Is it still January? Hardly, but yes. Is it still dry? Well, that all depends on how you look at it. Maybe you’re interested in reintroducing a little bit of alcohol into your life, or maybe you’ve never enjoyed an overly strong drink, no matter the month.
I think the answer is the same in both scenarios: switch to low alcohol cocktails. They’re lightweight, straightforward, and there’s a wide range of options to suit your preferences. I have three recommendations to get you started.
What is a low alcohol cocktail?
First, let’s clarify our terminology. Again, ABV stands for alcohol by volume. This usually means what percentage of alcohol is contained in a drink. Pure vodka can contain 30% or 40% alcohol. So a vodka martini, after being mixed with ice and a little vermouth, might have an alcohol content of 25-35%. That’s decided not low alcohol content.
Wines can vary greatly, but typically are around 13 to 18% alcohol, and beers can be between 4 and 12% alcohol. Although there is no exact alcohol content that defines a low alcohol cocktail, I usually prefer an alcohol content of around 5% and below. It’s nothing that would make me self-conscious, but enough to add a touch of spice to the occasion. If you’re at a bar or restaurant, they may have a different opinion about what fits in the low alcohol range. So be sure to ask (or check the menu for the alcohol content) if you’re wondering.
How to make a low alcohol cocktail at home
Aside from buying a mocktail cookbook and adding a shot of gin to one of these mixed drinks (which you totally can do – give it a try). The Mocktail Club(an excellent recipe book I recently reviewed), you can browse your home bar and do a few easy experiments. Personally, I think low alcohol drinks add some sparkle to the “supporting characters”. It is an opportunity to highlight aperitifs, vermouths, bitters, juices, shrubs, syrups, tonics and lemonades. Many of the biggest and boldest flavors are there anyway.
When you start from scratchStart simple and try a few juicy spritzes. A loose ratio might be 1:3:3: one part “supporting character” alcohol, three parts juice, and three parts sparkling non-alcoholic liquid. Choose an aperitif, liqueur or liqueur you like and add equal parts suitable juice and soda water. Serve in a glass with plenty of ice.
If you start from a classic cocktail recipeTry replacing the hard alcohol with a strong shot of seltzer or even sparkling wine. The alcohol content with the latter would of course be higher than using seltzer, but sometimes you just want to turn it down a few notches. For example, the alcohol content of Prosecco is much lower at 12% than that of Gin at 40%. That’s exactly it fake Negroni does – swaps the gin for prosecco. Both are delicious cocktails, but the classic Negroni has about twice the alcohol.
Three of my favorite low alcohol cocktails
I’ve always enjoyed sipping socially, but not the inevitable headaches that come with strong drinks. Here are three I can rely on when I feel like taking it easy. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel here, folks: simple is often best.
Low alcohol Bellinis
Bellinis are light, sparkling cocktails that are classically made with a little white peach puree and lots of Prosecco. To lower the alcohol content, halve the Prosecco and replace it with some seltzer water. Alternatively, you can use fruit juice instead of seltzer for a larger dose of fruit flavor. (By the way, you can use any fruit puree you like, it doesn’t necessarily have to be peach.)
Negroni Sbagliato or Americano
As I mentioned above, the Sbagliato is a low pointIs Alcoholic version of the classic Negroni, and the Americano is the next level. Do something wrongMix equal parts Campari, sweet vermouth and Prosecco (pour the last as a topping). Serve in a glass with plenty of ice. For an AmericanoSimply replace the Prosecco with plenty of soda water. When I make it at home I add a dash of sugar syrup.
Juicy Aperol Spritz
The classic Aperol Spritz consists of three parts Prosecco, two parts Aperol and one part soda water. To make it less alcoholic, I skip the Prosecco and opt for a splash of juice. To prepare a juicy Aperol SpritzMix two parts Aperol and one part orange juice in a glass half filled with ice. Pour three parts soda water on top.
