Non-Alcoholic Drinks For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Non-alcoholic (NA) or alcohol-free drinks aren’t just for pregnant women or designated drivers anymore, nor should they be. For many, not drinking alcohol is simply a lifestyle choice. Everyone should be able to order whatever they want and feel comfortable when participating in a bar or party experience. Whether you're a professional or home bartender, you should be offering non-alcoholic options (besides just soda or water) to your guests.

A sampling of non-alcoholic classic cocktails

The following handful of recipes are classics that people have been enjoying for years.

Arnold Palmer

Ingredients

• 3 oz. Iced Tea
• 1 oz. Lemonade
• Lemon Wedge

Directions

Add tea and lemonade into a highball glass with ice and stir. Garnish with lemon wedge.

Bloody Mary

Ingredients

• 3 oz. Tomato Juice
• 1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1 dash Worcestershire Sauce
• 1–2 dashes Hot Sauce
• 1 tsp. Celery Salt
• 1 pinch Pepper
• 1 pinch Salt
• Celery Stick
• Directions

Add all the ingredients (minus the celery stick) into a glass with ice and stir. Garnish with the celery stick. People have come up with hundreds, if not thousands, of ways to garnish this drink, so have some fun!

Daiquiri

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Lyre's Dry White Cane Spirit
• 1 oz. Simple Syrup
• 1 oz. Lime Juice
• Lime Wedge

Directions

Add all ingredients (besides the lime wedge) into a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with the lime wedge and serve.

Pina Colada

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
• 2 oz. Pineapple Juice
• 1 cup Ice

Directions

Mix in a blender until smooth. Pour into a margarita glass.

Shirley Temple

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Grenadine
• 6 oz. Lemon-Lime Soda or Ginger Ale
• Maraschino Cherry

Directions

Pour grenadine and soda over ice in a tall glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Smart serving at home

When hosting a party, especially when you’re expecting 20-plus guests, your best bet is to hire a professional bartender. Take the following suggestions to heart so that your party runs smoothly and your guests are happy:

• Be sure to have at least one non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirit option available for your guests. You can find non-alcoholic sparkling wines at many groceries and liquor stores, and they make a nice addition to any party.
• Make a non-alcoholic punch for all guests to enjoy, and have both non-alcoholic spirits and alcoholic spirits near the punch so that guests can add what they want to their punch.
• When serving cocktails that contain alcohol, don’t add more than 2 ounces of liquor to a drink to avoid overserving any of your guests.
• Use only fresh ice and fresh fruit.
• If possible, chill glasses and don’t put them out until five minutes before the party begins as it not only keeps them cold but ensures they’re fresh and clean when guests arrive.
• When serving hot drinks, make sure that the cups or glasses have handles. Have tea and coffee at the ready to save yourself a lot of time while you’re busy slinging drinks.
• Use a scoop, tongs, or a large spoon to serve ice. Never use your hands.
• If you don’t have bottle pourers, rub waxed paper over the tip of liquor bottles to prevent dripping.
• Use a champagne bucket or any type of small bucket to dump out any extra liquid or ice from your shakers if you don’t have a sink nearby.
• Close the bar an hour to an hour and a half before the end of the party. You can then continue to offer your guests tea and coffee.