Virgin drinks: 0.0 toast is what you do
For a few years now, no one is surprised anymore when you order an alcohol-free beer. And non-alcoholic wines and cocktails are also becoming more and more normal. That is great for anyone who wants to drink less alcohol and does not always want to sit with a glass of water or cola. Take advantage of it and enjoy virgin drinks this summer too.
Why alcohol-free?
Alcohol-free is healthy and hip. The Health Council’s advice is not to drink alcohol and – if you do – a maximum of 1 glass per day. So it’s a good thing that nowadays every reputable beer brand has one or more alcohol-free variants on the shelves. And following the alcohol-free beer trend, there are more and more non-alcoholic wines for sale. You also more often see other ‘spicier’ non-alcoholic drinks such as ginger beer, elderflower wine and kombucha. And the trend to make cocktails alcohol-free is absolutely delicious: there is a large choice of so-called mocktails or virgin cocktails. That is really enjoying summer.
The 4 ingredients of a virgin cocktail
Cocktails are festive drinks that usually contain a number of different ingredients. So do the same with the virgin variants. You make them with four ingredients. The preparation is simple: put numbers 1 and 2 together, along with some ice cubes. Shake this together in a cocktail shaker (or just in a jar with a lid). You put this base in a glass and finally add ingredients 3 and 4.
Ingredient 1: Juice or syrup
Instead of the alcohol, take a dash of juice as the basis for the virgin cocktail. Juice of orange, lemon, lime gives a lot of freshness and taste. But also think of apple, pomegranate, pineapple or peach juice. Vegetable juices can also be an excellent basis: tomato juice, carrot juice or beet juice, for example. Or take a dash of lemonade syrup as a base. Elderflower syrup or black currant syrup are very tasty and fresh.
Ingredient 2: Pit
Add something spicy or with a lot of flavor to make up for the ‘lack’ of alcohol. For example slices or grated ginger, a few rings of red pepper, some juniper berries, a few sprigs of mint. Also consider a splash of rose water, ginger syrup, balsamic vinegar or a few drops of Tabasco.
Ingredient 3: Sparkling
Bubbles are festive, so add this one. This can be just sparkling mineral water, but tonic, sprite or ginger beer are also very suitable for making a mocktail. More luxurious are the Italian non-alcoholic herbal drinks such as Crodino or take one of the sparkling non-alcoholic white wines. If you prefer not to use sugar, take the sugar-free variants. Pure and sparkling mineral water is always sugar-free, of course.
Ingredient 4: Decorate!
Finish it off with a nice addition such as a slice of orange, a wedge of lime, some berries (on a twig) or strawberries, some shaved cucumber or carrot ribbons. And of course serve in a nice glass, with a cocktail tamper and possibly a (paper) straw.
Delicious virgin cocktails to make yourself
Virgin Gin tonic: 20 ml lime juice, a few juniper berries, 100 ml (sugar-free) tonic and strands of shaved cucumber
Virgin Hugo: 20 ml elderflower syrup, 50 ml alcohol-free white wine, 50 ml sparkling mineral water and lime wedges
Virgin Bellini: a pureed and sieved wild peach, some shaved ginger root, 100 ml sparkling non-alcoholic white wine, pomegranate seeds
Virgin Bloody Mary (non-carbonated): 20 ml lime juice, 3 drops Worcestershire sauce and 3 drops Tabasco, 150 ml tomato juice, celery stalk
Ginger mojito: 50 ml melon juice, grated lime zest, 100 ml ginger beer, mint leaves and pieces of cucumber
Virgin pina colada: 50 ml pineapple juice, 50 ml coconut milk, 100 ml sparkling coconut water, pineapple slice
Ginger Kombucha long drink: 20 ml ginger syrup, slices of ginger, 100 ml kombucha, 50 ml mineral water, sprig of mint
Even more ideas for a non-alcoholic toast
- Water, whether or not sparkling with mint, cucumber, ginger.
- Sparkling water with pomegranate seeds is extra festive because the seeds ‘dance’ on the carbon dioxide bubbles.
- water kefir. This fermented soft drink fizzes a bit, has a fresh sour taste and you can make your own with kefir grains (for sale on internet sites).
- Non-alcoholic wine: it is available in red, rosé and white. And there are also variants with bubbles for sale. Do you find them too sweet? Then top up with some mineral water.
