The keys to making complex and satisfying mocktails at home

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Years ago, if you were drinking well, it was all but guaranteed that the beverage in your hand was alcoholic. Today, the booze-free movement has elevated many adult beverage categories, making it possible to find a complex and satisfying beverage that is sans alcohol. And as those non-alcoholic options have grown more popular, bartenders and cocktail specialists have focused more of their attention on creating mocktails with substance, character, and intrigue.

Fortunately, you don’t need to venture out to the bars to enjoy a quality mocktail. We tapped the minds of beverage specialists at three golf clubs — Danielle O’Neal, bar manager at Sea Pines Resort; Jacob Coburn, the bar manager at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, and James Letendre, the beverage director at Atlanta Athletic Club — to learn how to make crowd-pleasing mocktails at home.

Golden Rules

The best cocktails, whether they’re classics or modern marvels, all benefit from a harmony of flavors. Balance is critical, and in the estimation of Coburn and Letendre, that characteristic is even more important when constructing a mocktail.

“A golden ratio that can be applied for mocktail making is something herby — think basil, rosemary, thyme, mint — something spicy or bitter, like ginger, turmeric, or lemon peel; something sweet, such as honey or agave; and something sour, like lemon, lime, or grapefruit,” Coburn advises. “As long as these are balanced it’s hard to go wrong.

“Balance is key,” he continues. “With mocktail creation, we can fall into the trap of making a very tasty juice. But for it to be effective, it needs something more.”

A mocktail’s effectiveness is also derived from the quality of the ingredients that are used. As Letendre points out, incorporating fresh juices, teas, homemade syrups, and thoughtful garnishes “elevates the experience and makes the drink feel intentional rather than a substitute.”

Speaking of substitutes….

Worthy Substitutes

In O’Neal’s opinion, most non-alcoholic spirit substitutes are mediocre at best. However, she recently found a unique alcohol-free distilled beverage that she says works admirably as a replacement for vodka, gin, or tequila. That product — the lemon, cucumber, and serrano-flavored Amethyst from Burnt Church Distillery — succeeds, she says, “because it brings the sour with the lemon, the garden-fresh flavor of the cucumber, and a bitterness zing of the serrano.”

Travel

When Coburn begins crafting a new mocktail, he says he looks for any bottled ingredients that add something more than the ingredients that he can make in house. “Bitter non-alcoholic amaros of all sorts are a fun way to start,” he acknowledges. “Other options like TOST, a sparkling white tea beverage, are a great base to play with.”

Similarly, Letendre relies on products from brands such as Wilfred’s and Ghia. “They bring the same herbal, bitter, and aromatic qualities that classic vermouths, cordials, or amari might provide in cocktails,” he says. “This gives mocktails the ‘grown-up’ feel people crave, adding complexity rather than reducing a drink that tastes too simple or overly sweet.”

Coburn also suggests using strongly brewed teas in place of fruit juices as the base of a mocktail. As he explains, that’s a good way to ensure you end up with something complex rather than something too sweet.

Can’t-Miss Flavor Combinations

All three beverage specialists agreed that there are not hard-and-fast rules when it comes to making mocktails (aside from prioritizing balance), so you’ve got a blank canvas to explore different flavor combinations. That said, there are a few that these experts revert back to regularly.

For example, Letendre loves pairing blueberry with ginger; he insists that tropical fruits and almonds are a magical combination; and he says you’ll be amazed if you mix coconut with pomegranate and chai tea.

Similarly, Coburn likes balancing fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary with a huckleberry puree.

And during the fall, O’Neal leans into warm spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice, which she likes to pair with fruits that are harvested during the season — think peaches, pears, and apples. “I enjoy balancing the fruits and spices with herbs that would be present in a Thanksgiving feast,” he explains, “such as rosemary, thyme, and sage.”

Bring Me a Shrubbery!

By now, you might be asking, “how exactly do I create a mocktail with the flavors of fresh herbs or baking spices or fruits, such as blueberries, that aren’t typically juiced?”

The answer, according to O’Neal, is to create a cold-processed shrub. “They drink like a spirit instead of a heavy juice or syrup,” she says. “A cold-processed shrub intensifies the fruit flavor and adds a little tang. It takes little effort and creates a product that captures the fruit’s flavor at peak ripeness.”

To create one, start by mixing equal measures (by weight) of sugar and fresh fruit (sliced or chopped), then refrigerate the mixture for 1 to 4 days — the length of time will vary based on the type of fruit used and how intense you want the flavors to be. When this maceration is ready, strain the liquid into an air-tight jar or bottle and add vinegar (to taste) to balance out the sweetness. (During the maceration, you can add herbs or spices, and when it comes to adding vinegar, you can experiment with different types, such as balsamic or champagne.)

“My all-time favorite shrub,” she says, “is my pineapple Caribbean spice shrub. I use it in my ‘Caribbean Recovery’ mocktail that’s made with coconut water and fresh-squeezed lemon. I create the shrub by combining a freshly cut pineapple with white sugar, allspice, nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon. After three days, I strain the syrup and add champagne vinegar.”