Non-alcoholic drinks

Alcohol off-limits for you or your guests, but still want to have an impressive tipple on offer? Try these creative suggestions from Mumsnetters.

Cranberry and ginger ale cocktail 

  • 1 litre cranberry juice
  • 500ml ginger ale
  • 500ml lemonade
  • Limes, lemons, oranges 
  • Ice (to serve)

Slice lemons, limes and oranges into segments and place in a 2 litre jug. Add the lemonade, cranberry and ginger ale. Stir gently, then leave to chill. Add ice when ready to serve. 

 

Lychee and lime cocktail 

  • 1 tin lychees, including syrup
  • Juice of a lime
  • Mint leaves
  • Soda 
  • Ice


Simply tip into a blender and whizz, then serve chilled.

 

Gingered apple juice

  • Carton of apple juice
  • Fresh ginger 
  • Honey


Put the apple juice, honey and ginger into a pan over a low heat for half an hour or more and leave to infuse. Serve hot.

 

Non-alcoholic cranberry cider

  • 1 orange
  • 900ml cranberry juice
  • 2 cinnamon sticks 
  • 2-inch piece of ginger
  • Sugar (to taste)

Use a vegetable peeler to peel two 3-inch strips off the orange, then juice the orange. Combine the juice, peel, cranberry, cinnamon and ginger in a saucepan and simmer over a medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Add sugar (around 225g to 450g) if you like.

 

Low-alcohol Bentley

  • 25ml lime juice
  • 25ml cane sugar or syrup
  • 100ml fizzy (or still) water
  • 2 drops Angostura Bitters (note - this is alcoholic, but as it's only used in infinitesimal amounts, it's not classed as an alcoholic beverage) 

Mix all the ingredients together and serve in a small tumbler.

 

More non-alcoholic drink suggestions

  • I quite like elderflower cordial with fizzy water, ice and a slice of lemon. It's sort of white wine spritzer-y, especially if you have it in a wine glass! Kilkers
  • Sainsbury's non-alchoholic wine is drinkable. My dad made some non-alcoholic sangria from it, which was absolutely delicious! BB01
  • While it's not zero alcohol, a very good low-alcohol replacement for those missing gin and tonics is tonic water, with about five drops of Angostura Bitters, served with ice and lemon. comeonbishbosh
  • An interesting combination is ginger beer and pink grapefruit juice. Ivanapoo
  • I would definitely recommend Becks Blue - I prefer it now to the real stuff. IssyStark

 

Other suggestions

If you're still stuck for inspiration, try a variation one of the following:

  • Sparkling elderflower, apple or grape juice
  • Orange and cranberry juice
  • Pomegranate juice with ginger ale
  • Virgin Sea Breeze cocktail

 

 

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