Best mocktails?

I don’t drink (been sober for 15+ years) & have several friends from my AA community that’ll be at my wedding. We’re still having signature drinks- mine is fresh squeezed strawberry lemonade & his is Malibu & Coke.

I’ve always loved my mom’s favorite drink - virgin strawberry daiquiri 🍓🥂

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I'd still like a mocktail that feels like an upscale adult beverage, just minus the alcohol. Our signature drinks were going to be a gin and tonic and whiskey ginger (with unique garnishes and touches). We'd like to keep both but just add a non-alcoholic option.

I love lemonade but want the drink to feel like something you'd need to order and have hand crafted vs a juice or everyday beverage with club soda added. I also don't want it to be so sweet that people feel like they can't go back and order multiple rounds.

Anything nonalcoholic is great. Lemonade, tea, fruit/sherbet punch, hot cocoa/cider, virgin frozen drinks, Shirley Temple, Italian sodas, ice cream floats. The choices are endless.

Any good bartender can present these however you wish. Just ask them.

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All of those are SO sweet and I feel like no one is going to want to drink multiple rounds of any of those drinks. Maybe I'm wrong but I personally wouldn't enjoy more than one of any of those before feeling like I'm going to have a sugar high followed by a crash. I guess I should have specified I'd really like to offer a lighter, more refreshing mocktail option that isn't so loaded with sugar but is a bit more than just seltzer with a sprig of mint.

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Tea and lemonade are not sweet. Talk to your bartender. They do make flavored sparkling water.

My go to drink when I was pregnant with my daughter was seltzer with a splash of cranberry and a lime wedge. Felt “cocktail” enough to fit in with my friends who were all drinking, but wasn’t too sugary.

This is my go-to "adult beverage" like mocktail: https://www.cookwithmanali.com/blueberry-ginger-cooler/

The ginger might also be nice if you have anyone who isn't feeling so stellar.

View Quoted Comment Aw same here! Or virgin piña coladas

I went to a wedding that had a signature mocktail. It was OJ, sprite, and a splash of grenadine served in a champagne glass. It taste good but was also very pretty!

I've bartended a few events with mocktails and this is one of the references I worked with: https://www.bonappetit.com/gallery/best-mocktail-recipes

A good number of those aren't sweet and they're generally pretty light and fun. The Salted Meyer Lemon and Sage Presse is a favorite for me!

You can also check out https://www.ritualzeroproof.com/ for whiskey, tequila, or gin non-alcoholic alternatives. Who doesn't like a margarita, right?

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Oooh thanks this is exactly what I was looking for!

Have you tried any of the Ritual Zero Proof spirits? I've looked at reviews and they seem mixed. Originally I was thinking virgin gin and tonic but that's not an option because of the quinine, so now I'm thinking maybe a virgin mojito (light, refreshing, not too sweet) but would need to find a virgin rum replacement. A virgin margarita is a good idea though!

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You're welcome! I haven't personally tried the Ritual Zero Proof spirits, but I've heard generally good things from friends who have. They'll of course not taste exactly like the alcoholic versions, so you might have to play around with mixer levels to get them to taste exactly how you want them to. I just took a look at their reviews on Amazon and it looks like the people who gave it negative reviews were either trying to drink it straight or didn't take into account that you have to adjust your mixer levels accordingly to make the mocktail taste right. These non-alcoholic substitutes are specifically made for mixing, so drinking it straight will pretty much always be met with a negative review. It's kind of like drinking a Bud Light and then getting mad because it didn't taste like the craft IPA you're used to drinking. Any bartender worth their pay should be able to figure out a good mix that will work and taste good.