Whether you’re giving up the booze for Dry January or simply prefer a booze free tipple, you can still indulge on a delicious drink. Enjoy these popular mocktails made with Sussex ingredients, for a local taste without the hangover…
Shirley Temple
The most popular mocktail to make at home is a Shirley Temple, which is traditionally made with ginger ale and grenadine syrup. Garnished with a maraschino cherry, it’s a delicious blend of sweet and tangy.
Ingredients:
- Ginger ale – Gran Stead Ginger’s spiced ginger punch will give you oodles of nostalgia in this classic drink. Alternatively, swap with their lemonade with ginger for a softer kick of the good stuff. gransteadsginger.co.uk
- A splash of grenadine syrup
- Maraschino cherry – Pick up a jar from The Sussex Kitchen for endless mocktails thesussexkitchen.com
Method: Add a splash of grenadine to a glass of ginger ale. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
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Virgin Pina Colada
Do you like getting caught in the rain? Whether you do or you don’t, this will liven up any gloomy day. While the traditional cocktail is made with white rum, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice, you can still achieve the same velvety, creamy result without the booze.
Ingredients:
- Pineapple juice – Folkington’s pure pressed pineapple juice is made with Golden Sweet pineapples, grown in Costa Rica and sourced sustainably by the Arlington soft drink company. folkingtons.com
- Lime juice
- Unsweetened coconut milk
Method: Pour the pineapple juice into a tall glass and add the coconut milk and lime juice. Stir gently. Fill up the glass with a handful of ice and garnish with pineapple leaves and a cherry.
Virgin Mary
While you won’t be needing this as a hangover cure if you’re doing Dry January, it still makes for a flavoursome drink for those who prefer savoury to sweet.
Ingredients:
- Tomato juice – Folkington’s also produces tomato juice, which is made from late harvested tomatoes from small Spanish farms. This gives them a delicious unique taste and texture that will take your Mary to a different level. folkingtons.com
- Lemon juice
- Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce – Sussex has a wealth of fine hot sauce producers. Boom Sauce’s Fix Up D’Heat will tingle your tastebuds, as will its Smokey Mix, which would work especially well if you’re out of Worcestershire Sauce boomsauce.co.uk. Burning Desire does a range of flavours and spice levels, ranging from Mango and Habanero to Carolina Reaper and Moruga Scorpion burningdesirefoods.com
Method: Pour the tomato juice and lemon juice into a highball glass filled with ice cubes and mix. Add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Garnish with a celery stalk or pickle spear if desired.
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Arnold Palmer
For those who like their tea not just in a mug, this refreshing drink is sure to satisfy. The name refers to the professional American golfer Arnold Palmer, who was known to often request and drink this beverage combination.
Ingredients:
- Lemonade – Botanicals and fresh Sicilian lemons make Lancing’s Sipsup’s lemonade uniquely zesty and zingy. It also has a third less sugar than normal lemonades, perfect for those cutting back. sisupdrinks.com
- Iced tea – Prepare your own by using leaves from Bird and Blend Co, based in Brighton. We recommend the Cococabana Coola Tea for a tropical twist. birdandblendtea.com
Method: Pour ¼ of lemonade into a ½ filled tall glass of iced tea with ice.
Stelrad researched these best mocktails that can be made at home.
