Going Dry? 5 Cocktail Alternatives

Giving up alcohol doesn't mean we have to quit enjoying our favorite flavors. In many cases, we can swap out spirited ingredients for non-alcoholic alternatives and create mocktails that taste just as great. Want to try it out? Substitute the following ideas with the suggested alternatives in those favorite beers or mixed drink recipes.

Beer Alternatives

Beer cocktails, such as the Michelada, Summer Shandy and Beergarita, are becoming increasingly popular. For many, they are a savory, sweet twist on traditional liquor cocktails without all the liquor. If you love the taste of a beer cocktail but want to get rid of the alcohol, you can swap out the beer with non-alcoholic beer for a similar taste profile.

Vermouth Alternatives

Vermouth adds an earthy, slightly bitter taste to many of our favorite cocktails, like the Manhattan, Martini and Negroni. For a dry cocktail, substitute vermouth with dry grape juice or even a splash of white wine vinegar. Another option may be to grab a non-alcoholic white wine. For drinks on the sweeter side, try using apple juice, balsamic vinegar or non-alcoholic sweet wine.

Champagne Alternatives

When it’s time to celebrate with a glass of bubbly, you can’t go wrong with champagne cocktails --- the non-alcoholic versions that is. Some popular champagne cocktails include the Grand Royal, Fancy Bourbon Punch and Black Velvet. To make the switch from an alcoholic recipe to a non-alcoholic one, swap out champagne for sparkling white grape juice or sparkling apple cider or non-alcoholic white wine alternative.

Red Wine Alternatives

Light and sweet, red wine cocktails, such as the Hibiscus, San Francisco Sangaree and Red Splash, are great for holiday parties and summer jaunts alike. For non-alcoholic cocktails, try red grape juice or unsweetened cranberry juice in place of red wine with the usual mixers.

Schnapps Alternatives

Do you love peach and peppermint schnapps? You can swap out ingredients in popular schnapps cocktails, like the White Chocolate Grasshopper, Fuzzy Bellini and Sex on the Beach. To mimic the flavor of schnapps, use the corresponding flavored extract, such as peppermint or peach, that these drink recipes call for and add a sugar syrup to sweeten.

In many cases, there is more than one substitution that will work beautifully. But another benefit to these swaps is not just the ability to drive home, it's that these alternatives often reduce the calorie count dramatically.

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