MOCKTAILS
starter guide
DERICK SANTIAGO
CONTENTS
introduction
no spirit
alternatives?
no problem!
recommended
spirit alternatives
tools & glassware
additional
resources
INTRODUCTION
Hi, I'm Derick!
I am a mixologist based in Southern California
and the author of the mocktail recipe book
“The Mocktail Club” and “Make it a Mocktail”
recipe deck. I also created @MocktailWiz, an
Instagram page and website dedicated to craft
mocktails, non-alcoholic cocktail recipes, and
mindful mixology techniques. I have worked as
a mocktail recipe designer, photographer, and
video creator with leading brands in the non-
alcoholic beverage industry.
NEW TO MOCKTAILS? THIS GUIDE WILL HELP YOU!
When I first started making mocktails, I didn’t even know
that spirit alternatives existed. However, I was still able to
make delicious drinks that can stand on their own. This
guide will teach you how to elevate your drinks even
without spirit alternatives.
The discovery of non-alcoholic spirits took my mocktails to
the next level. This guide will give you some pointers on
where to start. The choices can be overwhelming and most
of the spirit alternatives are expensive. I will share my
honest recommendations on which options to pick -
hopefully to help you get the most bang for your buck!
NO SPIRIT ALTERNATIVES?
NO PROBLEM!
HOW TO ELEVATE YOUR MOCKTAILS
WITHOUT SPIRIT ALTERNATIVES
Just because you’re not drinking alcohol doesn’t mean you’re
stuck with mocktails that are overly sweet. We still want our
beverages to have a bite… an oomph!
This can be achieved by incorporating ingredients that add
complexity to the drink. These ingredients make the drinks
sippable, not something you just guzzle down. Below are
some ingredients you can use.
INGREDIENTS THAT ADD COMPLEXITY TO DRINKS
Jalapeño - muddling jalapeño slices adds heat that mimics
the burn you get from alcohol. Muddle some jalapeño
slices then add lime juice and pineapple juice. Shake with
ice then strain into a tajin-rimmed glass and you get a
delicious spicy margarita.
Herbs - lightly muddling herbs like mint adds fresh herbal
flavors and a subtle bitterness. Mix mint with lime juice and
some sprite and you have an easy,
three-ingredient mojito.
Egg whites or aquafaba (vegan) -
incorporating these ingredients
into your mocktails will add texture
to the drink. Removing alcohol can
sacrifice texture, which must be replaced
with other ingredients.
Tea - letting your tea steep a little longer
packs in more flavor, a little bit of
bitterness, and sometimes more vibrant
color to the tea, which makes for a good
base for mocktails.
TEQUILA
Tequila alternatives are the best
starting point and the perfect intro
to the world of non-alcoholic
spirits. There are hundreds of
margarita recipes that you can
play with! Free Spirits new (and
improved) Tequila is the best one
I’ve tried so far. It is reminiscent of
its alcoholic counterpart and
finishes strong with lasting heat
that mimics the alcohol burn.
RECOMMENDED SPIRIT
ALTERNATIVES
RUM
Perfect for Mai Tais and Dark
Mojitos, I highly recommend
Ritual Zero Proof Rum
Alternative. It is packed with
flavors of baking spices and
molasses. I also like using it
in Espresso Rum-tinis.
WHISKEY
Lyre’s Highland Malt has flavors of
oak and warm spices. I think it
shines when mixed in a mocktail. I
would say that it has a rather
“thin” texture but the aftertaste is
reminiscent of its alcoholic
counterpart.
RECOMMENDED SPIRIT
ALTERNATIVES
GIN
Gin alternatives on the
market today really highlight
the taste and aroma of
juniper berries. Monday’s
Zero Alcohol Gin is the most
juniper-forward of all that I’ve
tried and has a mild peppery
finish. It works really well in
gimlets and G&Ts.
RECOMMENDED SPIRIT
ALTERNATIVES
ALCOHOL-FREE BITTERS
The easiest way to level-up your drinks is to add bitters. Bitters are
known as the salt and pepper of bartending. They are used to add
complexity to cocktails and mocktails alike. Bitters also help bind
flavors together.
Bitters usually have high alcohol content. However, because one only
uses a few “dashes” of bitters, a non-alcoholic cocktail can still be
considered non-alcoholic even with a couple of dashes of bitters.
Your safest bet is to use alcohol-free bitters (so you can use as much
as you want). All The Bitter makes some of the best alcohol-free
bitters on the market. Their products taste just as complex (if not
more) as their alcoholic counterparts.
TOOLS
You don’t really need fancy bar tools to get started. At the very least,
you just need a measuring device so that you can be precise in your
ingredient measurement, and a shaker to mix ingredients together
and chill your drink.
A jigger is the most common measuring tool in bartending. If you
don’t have access to it, you can start with a normal shot glass. A shot
glass is normally 1.5 ounces.
The two most popular kinds of shaker are the Boston Shaker (pictured
above) and a Cobbler Shaker. A Boston Shaker consists of two separate
tins while a Cobbler Shaker consists of a single tin/glass, a strainer top,
and a cap. If you don’t have access to a shaker, you can actually just
use a mason jar with a lid!
One of the most important aspects of good mocktails is
the presentation. How many times have you ordered a
“virgin” version of a cocktail only to be served in a big
tumbler with little to no garnish?
An easy way to elevate your mocktails is to serve it in nice
glassware. You don’t even have to invest in expensive
glasses! You can go to thrift stores to find unique and
beautiful options. Sometimes, they even let you buy just
one or two glasses instead of a full set which could really
fill your bar cabinet.
At the very least, my recommendation is to have the
following glasses in your bar cabinet:
Highball glass Martini/Coupe glass
Double Rocks glass Champagne flute
GLASSWARE
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
This guide aims to help you start making
elevated mocktails that you’ll be proud to
serve to your friends and family. For detailed
tips on alcohol alternatives, bartending
techniques, and a wealth of simple and easy-
to-make recipes, please check out my book
The Mocktail Club and/or my recipe deck
Make it a Mocktail.
DISCOUNT CODES
This guide is not sponsored, and all the recommendations are my
honest thoughts on these products. I do have affiliate links and
discount codes below that you can use. At no additional cost to you, I
gain a small commission if you use the links and discount codes to
purchase these products (which I truly believe in).
Amazon Storefront
Visit my Amazon storefront where I link all the spirit
alternatives, bar tools, and glasses that I use. If you have
Amazon Prime, you also save on shipping! Cheers! 🍹⚡️
Free Spirits
Use code MOCKTAILWIZ for 15% Off
All The Bitter
Use code MOCKTAILWIZ10 for 10% Off
A Bar Above
Use code MOCKTAIL for 10% Off
mocktailwiz.com
@mocktailwiz
@mocktailwiz
@mocktailwiz
@themocktailwiz
