Mocktails · Easy & Everyday

Non-Alcoholic Drinks25 Easy Ideas for Every Occasion

Easy non-alcoholic drinks for every occasion: sparkling mocktails, iced teas, tonics and warm drinks, with six full recipes and a spirited twin for each.

October 4, 20265 min read6 drinks ⇄ 6 twins ↓

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Non-alcoholic drinks go well beyond soda. Sparkling tea spritzes, shrubs, cold brew tonics, switchels and fruit coolers are all easy to make at home. Start with a base of tea or juice, add acid and sweetness, and finish with bubbles.

Below are 25 non-alcoholic drink ideas for every occasion, six full recipes with a spirited version for anyone who wants one, and a simple formula for building your own. Everything is shown zero-proof first.

What Are Non-Alcoholic Drinks? (And What 0.0% Really Means)

A non-alcoholic drink is any drink made without alcohol. That covers everyday drinks like iced tea and lemonade as well as “adult” drinks built to feel like cocktails. A few terms are worth knowing: “alcohol-free” or “0.0%” means no detectable alcohol, while “non-alcoholic” can legally mean up to 0.5% ABV in the US. If you need none at all, read labels. See what a mocktail is for the full definition.

Sparkling Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Bubbles make a drink feel like an occasion. The easiest approach is a tea or juice base topped with sparkling water. Ideas: hibiscus spritzer, peach tea spritz, pomegranate sparkler, cranberry ginger fizz and lemon-lime soda with fresh mint.

Hibiscus Iced Tea Spritzer

Dried hibiscus steeps into a bold, cranberry-tart tea that is naturally ruby red. Steep it for ten minutes, chill it and top it with soda. (If you are pregnant, hibiscus is usually avoided: see the pregnancy mocktails.)

Dried hibiscus flowers steeping in a glass teapot, turning the water ruby red. — Fig. 02Steep dried hibiscus for ten minutes; it makes a bold, cranberry-tart tea.

The result is a clear, deep red tea that tastes like a tart cranberry.

A ruby hibiscus iced tea spritzer with a lime wheel and mint, surrounded by dried hibiscus flowers. — Fig. 01Hibiscus Iced Tea Spritzer: tart, floral and a gorgeous ruby red.

· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec

CollinsBuilt4 minLight · 6%

CollinsBuilt4 minZero-proof · 0.0%

Method

1Fill a tall glass with ice and add the rum, tea, lime and syrup.
2Top with club soda and stir once.
3Garnish with a lime wheel and mint.

Method

1Fill a tall glass with ice and add the tea, lime, syrup and salt.
2Top with club soda and stir once.
3Garnish with a lime wheel and mint.

How the swap works
Hibiscus is already tart and tannic, so it needs no spirit; a little extra syrup and a pinch of salt make it taste round.

Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml

Peach Tea Spritz

Iced tea, peach nectar and bubbles in a pretty stemmed glass, finished with thyme. It is the easiest drink here to scale up for a party.

· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec

Wine glassBuilt3 minLight · 4%

Wine glassBuilt3 minZero-proof · 0.0%

The pour · 7¼ oz

The pour · 7½ oz

Peach Tea Prosecco Spritz

Peach Tea Spritz

Peach, tea and bubbles.

Serves

Ingredients (1 drink)

GarnishPeach slice and a sprig of thyme

Ingredients (1 drink)

GarnishPeach slice and a sprig of thyme

Method

1Fill a large wine glass with ice and add the tea, peach nectar and lemon juice.
2Top with prosecco and stir gently.
3Garnish with a peach slice and thyme.

Method

1Fill a large wine glass with ice and add the tea, peach nectar and lemon juice.
2Top with club soda and stir gently.
3Garnish with a peach slice and thyme.

How the swap works
Extra lemon gives the dryness of sparkling wine and club soda keeps it crisp rather than sweet.

Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml

Tea-Based and Coffee-Based Drinks

Tea and coffee bring tannin and bitterness, which is what makes a drink taste grown-up. Ideas: iced green tea with mint, jasmine tea and tonic, chai over ice, lapsang tea and ginger beer, and cold brew with orange.

Cold Brew Tonic

Bitter coffee over sparkling tonic, with no syrup needed. Pour the cold brew slowly over the ice so it layers on top of the tonic.

Cold brew coffee being poured from a carafe over tonic and ice in a tall glass. — Fig. 04Pour the coffee slowly over the ice so it layers on top of the tonic.

Layering takes a slow pour, but even stirred it tastes great.

A layered cold brew tonic in a tall glass with an orange peel twist. — Fig. 03Cold Brew Tonic: bitter coffee over sparkling tonic, with no syrup needed.

· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec

HighballBuilt3 minLight · 6%

HighballBuilt3 minZero-proof · 0.0%

The pour · 8½ oz (1 cups)

The pour · 8 oz (1 cups)

Spiked Cold Brew Tonic

Cold Brew Tonic

Cold brew over tonic. The twin is the original, with no spirit.

Serves

Ingredients (1 drink)

vodka1½ oz
cold brew coffee3 oz
Top with tonic waterabout 4 oz

GarnishOrange peel

Ingredients (1 drink)

GarnishOrange peel

Method

1Fill a tall glass with ice and add the vodka and tonic.
2Pour the cold brew slowly over the top so it layers.
3Express an orange peel over the drink and drop it in.

Method

1Fill a tall glass with ice and add the tonic.
2Pour the cold brew slowly over the top so it layers.
3Add the bitters and express an orange peel over the drink.

How the swap works
Coffee and tonic are both bitter, so the combination is already complex; bitters and orange peel add aroma.

Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml

Fruit Coolers, Lemonades and Smoothies

Fresh fruit and herbs make the best non-alcoholic coolers. Ideas: strawberry basil lemonade, cucumber mint cooler, watermelon lime agua fresca, pineapple ginger fizz and mango lassi.

Strawberry Basil Lemonade

Fresh fruit, fresh herb and fresh lemon. Use the ripest strawberries you can find, since the fruit does most of the work.

A bowl of ripe strawberries beside basil leaves and halved lemons on marble. — Fig. 06Ripe strawberries and basil do the work, so use the best you can find.

Taste a berry first: sweeter fruit needs less lemonade syrup.

A pitcher and a glass of pink strawberry basil lemonade on a sunny garden table. — Fig. 05Strawberry Basil Lemonade: fresh fruit, fresh herb and fresh lemon.

· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec

CollinsBuilt5 minLight · 9%

CollinsBuilt5 minZero-proof · 0.0%

Method

1Muddle the strawberries and basil in a tall glass.
2Add the gin, lemonade and lemon juice and fill with ice.
3Stir and garnish with a strawberry and basil.

Method

1Muddle the strawberries and basil in a tall glass.
2Add the lemonade and lemon juice and fill with ice.
3Top with club soda, stir and garnish.

How the swap works
An extra strawberry and a splash of soda stand in for the gin; the basil gives the herbal note a botanical spirit would.

Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml

Shrubs, Switchels and Other Tangy Drinks

Vinegar drinks sound strange but taste bright, which is why bars use them in place of citrus. A shrub is fruit, sugar and vinegar steeped together; a switchel is an old farm drink of ginger, vinegar and honey or maple. Ideas: blueberry shrub soda, ginger lemon switchel, apple cider shrub, rhubarb shrub and cranberry shrub.

To make a shrub, combine 1 cup berries, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup apple cider vinegar in a jar, let it sit in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, shake it daily, strain and keep it chilled for up to a few weeks. Use 1 oz per drink with 4 to 5 oz of soda.

Ginger Lemon Switchel

An old-fashioned drink that is tangy, sweet and refreshing. The longer the ginger steeps, the spicier it gets, so slice it thin.

Hands slicing fresh ginger into thin coins on a wooden board beside halved lemons. — Fig. 08Slice ginger thin and let it steep: the longer it steeps, the spicier the drink.

Let the ginger steep in the jar for at least an hour before you use it.

A mason jar of golden ginger lemon switchel beside ginger slices, apple cider vinegar and honey. — Fig. 07Ginger Lemon Switchel: an old-fashioned farm drink, tangy, sweet and refreshing.

· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec

CollinsBuilt5 minLight · 8%

CollinsBuilt5 minZero-proof · 0.0%

Method

1Fill a tall glass with ice and add the bourbon, ginger syrup, lemon juice and vinegar.
2Top with club soda and stir once.
3Garnish with a lemon wheel and a slice of ginger.

Method

1Fill a tall glass with ice and add the syrups, lemon juice and vinegar.
2Top with club soda and stir once.
3Garnish with a lemon wheel and a slice of ginger.

How the swap works
Vinegar gives the sharp edge of a spirit, ginger brings the heat and maple replaces bourbon's caramel notes.

Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml

Blueberry Shrub Soda

Fruit, sugar and vinegar make a bright, tangy base, and the color is spectacular.

· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec

HighballBuilt3 minLight · 8%

HighballBuilt3 minZero-proof · 0.0%

The pour · 6½ oz

Blueberry Shrub Vodka Soda

Blueberry Shrub Soda

A blueberry shrub with soda. The twin skips the vodka.

Serves

Ingredients (1 drink)

vodka1½ oz
blueberry shrub1 oz
Top with club sodaabout 4 oz

GarnishBlueberries and a lemon twist

Ingredients (1 drink)

blueberry shrub1½ oz
Top with club sodaabout 5 oz
salt1 pinch

GarnishBlueberries and a lemon twist

Method

1Fill a tall glass with ice and add the vodka and shrub.
2Top with club soda and stir once.
3Garnish with blueberries and a lemon twist.

Method

1Fill a tall glass with ice and add the shrub.
2Top with club soda and a pinch of salt and stir once.
3Garnish with blueberries and a lemon twist.

How the swap works
The vinegar in a shrub gives all the bite you want, so a little more shrub is the only swap needed.

Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml

Warm Non-Alcoholic Drinks

When it is cold, a warm drink does more than a cold one. Ideas: spiced apple cider, hot chocolate, ginger lemon tea with honey, mulled grape juice and a hot toddy without the whiskey. Our Christmas drinks have several warm recipes with non-alcoholic twins.

Non-Alcoholic Wine, Beer and Spirits: What They Are and When to Use Them

Dealcoholized wines, beers and “spirit alternatives” have improved a lot. They can contain up to 0.5% ABV, so they are not suitable if you need a strict zero. Use non-alcoholic sparkling wine for toasts, a non-alcoholic gin or whiskey alternative in a tonic or highball, and non-alcoholic bitters in place of regular ones. For everyday drinks you do not need any of them: tea, juice and soda do the job.

Non-Alcoholic Drinks for Parties and for Kids

For a party, a drink station beats a bartender: set out a few dispensers, cups and bowls of garnish, and let guests build their own. Keep a tub of ice with sparkling water, ginger soda, tonic and juice for anyone who wants something simple.

Overhead view of a drink station with three glass dispensers, cups and bowls of garnishes. — Fig. 10A non-alcoholic drink station lets everyone build their own.

Add a tub of ice with sparkling water, ginger soda, tonic and juice, and any party is covered.

A tub of ice holding sparkling water, ginger soda, tonic and juice, with lemons and limes. — Fig. 12Stock the tub with sparkling mixers and juices, and any party is covered.

For children, keep everything caffeine-free and free of non-alcoholic spirits and extracts. Our kids’ mocktails are made for that. For a drink that works for everyone, the mocktail recipes page is a good start.

How to Build Any Non-Alcoholic Drink

Use the same five-part formula for every drink and you can invent your own:

Base (2 to 4 oz): tea, juice, cold brew or coconut water.
Acid (½ oz): lemon, lime or a splash of vinegar.
Sweet (½ oz): simple syrup, honey or maple, to taste.
Aroma: herbs, spices, citrus peel or non-alcoholic bitters.
Fizz (top): sparkling water, tonic or ginger beer, added last.

Taste before you serve. If it is flat, add acid or a pinch of salt; if it is sharp, add a little syrup. More on the method is in how to make mocktails.

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Last call

Questions from the bar

Q1What are some non-alcoholic drinks?

Sparkling tea spritzes, hibiscus iced tea, cold brew tonic, strawberry basil lemonade, ginger switchel, shrub sodas, peach tea spritz, mocktails like a virgin mojito and warm drinks like spiced cider and hot chocolate.

Mocktail recipes ↗

Q2What is the difference between non-alcoholic and alcohol-free?

In practice the two terms are used interchangeably, but "alcohol-free" usually means no alcohol at all (0.0%), while "non-alcoholic" can mean up to 0.5% ABV in the US. Check the label if you need a strict zero.

Q3What can I drink instead of alcohol at a party?

Offer a non-alcoholic drink that is as good as the others: a sparkling tea spritz, a mocktail or a shrub soda. Set up a drink station with dispensers and garnishes so guests can build their own.

Kids' mocktails ↗

Q4What are the best non-alcoholic drinks for adults?

Sparkling tea spritzes, cold brew tonics, shrub sodas, switchels, virgin Marys and virgin mojitos are all designed for adults: tart, bitter or herbal rather than sweet.

What is a mocktail? ↗

Q5How do you make non-alcoholic drinks taste less sweet?

Add acid (lemon, lime or a little vinegar), bitterness (tea, tonic or cold brew) and a pinch of salt. Use fresh juice rather than concentrate, and rely on fruit and herbs for sweetness instead of syrup alone.

How to make mocktails ↗

Q6Are non-alcoholic drinks really 0% alcohol?

Homemade drinks made without spirits have no added alcohol, so they are effectively 0.0%. Store-bought non-alcoholic wine, beer and spirits can contain up to 0.5% ABV, and some extracts contain alcohol, so check labels if you need a strict zero.

Another round?

Non-Alcoholic Drinks25 Easy Ideas for Every Occasion

What Are Non-Alcoholic Drinks? (And What 0.0% Really Means)