5 Tasty Alcohol-Free Cocktails for a Fun-tastic Dry January

If you’re in need of a sophisticated, premium alternative to a sparkling fruit juice this Dry January, we have good news: there’s no need to settle for a sugar-laden soft drink any longer. There’s now a range of non-alcoholic spirits available to previously-thirsty South Africans who aren’t ‘drinking’.

Non-alcoholic spirits, like leading local brand Abstinence, Ben Branson’s iconic Seedlip and Fluére, are not meant to replace alcoholic drinks. Rather, they add diversity and more options so that when you aren’t indulging in a few drinks with friends, you don’t have to compromise on flavour or ingredients.

Even better, these delicious non-alcoholic ‘spirits’ also give you the option to experiment with premium mixers (we suggest Fever Tree), garnish and flavour combinations to create perfectly balanced cocktails, just as you would with an alcoholic spirit. The taste and drinking experience are so comparable that it’s possible to switch between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks easily.

Need a helping hand? We’ve put together a few simple cocktails to try with Abstinence, Seedlip and Fluére this summer. The’s something in this collection to suit a variety of price points from the super-premium to the more affordable.

Abstinence Negroni

Ingredients:

50ml Abstinence Blood Orange Apéritif
50ml Abstinence Cape Spice
Pinch of Salt

Method:

Combine Blood Orange Aperitif and Abstinence Spirit over ice in a cocktail beaker or tumbler.
Add a small pinch of salt and stir well.
Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice cubes.
Garnish with an orange peel.

Seedlip Minosa

A non-alcoholic citrus twist on the mimosa made with Seedlip Grove 42

Ingredients:

50ml Seedlip Grove
25 ml Orange juice
Sparkling water

Method:

Pour into champagne flute and garnish with an edible flower.

Abstinence Lemon Spritz

Ingredients:

50ml Abstinence Lemon Aperitif 200ml Soda Water (can be substituted with Tonic)
Ice
Garnish with a lemon Peel

Method:

Pour Abstinence Lemon Aperitif over ice in a Gin Goblet or Wine Glass.
Top with Soda and garnish with fresh lemon peel.

Fluére Collins

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Ingredients:

60ml Fluére Original, Spiced Cane or Raspberry
30ml Lemon juice
20ml Simple syrup
Soda Water

Method:

Pour all of the ingredients over ice cubes in a smooth Collins glass until it’s 3/4 full.
Top it off with crushed ice.
Garnish with lemon wedge and either maraschino cherries (if you’ve chosen Fluére Raspberry) or a sprig of mint (if you’ve chosen Fluére Original or Spiced Cane).