non alcoholic aperitif drinks

[ThatsnotMyNameAgain]

We are looking at alternatives to drinking alcohol - especially during the week, but still want to enjoy aperitif time, especially as a way to mark the end of WFM and the start of the evening.

So far we have done virgin Marys, straight tonic (ok but a bit boring). No alcohol mulled wine (now a bit off season).

I will be trying to make fancy ice cubes this week to jazz up the tonic (with bits of herbs and peel) and have bought one of the no-alcohol gin on Amazon for a try.

Anything I am missing out on?

Kombucha.

But get the craft kombucha stuff not the kind they sell in Wetherspoons. It does make a difference.

Bottlegreen ginger and lime grass cordial is good, with sparkling water. It’s got a nice kick to it, don’t need much as very concentrated flavour.

Goes well with hot water too.

@Senojeel77 that ginger beer is amazing stuff! I bought some over Christmas and I am very impressed. I love finding new alcohol free drinks.

Fever Tree mexican lime and soda
Roses Lime Cordial made with st pelligrino
Tonic water with Angostura bitters
Nanny state lager

Ooh yes! @ThatsnotMyNameAgain Try Everleaf (I love this and found out about it on mumsnet) or Wilfred’s with tonic and a slice of orange. V good and definitely not sweet (I don’t have a sweet tooth at all). It has the end of day feeling of making a proper drink too - I have in gin balloons.

I’m also partial to a brew dog nanny state beer with a savoury snack. Let us know how you get on!

My go-to at the moment is a no-alcohol gin called Siegfried Wonderleaf plus Fever Tree tonic and some flavoured bitters. Or some grenadine syrup plus soda water. It’s lovely with a dash of cucumber bitters.

I find most non alcoholic wines and beers too sweet and honestly, quite awful. So still searching on that front.

The Teisseire syrop range includes quite a few that make nice aperitifs with sparkling water, mojito, menthe, margarita etc etc.

Also Funkin do cocktail bases for fruit daiquiri etc that you could add crushed ice or water to.

Or make mock Bellinis with sparkling water and peach purée or nectar, or serve semi-frozen herbal or fruit tea.

...

I bought this and I love it:
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07Z9HVND9?ref=dacx_dp_8812948490002_7372871330102&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&aaxitk=BROMS0FqWR-AnqK.B7uuAw

not sure i ll ever drink "normal" gin again

I also tried a seedlip - the green one - nearly as good, but not quite. I need to add cuxumber and bits in to make it more interesting.

All other recommendations are on the shopping lists!

Sanbitter definitely. Actually tastes like a real drink! Unfortunately costs as much as a real drink too :-/

I really like a bit of angostura or other bitters with tonic or soda water.

Robinsons do a lime and mint cordial in a glass bottle that is very mojito like.

Peach puree and a bottle of non alcoholic fizz for bellinis is good.

The range of non alcoholic beers, ciders and stouts is increasing rapidly too I've found.

Enjoy

I like Seedlip, but it’s pricey. I stick to flavoured tonic water with ice and lemon or AF beer mostly (have discovered the joys of beer since going sober).

I find alcohol free wine too sweet, but for the summer you can make tasty ‘sangria’ by mixing AF red wine with Fever Tree blood orange tonic and chopped up fruit and ice.

Which AF mulled wine did you enjoy? I tried the Sainsbury’s one but it was full of artificial sweetener and really unpleasant.

I like mint and lime cordial with sparkling water and lots of ice and lemon slices. I drink Sainsbury's alcohol free rose or Maguigan zero as a wine alternative. Becks blue if you fancy a beer. I keep lots of different teas in stock and a bottle of Ribena Winter Spice which is lovely hot with a cinnamon stick and some orange slices.