The Herb Stop Blog
Herbal Mocktails That Wow! Fruity, Warm, and Rich Mocktails You'll Love
Many of us enjoy a lovely cocktail. However, the short and long-term side effects of drinking can leave much to be desired. If you are looking for a healthier alternative, mocktails are a fantastic option!
As we start 2022, many of us have resolved to eat healthier this year, lose weight, cut back on alcohol, or sleep better. While everyone’s journey is different, lowering your alcohol consumption can help many of us with these goals - and why not replace your favorite alcoholic beverage with a scrumptious mocktail? After trying these, you may even enjoy the mocktail version better or find a mocktail that you can’t live without!
What Is A Mocktail?
A mocktail is an alcohol-free cocktail. You may also hear mocktails referred to as non-alcoholic cocktails, non-alcoholic mixed drinks, virgin drinks, or spirit-free drinks. For example, a Shirley Temple is a popular mocktail recipe that many of us are familiar with.
Regardless of what you call it, a mocktail is an alcohol-free beverage mixed with a variety of delicious elements. Some people may be less excited about mocktails because they associate them with highly sugary, overly sweet drinks that resemble a fancy lemonade. However, you can also create high-end drinks that capture the subtle and intense flavors of fancy cocktails.
To craft the perfect mocktail, you will need a variety of ingredients. Some popular choices include:
- Infused syrups
- Oleo Saccharum (a combination of sugar and citrus that creates a delicious, aromatic oil)
- Egg whites (for rich, creamy drinks - please read up on safe egg white techniques before attempting)
- Vinegar (an excellent way to make a shrub)
- Fruit juices
- Soda water
- Sparkling water
- Cucumber juice
- Faux alcohol options to replace your favorite spirit
- Salt to rim your glass
- Fresh herbs (mint is particularly delicious)
- Fresh citrus (lime and orange are amazing)
In addition to these excellent choices, we love using a strong tea base for our mouthwatering mocktails.
Fruity Mocktail Bases
If you enjoy a fruity, refreshing mocktail, you’ve come to the right place! Here are some of our favorite fruity teas to create a sublime fruity mocktail:
- Watermelon Supreme Herb & Fruit Tea: The perfect spring or summer day treat! Our Watermelon Supreme Herb & Fruit Tea is juicy and sweet with delicious cranberry and hibiscus notes. We recommend icing this and adding a pinch of fresh mint or lime to create the ultimate, refreshing mocktail.
- Peaches & Oranges White Tea: Love a Fuzzy Navel Drink? This is your perfect mocktail base. We recommend adding ice, a slice of orange, and a splash of orange juice or sparkling water to complete your mocktail. Our Peaches & Oranges White Tea is truly incredible with its fruity Georgia peaches and navel orange taste. Perfect for a large variety of mocktail experiments.
- Peppermint Tea: If you love a mint julep, try using a glass of our rich peppermint tea to create the base for your mint mocktail. We recommend adding in sparkling water or limeade, a bit of sugar, fresh mint, and lemon to create the perfect blend.
- Elderberry Wine Herb & Fruit Tea: For those that love a sweet but tart drink, try our Elderberry Wine Herb & Fruit Tea. Absolutely delicious, caffeine-free, and made from a variety of sweet ingredients, including raspberries, hibiscus, elderberries, apple pieces, and more. Another excellent option for a fruity shrub, sweet mocktail, or refreshing pool-side drink.
Warm & Rich Mocktail Bases
If you enjoy a fuller drink, try one of these warm, rich tea bases out to create your perfect mocktail. We recommend adding an egg white to your mocktail for a heartier, creamier beverage.
- Eggnog Black Tea: Just like eggnog, this tea embodies the rich caramel, cinnamon, and ginger finish of eggnog and has a delicious resemblance to eggnog with rum. We like this on its own or enhanced with egg whites or a faux rum addition. Either way, this spicy but sweet Eggnog Black Tea is sure to delight.
- Cranberry Apple Herb & Fruit Tea: This tea has an exotic flavor profile between its full-bodied, strong fruit taste and tart dried fruits. We love the combination of cranberry, apple, and other fruits used in this tea. To take this tea to the next level, we recommend adding a cinnamon stick or sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Ice Wine Black Tea: Try our sumptuous Ice Wine Tea for a caffeinated mocktail. Ice Wine, otherwise known as the nectar of winter, is an ultra-expensive wine made from pressed frozen grapes. The result is sweet, fruity, and divine. We’ve created an incredible tea blend made from luxury black and white tea, currants, and Ontario Ice Wine to bring you an alcohol-free, rich, and sweet drink. We recommend drinking this warm, cold, as is, or making a delicious shrub (using a splash of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar and a little sugar to sweeten it, depending on your preference.)
Delicious Salts to Rim Your Glass
The finishing touch to any mocktail is a delicious salt on the rim of your glass and a beautiful fruit slice on the edge. We love these fantastic salts to top off your mocktail:
- Hawaiian Alaea Salt: This beautiful pink salt is bright and eye-catching and will make the perfect pop of color against your mocktail. Traditionally, this salt is used for seasoning, preserving, and grilling or roasting meats due to its unique, pleasant flavor.
- Hiwa Kai (Hawaiian Black Lava) Salt: Looking to make your mocktail stand out from the crowd? This black salt will do the trick. Silky, stunning, and made with activated charcoal. It looks gorgeous and boasts multiple detoxifying health benefits.
- Himalayan Pink Salt (Coarse): Coarse salt tends to stand out more on the rim of a glass. So, we recommend our beautiful pink Himalayan salt for a beautiful rim on your glass. This salt boasts a lovely flavor and will complement any mocktail.
We hope this piece inspires you to try out some delicious and healthy mocktail recipes! We would love to hear from you - what is your favorite mocktail recipe?
Cheers,
Natalie & Leilah