness and layers the flavor, making your beverage deliciously complex. You can even try making your own homemade syrup! Check out these recipes for mint simple syrup or ginger simple syrup.
•    Throw in non-alcohol bitters. All you need are a few dashes of bitters to add a whole lot of flavor and intricacy to your drinks. (Check out this easy Bitters and Soda recipe.)
•    Add fruit juice. Get the fruity flavor in your virgin drinks from virgin mixers. Try pineapple juice, apple cider, passion fruit or even your True Lemon Peach Iced Tea.
•    Use a powdered flavor enhancer. True Citrus Wedge Replacements make the perfect substitute for lemon juice and lime juice, without the labor and waste from fresh produce. You can also cut the sugar by using True Citrus Fruit Infusions to mix up your favorite flavor before adding other drink elements.
•    Garnish it! Presentation is the main event. And you can make it look extra fancy and like it took a lot more time to make than it really did! Add sliced fruit on the rim, fun little drink umbrellas, pretty swirly straws. You can also toss in a few chunks of fresh fruit and throw fresh herbs on top.

Our Favorite and Best Mocktail Recipes

True Lemon & True Lime Sangria

Replace the wine in this original recipe with purple or white grape juice to go from cocktail to delicious mocktail.

Ingredients

·   (2) 750 ml grape juice

·   16 oz. carbonated water

·   4 packets True Lemon

·   4 packets True Lime

·   Handful of each: sliced strawberries, sliced peaches and raspberries

·   Mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions

1.   Add fresh fruit to a large pitcher, then add grape juice and carbonated water.

2.   Add True Lemon and True Lime packets. Stir together.

3.   Allow the sangria to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

4.   Serve over ice.

True Orange Mock-Mosa

A delicious alcohol-free spin on the classic mimosa! (Also try our Manmosa recipe!)

Ingredients:

·   2 packets True Orange Crystalized Wedge

·   8 oz. club soda or non-alcoholic champagne

·   Orange slices

Directions:

1.   Mix 2 packets of True Orange into 8 oz. of water and dissolve.

2.   Pour in club soda or sparking non-alcoholic champagne. Stir.

3.   Serve over ice if desired and garnish with an orange slice on the rim.

Rosemary Lemonade

A fresh take on the classic lemonade. (Add a splash of bourbon to make it boozy if you’d prefer!)

Ingredients

·   3-4 Rosemary sprigs

·     True Lemon Original Lemonade

·   Lemon slices (optional)

Directions

1.   In a pitcher, combine boiling water with rosemary sprigs. Let cool.

2.   Add 4-6 packets of True Lemon Original Lemonade. Stir.

3.   Serve over ice and garnish with lemon slices.

Cherry-Melon Virgin Mojito Cooler

Try this nice blended beverage to cool you down this summer!

Ingredients

·   1 cup water

·   1 cup ice

·   2 cups watermelon, cubed

·   5 fresh mint leaves

·   1 packet True Black Cherry Limeade

·   2 teaspoons agave syrup, or honey

·   Additional mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions

1.   In a large blender, combine water, ice, watermelon and mint, True Black Cherry Limeade and agave syrup. Blend on high until smooth.

2.   Pour into two large glasses and garnish with additional mint leaves, if desired.

3.   Add a straw and enjoy!

Margarita Mocktail

This Mexican restaurant go to is a classic cocktail beverage, frozen or on the rocks! Try this spin for an easy alcohol-free alternative. (Adapted from A Couple Cooks’ Virgin Margarita recipe.)

Ingredients

·     True Lemon

·     True Lime

·   3 tablespoons water

·   3 oz. tonic water

·   ¼ teaspoon simple syrup

·   1/8 teaspoon pickle juice (optional)

·   Lime slice for garnish (optional)

Directions

1.   Stir together 4 packet True Lime and 2 packets True Lemon in 3 tablespoons water.

2.   Add in simple syrup and pickle juice. Stir.

3.   Add in tonic water.

4.   Serve over ice and garnish with lime slice, if desired.