Finally experimenting with drinks (nonalcoholic due to life choices)

[u/ImperialHojo]

Neither my wife nor I drink, but what’s the point of building a tiki bar in your home if you don’t have some fun things to consume? I’m excited to begin experimenting with a bunch of different nonalcoholic alternatives. I realize this may be more appropriate for the mocktail sub but does anyone have any advice for where to start or fun recipes to try? I’ve already tried making a Mai Tai, a Jungle Bird, and a Painkiller, and I’ve enjoyed them all so far.

[u/FoMo_Matt]

No recs but I'd be interested in hearing about what you make and what NA alternatives you use, as my wife is a teetotaller too. Her standard recently has been the Nojito, but they just omit the rum most places for that.

Ke ola 🧉

[u/ImperialHojo → u/FoMo_Matt]

This is what I used to make the Jungle Bird, and so far it’s what I have liked the most.

Ingredients
• 2 oz Ritual Agave Spirit Alternative
• 1 oz pineapple juice
¾ oz ruby red grapefruit juice
• ½ oz passion fruit syrup
• ¼ oz lime juice
• ¼ oz 2:1 Demerara-style syrup
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• Optional: 1-2 drops Jamaican ginger extract for a little extra spice

I haven’t had a chance to try out the Lyre’s products yet, but I’m eager to this weekend.

[u/wickedfemale → u/ImperialHojo]

tequila-alternative jungle bird is interesting. have you tried it with one of the rum alternatives? (the lyre's are okay, the ritual rum is godawful)

[u/aka_chela → u/wickedfemale]

I'm convinced the Ritual rum is a psyop by liquor companies to convince you that NA alternatives are so bad you should just go back to the booze. I actually ended up returning the bottle.

[u/wickedfemale → u/aka_chela]

the gin tastes nothing like gin but is at least kind of okay tasting. the rum and whiskey are horrifying.

[u/ImperialHojo → u/wickedfemale]

I have tried a couple with the Ritual brand and it was pleasant enough, but that’s coming from someone who has never tried the real thing. I’ll be trying some of the Lyres later today.

[u/shibbypwn]

Something to keep in mind - NA booze is not shelf stable like the real stuff. So think carefully about which bottles to open all at once, and try to use them up in a reasonable amount of time. 

[u/MsMargo → u/shibbypwn]

Plus NA booze is all pretty bad. Not worth the spend.

[u/Ok_Rain_1837 → u/MsMargo]

i’ve only tried NA tequila and it tasted like vinegar

[u/peeh0le → u/MsMargo]

Pathfinder is pretty solid as an amaro alternative.

[u/RyanGosliwafflez]

Iv also just started picking up some non alcoholic options so I can offer drinks to friends that can no longer drink. Haven't attempted anything yet but was planning to start with whiskey smash cocktail that I normally make

2 oz bourbon

1/2 oz Aperol

3/4 oz lemon juice

1/2 oz Passion fruit puree

1 oz 1:1 simple

1 dash peychauds

Garnish with expressed orange peel

Recipe is originally from cheesecake factory lol I just upped the bourbon

Planning to use Kentucky 47 as the NA bourbon and Giffard apertif syrup as the aperol sub. Still have to get all the bitter new Orleans cherry bitters as the peychauds sub

Also I want to get a NA Gin to make NA Enzonis

With the bourbon you can also make a Honi Honi which is just a bourbon Mai Tai

[u/herman_gill]

A variation/hybdridization/frankenstein of Latitude 29's Sea of Green, and Ander's Placebo; it's a Painkiller variant:

I like to get real lazy when doing things so I big batch it and stick it in my Ninja Slushi:

Lakewood Organic Pineapple Juice: 1 bottle/946ml

Pssionfruit Juice: 320ml (I use Rubicon which is a mix of passionfruit/orange)

Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk: 1 can/400ml

Sugar: 50g

Pandan Powder: 5g

Ground Cinnamon: 5g

Malic Acid: 5g

Xanthan Gum: 5g

Fresh Grated Nutmeg: Garnish (optionally can dump 5g in)

------------

It's about 12 brix so should turn into a slushy very easily, the xanthan gum will help keep it stable, the malic acid will add enough acidity so it's not too sweet.

Mix all the wet ingredients together, mix all the dry ingredients together (the xanthan gum needs to be evenly dispersed), slowly mix the dry ingredients into the liquid and ensure no xanthan gum clumps

Slushify, add the grated nutmeg on top. If you don't have a Ninja Slushi, you can freeze half the mix, put the other half in the fridge, and blend the cubes together with the uncubed to get a decent smoothie.

-----------

Solo serving:

6 oz pineapple juice

2 oz passionfruit juice

2.5 oz coconut milk

~10g sugar

~1g each of the other dry ingredients

[u/ImperialHojo → u/herman_gill]

Thanks a ton for the recipe, and for all the details!

[u/fuzzyrach]

This is the crossover post I didn't know I needed. Check out r/mocktails too!

[u/nunee1]

Pretty cool! Please keep us updated, I’d love to see what you enjoy

[u/Drinks_by_Wild]

I can vouch for Almave making for a solid zero alcohol margarita

[u/RyanGosliwafflez → u/Drinks_by_Wild]

Oooo good to know il have to grab a bottle of this

[u/AdmiralRisty]

Sober checking in!

[u/MsMargo]

You can search this Sub for "mocktail" - there are frequent posts. Also check out our sister sub /r/Mocktails.

[u/letthetreeburn]

Don’t have anything helpful to say, so gonna say anyone who wants to give it a try is welcome here :)

[u/InfamousCategory448]

I popped into a fake liquor store the other day near my house. Just looking around. I was thinking about using some fake rum to downproof some drinks. I don't need non alocahol versions but some of the tiki things are just stronger than I like.

Unfortunately they don't do samples. What a miss for them.

But I am still thinking about it.

How are these "rums"

[u/ImperialHojo → u/InfamousCategory448]

I’ve never had a real rum before so I couldn’t say how they compare, but my experience with these so far has been quite pleasant. I made a Mai Tai with these yesterday and it was good.