Non-Alcoholic Bartending Guide: Zero-Proof Cocktails

Published July 5, 2009 at 12:09 p.m.
We have seen a rise in popularity this year in non-alcoholic cocktails that are above average and use the same modern tastes found in many of the new liquor-based cocktails. This has led to a few bartending guides that use this as a focus. Just last month a new book was released that has this exact concept in mind. In Zero-Proof Cocktails, Liz Scott has created a collection of mocktails that are fantastic alternatives to alcoholic cocktails.
Zero-Proof Cocktails Book by Liz Scott
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You can read my full review of Zero-Proof Cocktails here, and I recommend adding it to your drink library. If you are one of the many who avoid alcohol by choice or necessity you'll find fantastic and tasty ideas for spicing up your drinks and if you do a significant amount of entertaining you can use these recipes as alternatives to cater to your non-drinking guests. The recipes include some amazing ideas and I can hardly wait to use some of Fever Tree's new ginger beer in Scott's Ginger Beer Shandy this afternoon (simply 1:1 ginger beer and lemonade) and some of my left over pear nectar for an A-Pear-Itif (pear nectar and juice with balsamic vinegar) with the smoked salmon that is tonight's dinner.

Scott has captured a snapshot of creative non-alcoholic cocktails that are invaluable, yet equally valuable are her little tips for drinking alcohol-free without loosing the charm of a cocktail. A few of the points she reminded me of are great to keep in mind when skipping the "tipsy" side of tipples.

• Blue curacao can be found in an alcohol-free version. To find it look in the section of the liquor store that houses all the apple martini and margarita mixers which are bottled and alcohol-free (a place I usually recommend avoiding) and seek out "blue curacao syrup" not "blue curacao orange liqueur." By using this syrup you can still have those appealing blue drinks.
• Bitters are not out. While most bitters include alcohol but are used in insignificant dashes, some people cannot have any alcohol and the Stirrings brand is the popular alternative. Scott readily employs Stirrings blood orange in her mocktails.
• "Non-Alcoholic" beer and wine are not zero proof. Instead, these bottlings often contain .5% alc/volume so you will want to keep that in mind as well.

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