Alcohol free - what are you drinking?

[stripeyllamas]

I'm doing Dry January with a view to extending it beyond the month.

I'm looking for some choice around what to drink apart from teas or squash. Special occasions usually call for nicer food and drink, so I'd like a few substitutes for when I'd usually drink alcohol.

I'm not interested in no alcohol wine or prosecco as I'm not bothered about pretending I'm still drinking.

Any suggestions?

Trip cans, raspberry lemonade, peach flavoured sparkling water, virgin cocktails

Bottlkegreen ginger and lemongrass cordial with ice and lemon.

They all sound lovely!

Kombucha!! Fiery ginger and the raspberry one 😋 just tonic mixers by themselves (hold the gin), elderflower cordial, alcohol free mojito, trip drinks (expensive but nice as a treat), herbal tea(as in make a herbal tea like normal, pour it into an empty spirit bottle and put it in fridge - drink cold - I like mint or agrumes best.)

Sparkling elderflower juice. Shloer red grape (it's not wine-like, just grape juice).

I went away last month and drank an amazing local kombucha. I also really like sparkling tea for a special occasion.

And should you want a non alcoholic, Salcombe 0% Gin is excellent.

The little cans of Fevertree tonic are quite nice on their own to sip in the evening. I like the elderflower/ rhubarb flavours.

I also like fentimans rose lemonade, bottlegreen cordial with sparkling water, orange juice + tonic, or just a coca cola once in a while!

You are asking this at 5am? 😂😂

It's Wednesday - have you never had to get up at 5am during the working week?

Sainsburys alcohol free rose is lovely. I've been teetotal for 8 years, it's great! AF koppaburg and nosecco also nice.

I like the cawstone press cans, there’s apple and lemon and elderflower which is lovely. There might be a rhubarb too but I’ve never had that one. They feel like a grown up drink, especially in a nice glass.

Oh, yes - they're expensive but very nice indeed!

I like making an infusion of different spices- star anise, cardamom, cloves, fennel. Herbs too. I prefer to do one at once but a mix can work. I do a big jug full (easiest to boil up in a pan then let cool) and serve with ice or as is.

Makes a tasty and digestive drink. I'm not teetotal but don't drink much for health reasons. I am SO over AF beer and wines, can't have caffeine and no sweet tooth at all. Water and teas are great but a change is nice sometimes

Ginger ale here or last night I had a Naice hot chocolate.

The rhubarb Cawston Press drink as mentioned by pp is lovely.

Marks & Spencer do a similar range - basically fruity sparkling water. There's rhubarb, an elderflower one, one with passion fruit, a red berries - all good. I have them with ice in a nice glass and a slice of fresh lime. Lime in a drink always feels a bit special to me!

Hotel Choc Velvetiser Hotel choc ! Life saving and cheap in comparison to what we spend on booze

Kombucha. Added bonus it's sugar free.

I drink Goodrays CBD drinks, my teetotal DH really rates 0% Guinness

Orange juice and fevertree tonic water, orange juice and fiery ginger beer, or appletiser. I can’t stand artificial sweeteners so am a bit more limited as they’re in so many soft drinks nowadays!

For those of you mentioning Kombucha, is there a particular one you recommend?

If I'm in the mood for a more grown up drink then presentation is also important - a flavoured tonic in a nice glass with ice and a slice of lime hits the spot! I also like using Frozen cherries instead of ice - your drink goes a pretty pink colour and you get to eat the cherries afterwards!

I like tomato juice or clam & tomato juice for an aperitif, especially with extras like Tabasco sauce, celery salt etc added. Or for a change, I'll have mixed vegetable or carrot juice.
I also like iced coffee and iced tea.

Oh my goodness. So many great ideas. Thank you!

I'm interested in trying Goodrays, I stumbled across it when looking online. For those of you who have tried it, or Trip, have you noticed a physical difference?

What exactly is Kombucha? Is it fermented something or other? I think I've looked into it before but I think I was put off 😂

Luscombe drinks are gorgeous. I bought a couple of mixed cases before Christmas and am working through those.

I like tonic water which I buy in the small cans rather than the bottles.

Aqua Libra in cans.

Over Christmas I had some small bottles of San Pellegrino ginger beer which were nice.
I think most soft drinks are much improved with ice and lemon or lime.

San Pellegrino Blood Orange is really lovely- not too sweet and very refreshing.