The golden ratio
works with every mocktail
Shake the acid, sweetener and juice for 12 seconds with plenty of ice - shaking is especially important for a mocktail, because it adds texture.
Strain into a longdrink glass filled with fresh ice cubes.
Top up with cold tonic or sparkling water and stir gently once.
Add the bitters or a pinch of salt and garnish generously. Taste and adjust with a splash of acid if it is too sweet.
Why mocktails often fail
Alcohol does much more in a cocktail than simply make it alcoholic. It carries aromas, adds a slightly burning texture that balances the sweetness, and provides the ‘length’ that makes you sip a cocktail slowly. Remove that without replacing it with something else, and all you are left with is lemonade - which is exactly why many people find mocktails too sweet. The solution lies in three things: more acidity than you are used to, some bitterness (tonic, cold tea, grapefruit or a few drops of bitters), and texture from shaking or from a creamy ingredient. Do that, and you have a drink that holds its own on the table.
The right glass
With mocktails, the glass matters more than with any other cocktail - and that is not a matter of aesthetics. People who do not drink do not want to sit among the cocktails with a cola glass; having the same glass as everyone else at the table makes the difference between joining in and watching. So choose your regular longdrink glasses from 33 to 47 cl, and garnish at least as generously as you would the alcoholic versions. Serving something more like a short drink? Then use a coupe or martini glass, exactly as you would with alcohol in it.
Onis Icon Longdrink Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Duralex Picardie Highball Glass 36 cl (6 pieces)
Together € 56,90.
The right tools
For mocktails, besides the glass, you use a shaker, a bar spoon for stirring and a jigger for precise measuring. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools - together € 78,80.
All mocktail recipes
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a mocktail and a cocktail?
Only the alcohol - in concept, technique and presentation, they are identical. A good mocktail is shaken, strained and garnished just like a cocktail.
Which glass do you use for a mocktail?
The same glass as for the cocktail it resembles. Check out our highball glasses for most mocktails, or our cocktail glasses for short drinks.
Why does my mocktail taste too sweet?
Almost always because there is too little acidity. Add fresh lemon or lime juice, not more syrup. A pinch of salt or a few drops of bitters also cut through the sweetness.
Can you make every cocktail alcohol-free?
Almost. Cocktails that rely on acidity and fruit - mojitos, daiquiris, spritzes - work excellently. Cocktails in which the drink itself plays the leading role, such as a Negroni or Old Fashioned, remain more challenging, even with 0.0 alternatives.
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