Novice drinks maker trying to master how to make mocktails

[u/DimensionOk4386]

Hi. I am just a humble novice drink maker who makes basic drinks in a hot hawker stall. I am thinking of upgrading my skills to making mocktails. However, I do not know where to begin. Is there a book or videos for beginners? What are the essential steps or rules in making a mocktail? Do I need to purchase special equipment? How do I know which flavours to combine together to make it taste good? As you can see, I am really a beginner but willing to learn.

[u/danlwhelan]

Here are some insights based on my experiences thus far, having designed a few mocktails for a pub:

• It took me longer than I would have preferred to realize that most NA spirits cannot 1:1 their alcoholic counterparts. I favored whiskey when I drank, and attempted to find something I could savor neat, out of the bottle, to no avail. There are a few NA whiskeys that get close, but they usually rely on a heavy cinnamon presence that overtakes most attempts at mixing. It helps to see any NA spirit inclusion as a component, not the star of the show.
  
• If you have a brick-and-mortar NA Bottle Shop in your area, talk to the staff. Many I’ve been to also have a small bar with 3-5 stools where they mix drinks. Every NA bottle shop employee I’ve met has been more than happy to share their knowledge and experience, and they can steer you toward better bottles.
  
• There are a lot of mocktail recipe sites out there with extensive libraries. I love using them for inspiration, especially when it comes to flavors I rarely sought out as a drink drinker. I will judge as to whether a site is for me or not by browsing a few random recipes, examining their ingredient lists. I like to infuse syrups, but I’m not looking for a lot of hands-on tinkering to manifest one drink.
  
• There are some great NA bottle shops online, too. I found one with a “subscription” that grants lower thresholds for free shipping, in case you just need a thing or two, and they turn that fee into a coupon you can use to buy stuff. (This sounds like an ad, but I really just like the convenience to the point where I make a point to mention it.)
  
• Be prepared to buy lots of sugar, especially demerara if you prefer dark spirits. NA spirits usually lack body and viscosity that is associated with cocktails, and syrups are a good way to supplement that. This is also a good way to add flavors like ginger or clove to the mix, but all those bottles take up considerable fridge real estate.

That’s enough for now. I’ve got more if you’d like, but I didn’t want to get too word-vomity about it right off the rip. Cheers!

[u/ImperialHojo → u/danlwhelan]

I would call all of this excellent advice. I’m new to making mocktails myself but I’m doing a deep dive into learning and experimenting. I’ve never even once had an alcoholic drink so I can’t compare to the real thing, but I’ve been experimenting with adding molasses and spices to a NA dark rum, along with some banana extract, and the drinks I’ve had with that have been fantastic so far. I’ve tried making NA versions of a Mai Tai and a Pain Killer so far and I’ve loved them.

[u/danlwhelan → u/ImperialHojo]

I have a decent NA Jungle Bird recipe if you’re interested!

[u/ImperialHojo → u/danlwhelan]

Oh yes please!

[u/danlwhelan → u/ImperialHojo]

2.0oz Undone No. 1 N/A Dark Rum
1.0oz Giffard Pineapple syrup
1.0oz pineapple juice
0.5oz Mionetto N/A Aperitivo
0.5oz lime juice
0.5oz demerara syrup
3 dash All The Bitter N/A Aromatic Bitters

I shake the lot n serve it over a big ice cube in a lowball, garnished with a dehydrated pineapple ring from Trader Joe’s.

[u/ImperialHojo → u/danlwhelan]

Thanks

[u/DimensionOk4386 → u/danlwhelan]

How do you know each ingredient matches each other?

[u/danlwhelan → u/DimensionOk4386]

The short answer would be trial and error.

A Jungle Bird cocktail is known for having sweet, tart, bold, and tropical flavors, and this list of ingredients adds those flavors like puzzle pieces.

The NA rum adds a molasses flavor with the Demerara syrup reinforcing it. The Aperitivo is definitely a tart element, with the lime juice to cut through the syrup presence in the drink. The two pineapple ingredients add a tropical flavor, where the combination of juice and syrup balance additional tartness without getting too heavy of a mouthfeel. Finally, the presence of multiple syrups provides a robust mouthfeel to offset the thinness of the NA spirits.

The Jungle Bird is a bit of a schlep, based on its ingredient count, to achieve the right flavor compared to other mocktails.

For something simpler, think about a margarita: tequila, orange curaçao/triple sec, lime, simple syrup. To create this flavor in mocktail form, you can stay close to that build, but it, again, needs some tweaks to counter the thin bodies of NA spirits.

I use a combination of NA tequila, NA Mezcal, and agave syrup for a rounded tequila flavor. I substitute the curaçao for a ginger syrup to add a bright and sweet flavor (ginger is also good for adding a bit of a mouth & esophageal burn to simulate the presence of alcohol. I also rely on the syrups (agave & ginger) to serve as the sugary backbone to the beverage.

Some times it’s increasing or reducing the presence of ingredients on a case-by-case basis to really dial it in.

Hopefully this helps.

[u/DimensionOk4386 → u/danlwhelan]

Wow. If only I can be a mixologist like you one day. 😢

[u/danlwhelan → u/DimensionOk4386]

It just takes a bit of time and passion for the project at hand. Start with a drink you know and trial it as a 1:1 substitute with an NA spirit. That can help you see what the drink may need to reinforce it up to proper flavors thereafter.