Alcohol-free drinks for the great outdoors
The Drinkaware team thought it would be a great idea to offer some inspiration for alcohol-free drinks to try in the garden or to take with a picnic to your nearest green space.
Tropical fizz from home
This zingy drink is refreshing and light -perfect for sunny days.
Serves eight small glasses
Ingredients:
- 400 ml soda water
- 250 ml lime juice (fresh)
- 100 ml simple syrup
- 14 sage leaves (fresh)
- 300 ml of pineapple juice (fresh)
Recipe:
- Gather the ingredients.
- Build the ingredients in an ice-filled pitcher.
- Stir well.
- Garnish each with a pineapple wedge and enjoy!
Tips:
- Fresh lime juice makes a better tasting drink. The average lime yields almost 30 millilitres of juice, so you will need at least 8 pieces of fruit for this recipe.
- Pineapple is a very juicy fruit, so if you don't have an electric juicer, you can muddle chunks to extract its juice (strain out the mashed fruit to produce a chunk-free juice). It won't be as efficient or quick, but the fresh taste is worth the effort. You will likely need half of a pineapple to get the juice needed for the recipe.
Fresh cut grass in a glass
A drink that’s great to share and can be made with sparkling or still water to your desired taste.
Serves four glasses.
Ingredients:
- 1 x 30g pack mint leaves picked
- 8 slices of cucumber
- 50ml lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 250ml cloudy apple juice
- 2 tbsp clear honey
- about 250ml sparkling water, or iced still water, to top up
Recipe:
- Put the mint leaves (keep a few of the prettiest leaves to serve) and cucumber in the bottom of a cocktail shaker, large-lidded jar or a jug and muddle together with a cocktail muddler, the end of a rolling pin, or even a wooden spoon.
- Add lemon juice, apple juice, honey and ice cubes and shake or mix vigorously to ensure the honey is well distributed. Pour into 4 glasses and top up with your chosen water.
Shrubbery in summer
This sharp and juicy drink is a bright in flavour and colour, so it’s lovely to look at and taste.
Makes one drink.
Ingredients
- 25ml Apple Juice
- 35ml Lemon Juice
- 35ml Cranberry Juice
- 2-4 Blackberries
- Blackberry to garnish
Recipe:
- Take your glass
- Add 2 - 4 blackberries to the glass
- Muddle your blackberries with your muddler
- Pour 25ml of lemon juice and add to the glass
- Fill the glass with cubed ice
- Pouring both at the same time, fill with equal amounts apple and cranberry juice
- Using a spoon give the drink a quick stir
- Top with more ice if needed
- Garnish with a Blackberry
- Serve and Enjoy!
The new tea on the lawn
A touch of spice is always welcome as the days get warmer and this drink doesn’t disappoint.
Serves five glasses.
Ingredients:
- 250ml cold lapsang souchong tea (this needs to be brewed and left to cool)
- 2500ml lemon juice
- 1 tsp marmalade or ginger jam
- 3 tsp loose set honey
- Ice (enough for each glass)
- Slice dried orange or crystallised ginger (optional)
Recipe:
- Put your glasses in the fridge to chill.
- Place the cold tea, lemon juice and marmalade in a cocktail shaker, large-lidded jar or a jug and muddle together with a cocktail muddler, the end of a rolling pin, or even a wooden spoon to break down the marmalade so it starts to dissolve.
- Stir in the honey then add the ice.
- Shake well, until the outside of the shaker or whatever the drink is in feels cold, strain into a bowl.
- Finally, strain the drink again into the chilled glasses and serve as it is or garnish.