With warmer temperatures this season, I decided to have some creative fun in the kitchen with these beautiful new cocktail glasses I purchased off of Amazon at the Tag Store:
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Instead of making a traditional cocktail with alcohol, this recipe is alcohol free, which would cause it to be classified as a mocktail. Mocktails have grown in popularity over the past few years, even earning their own section on some restaurant menus!
What is a Mocktail?
Mocktails are by definition flavorful drink mixtures that are zero proof, or non-alcoholic. The genesis of mocktails started all the way back in the 1930’s with the introduction of the Shirley Temple. Since then, other drinks became increasingly popular to order without alcohol such as Piña Colada’s, Mojitos, Daquiris and more. In recent years, mocktails have evolved with more craftsmanship, allowing some who wish to abstain from alcohol to still socialize without feeling social pressure to consume spirits.
Gen Z Trends and Mocktails
Unlike prior generations who view alcohol as a way to connect or socialize, Gen Z has not adopted the regular consumption of alcohol like their predecessors. According to the University of Michigan, the percentage of collage-aged adults abstaining from alcohol has grown from 20% to 28%, almost 1/3. Where in contrast, according to Datassential’s MenuTrends , “the presence of mocktails on menus has experienced a remarkable growth of 233% over the past four years”.
Many choose to drink mocktails over traditional cocktails for health reasons. Some of these include anxiety reduction, mental and physical clarity, less calories, and overall better health.
Tips for Making a Good Mocktail
To indulge in the latest mocktail trend, I too will begin a series of delicious mocktails that I discover in my own lab (e.g. the kitchen) :). The first of my new mocktail series will be the Blackberry Ginger Pineapple Mocktail. I was very surprised and pleased at how wonderful these flavors came together. From my own personal experience, here are three tips I would recommend for your own mocktail journey:
- Try to use fresh ingredients where possible. This may include fruits or herbs
- Add flavor complexity by creating infused syrups. My favorites are thyme, mint, or ginger
- Infuse texture by using sparkling water or fresh fruit
- Every drink will taste 10x’s better in a cute glass! Here are some of my favorites this summer:
Blackberry Ginger Pineapple Mocktail Recipe:
Blackberry Pineapple Ginger Mocktail Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Muddler
Ingredients
- 3 Blackberries, fresh
- 5-6 Pineapple Chunks, fresh
- 1 oz Pineapple Juice
- 1 oz Ginger Infused Simple Syrup
- 4 oz Blackberry Infused Sparkling Water
Ginger Simple Syrup
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/4 cup Ginger, peeled and chopped
Instructions
Ginger Simple Syrup
- Combine sugar, water, and ginger in a small saucepan.
- Over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil and stir constantly until sugar dissolves.
- Remove mixture from heat and allow it to cool until it reaches room temperature.
- Remove and strain ginger pieces. You can store your simple syrup in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Blackberry Pineapple Ginger Mocktail
- In a cocktail mixing glass, add 3 blackberries, and 4-5 pineapple chunks. Muddle ingredients together until juice is extracted.
- Add 1 oz of pineapple juice and 1 oz of ginger simple syrup. Stir mixture together.
- Place a cocktail strainer over a coupe glass, and pour mixture into glass. Top with blackberry infused sparkling water and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Video Instructions:
I don’t think I have tried this combination before but it does look good. I will save this to try it soon. Thank you for sharing!