10 sparkling non-alcoholic drinks
10 Sparkling non-alcoholic drinks
If you’re watching your alcohol consumption (or if you don’t drink at all), then sparkling non-alcoholic drinks are a great option when you want to push the boat out and drink something a bit special. Let’s take a look at some favourites.
Ready-made, sparkling non-alcoholic drinks
Let's start with some traditionally alcoholic drinks with alcohol-free options that you can pick up from any shop, such as…
Alcohol-free sparkling white wine
It's your favourite bubbly, grape drink—without alcohol. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or just want to make your dinner a little more memorable, 0%-alcohol sparkling wine is the perfect chilled drink. The fizziness hits just right, and each sip includes subtle notes of grape. Belle & Co's sparkling white wine (non-alcoholic) includes an unorthodox infusion of green tea, adding to the drink's freshness.
Sparkling prosecco
If you prefer the more potent fruity taste that accompanies prosecco, then you can't go wrong with an alcohol-free version of the sparkling drink. Scavi & Ray's 0% alcohol sparkling prosecco retails at around £8 for 75cl, or you can pick up a bottle of Nozeco's more affordable sparkling prosecco for around £3.25.
Sparkling rose
Rose wines offer a more balanced flavour palette than both white and red wines—rose is refreshing without being too sweet, and it pairs well with lots of different foods, like cheeses and red meat, and it's great on its own, too. For more traditional rose flavours, it's worth trying Kylie Minogue Wines' 0% Sparkling Rose, with its blend of European grapes and green tea, and subtle hints of red apple and strawberry.
Otherwise, if you're feeling a bit adventurous, you can't go wrong with Freixenet's 0% alcohol content sparkling Rose, which includes cherries and distinguished notes of lemon zest.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay boasts many more varieties than the traditional, dry, distinctly grape flavour. You'll also find options with refreshing hints of lemon or apple, or tropical flavours like pineapple. And non-alcoholic chardonnay doesn't compromise on variety, either. One of our personal favourites is Thomas & Scott's 0% alcohol Noughty sparkling chardonnay, with its crisp flavour and distinct notes of apple.
Refreshing sparkling drinks to beat the summer heat
If you're looking for a refreshing summer tipple, there are plenty of non-alcoholic sparkling drinks to choose from. We've already covered some alcohol-free wines, but you can also take enjoy high-end canned sparkling fruit drinks. Making your own sparkling drinks at home is always an option, too.
Sparkling pina coladas
Pina coladas have a unique, refreshing taste, thanks to the natural sweetness of pineapple and coconut milk's rich, creamy texture. But have you tried carbonating this festive summer drink to make it lighter and more punchy?
Here's how you can make your own sparkling pina colada at home.
Ingredients:
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup pineapple juice
Ice cubes
Sparkling water (use around three times more than the amount of juice you've used)
A teaspoon of lime juice (optional)
Pineapple slices to garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Combine the coconut milk and pineapple juice in a shaker, or with the help of the blender. When you're left with a single, smooth mixture, stir the lime juice in and pour the drink into glasses (half-fill each glass). Now, add the ice cubs and proceed to pour sparkling water into the glasses until they're full.
Voila. You've got the perfect drink to make summer special.
Sparkling mint margarita
Mint margaritas are one of summer's most refreshing, cool drinks – and they're incredibly easy to make. All you need is:
Ingredients:
One bunch of mint
1-2 tbsp of lemon juice
Ice
Your desired sweetener
Sparkling water
A pinch of black pepper (optional)
A pinch of Himalayan salt (optional)
Instructions:
First, wash your mint and separate the twigs from the leaves. Then, blend the mint, ice, and sweetener together in your blender until it forms a paste with crushed ice. Proceed to pour the mix into a glass and add the lemon juice (and optionally, the salt and pepper).
Now, mix the juice in with a spoon and gradually pour the sparkling water in until your glass fills up. You can garnish your drink with some more mint leaves and a slice of lemon.
P.S. You can optionally swap out the sparkling water and sweetener for 7up or Sprite, but doing so will increase the amount of sugar/sweetener in the drink.
Sparkling watermelon refresher
Watermelons are some of the most refreshing fruits that summer has to offer. They're vibrant, sweet, and juicy. This sparkling watermelon refresher will help you hydrate and cool down on a hot summer day.
Ingredients:
Seedless watermelon
Lemon juice
Lemon slices
Sparkling water
Instructions:
Dice your seedless watermelon into small pieces (don't worry about the white seeds, they'll blend in) and add them to your blender. Now, blend the watermelon until it's smooth and liquified. But if it's still puply at the end, use a strainer before pouring it into a glass. You'll usually get around 5-6 cups of watermelon juice from a small watermelon.
Now, fill a glass with equal parts watermelon juice and chilled sparkling water, and around a teaspoon of lemon juice. Garnish with a slice of lemon and, optionally, some mint leaves. You're all set!
Festive winter sparkling, non-alcoholic drinks
While there's no such thing as hot sparkling beverages (the heat kills the carbonation), there are plenty of festive sparkling, non-alcoholic drinks that are perfect for the holidays. This includes...
Sparkling ginger cocktail
Sparkling ginger cocktails are best described as an explosion of flavour, hitting all the right notes of sweet, spice, and sour. They’re also the perfect mocktail for Dry January (if you’re planning to participate in that, though, you’ll want to prepare properly for Dry January)
Ingredients:
Ginger syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1.5 oz fresh ginger (peeled and thinly sliced)
Cocktail
Non-alcoholic prosecco
Orange juice
Ginger
Instructions:
First, we need to make the ginger syrup. This is really easy. Just stick all the ingredients for the syrup in a microwave-friendly safe bowl and heat it up for around two minutes in your microwave. You'll know it's ready when the sugar dissolves after you stir it a little. Then, leave the syrup to stand at room temperature for at least one hour to let the different flavours infuse.
Now, when it's time to make your cocktail, pour around 2 tbsps of ginger syrup into a glass. Fill the glass up 1/3rd of the way with orange juice, and then fill it to the top with your non-alcoholic sparkling wine. And garnish with a slice of orange juice or some orange zest!
You can tweak the proportions in this recipe to suit your taste buds; some people prefer more ginger syrup, while sometimes you might be in the mood for some more orange juice. Have fun with it!
Cranberry ginger bellinis
If you're looking for a festive, non-alcoholic Christmas drink to impress your guests, you'll be pleased to hear that you can prepare these cranberry ginger bellinis in advance. You can make them in your own time and whip them out when the party starts.
Ingredients:
Cranberries
Your sweetener of choice
Ginger (thinly sliced and peeled)
Non-alcoholic prosecco
Instructions:
Just like with the sparkling ginger cocktail, the first step here is to create the cranberry-ginger syrup. You make it in the same way – mix equal parts of water and sugar and heat them until the sugar dissolves. Then, add the cranberries and sliced ginger and leave it at room temperature for around 15 minutes. Then, strain the syrup and allow it to cool.
Sparkling pear mocktails
This sparkling, alcohol-free beverage combines the unique taste of pears with subtle notes of mint and orange.
Ingredients:
Pear juice
Fresh mint
Sparkling water or non-alcoholic prosecco
Orange juice
Instructions:
First, combine the pear juice with fresh mint leaves in a glass, and use the back of a wooden spoon (or a muddler) to muddle the herb in. Once it's thoroughly mixed, the pear juice should have a minty scent – which means it's ready. You can now strain the mint and fill one-third of the glass with the juice. Now, add some orange juice until the glass reaches half-full, and then fill it up completely with sparkling water.
If you like, you can garnish your sparkling juice drink with some more mint leaves and a slice of orange.
Sparkling drinks are an excellent choice for any occasion, including if there’s no occasion at all!
Pair your cheese board with a glass of alcohol-free Rose’, whip up some sparkling ginger cocktails for a get-together with friends, or try a sparkling watermelon refresher when the summer heatwave rolls in.
Hope you enjoy these drinks as much as we do!
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