Sober Mocktail Ideas

The holiday season can be socially awkward for people in recovery. Booze is flowing at parties and that can serve as a stark reminder of your sobriety. However, it doesn’t mean that you are destined for a life of soda water and explaining to friends and family why you don’t drink. Quite the contrary! We’ve put together a list of our favorite mocktails that show, just like recovery, that we know how to have fun sans booze.

TÖSTED Cranberry Apple Cider

This delicious mocktail was provided by Monument.

Ingredients

2 oz apple cider, chilled
1 oz cranberry juice, chilled
2 oz TÖST, chilled
1 oz fresh-squeezed orange juice, chilled
Crisp, thinly-sliced apple slices for garnish
Frozen cranberries for garnish
Rosemary sprig for garnish

Directions

1. Combine chilled juices in a shaker 
2. Shake until combined
3. Pour over ice in a 14oz glass and add TÖST just before serving. Garnish with an apple slice and rosemary-cranberry skewer. Serve with a reusable straw.

Berry Bellini

This blueberry bellini is a refreshing and zingy treat. It’s best sipped through a straw (reusable or recyclable of course). 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1/3 cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tbsp fresh ginger
sage
Grüvi Prosecco
Ice

Directions:

1. To create the blueberry puree, add sugar, water, blueberry & grated ginger to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for about 10 minutes. 
2. Let cool & transfer mixture to a blender or food processor- blend until it’s smooth puree. 
3. Add ice to the glass, pour in 2 ounces of blueberry puree & top with Grüvi Prosecco. 
4. Add a few sprigs of sage for taste & garnish- be sure to slap the sage to release more herbal aromas.

Juniper Berry Spritz

This delicious drink is from Curious Elixirs who have the most incredible non-alcoholic cocktails. 

Ingredients

1 oz yuzu or fresh lemon juice
1 oz juniper berry simple syrup
1 oz orange blossom water
2 slices fresh orange

For juniper berry syrup:
1 tablespoon whole juniper berries, crushed
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Directions

1. To make juniper berry syrup:
2. Combine juniper berries, sugar and water into a small pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully transfer to a glass bowl. Allow syrup to steep in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Strain mixture to discard juniper berry. Can be refrigerated for up to a month.
3. To make soft cocktail:
4. Combine yuzu juice, juniper berry syrup, orange blossom water and orange slices in a shaker with ice. Strain into tall glass. Add a splash of sparking water to top and garnish with orange peel to make it look pretty 🙂 Drink up!

Berry Juniper Fizz

Recipe created by DRY Soda exclusively for Sans Bar

Ingredients

1 oz. juniper syrup (see recipe below)
2 oz Pomegranate Juice
.5 oz orange juice
DRY Cranberry Botanical Bubbly
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup of water
2 tablespoons dried juniper berries, crushed

Directions 

1. In a cocktail shaker add ice, juniper syrup, pomegranate juice, and orange juice. Shake until cold and frothy. Strain into a coupe and top with DRY Cranberry Botanical Bubbly. Garnish with an orange peel and fresh cranberries.
2. To make the Juniper Syrup combine the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring periodically until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle boil, and immediately take off the heat. Add in the juniper berries and let them steep. Let it cool to room temperature, then strain into a glass jar. Store in the refrigerator, tightly sealed for up to one month.

We hope this collection of recipes is helpful to you this season and always. If you or a loved one need assistance with your recovery journey, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Laura Herrmann, MA

Laura is the Chief Outreach and Marketing Officer at Gallus Medical Detox, she has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare marketing field in digital, social, product marketing, strategy and sales leadership. Her passion for those struggling and recovering from substance use disorder and mental health as well as advocacy for patient empowerment has driven her career and continues to be the motivation to work within the best treatment options to help those struggling. With a Master’s Degree from Tufts School of Medicine and Emerson College in Health Communication, Laura has continued to find excitement and challenge in her chosen field. She is also the Board President, BarZero and Board Member of the Colorado Professional Liaison Association.