These mocktail bar ideas will keep your home bar cart stocked with non alcoholic drinks or set you up for success at your next party or wedding! These ideas are perfect for allowing sober adults, kids, and pregnant women to enjoy a fun and refreshing beverage.
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Non alcoholic drinks aren't just for sober folks. They're a refreshing option for anyone looking to cut back on their drinking, take a little break, or even those who aren't old enough for alcohol yet.
You might wonder what kind of drinks you can make without alcohol, but when you really start to get into it you'll find that the ideas are practically endless! I'm going to share some of my favorite ideas with you and link to a few favorite recipes that will hopefully get you excited about trying virgin cocktails.
What to stock for non alcoholic mocktail recipes
- Non alcoholic spirits (such as Seedlip)
- Tonic water
- Club soda or other sparkling water
- Regular soda or ginger beer
- Kombucha
- Bitters
- Simple syrup / honey syrup / maple syrup
- Fruit juices
- Fresh fruit (citrus, berries, etc.)
- Herbs (thyme, rosemary, mint)
- Grenadine
- Maraschino cherries, or Luxardo cherries
- Ice
- A variety of glassware (highball glasses, shot glasses, rocks glasses, martini glasses, etc.)
- Jigger
- Muddler
How to set up a mocktail bar
You can set up your mocktail bar in any way that makes sense for the space that you have. I like to have the glassware and ice at one end for people to start at and choose what they'll be using.
From there, arrange your base options such as non alcoholic spirits and fruit juices. Place bitters and syrups next, then group together some of the fizzy options like sodas and sparkling water.
Finally, arrange your garnishes like cherries, fresh herbs, and fresh fruit for adding last. If you're setting up mocktail suggestions, you could group the ingredients together in a few spots with a card showing the recipe.
Top tips
Give suggestions
If you're setting up a mocktail bar cart for guests, you may want to create a house mocktail or set up cards with suggestions for mixing specific mocktails themselves.
You could also create one big pitcher of mocktails that guests are able to pour from, or have a few glasses of the special drink set up for them to grab and go.
Don't forget the ice
Ice is the one constant for a good mocktail. No matter what everyone is mixing up, they will most likely want ice.
Keep your ice in a convenient ice bucket with tongs for grabbing individual cubes, or try making clear ice or ice spheres to make things extra special!
Non alcoholic spirits
I really like these Seedlip spirits (the Spice is my favorite!). They add a special flavor to your drink that you can't find anywhere else.
These spirits distill botanicals, leaving you with an aromatic essence that mixes well in cocktails. They currently have four flavors, with their tequila alternative being the newest. I can't wait to try it!
There are lots of other non alcoholic beverages you can browse through at the grocery store, but many contain added sugars and colors that I don't like to consume. If you give any of these a try, be sure to let others know what you think in the comments down below.
How to garnish a mocktail
Garnishes can take a mocktail to the next level and make it feel like something special. Consider the flavors of the drink when picking a garnish. For example, if you used a rosemary simple syrup you may want to garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
If you used the spice flavor of Seedlip, you may want to garnish with some star anise or a cinnamon stick. A wedge of citrus on the rim is always a good idea if you've used those flavors in your drink. I'm also obsessed with these Luxardo cherries, or fresh berries on a cocktail skewer always look pretty.
Healthy mocktail drinks
- Mojito Mocktail
- Watermelon Lime Mocktail
- Grapefruit Paloma Cocktail
- Wild Blueberry Ginger Mint Green Iced Tea
- Non Alcoholic Thanksgiving Punch
Easy mocktail recipes
FAQ
No, a mocktail is a play on the word "cocktail", as in a mock cocktail. They do not contain any alcohol, and are sometimes referred to as "virgin".
You can stock your mocktail bar with any of your favorite beverages that are non alcoholic. I like a mix of fruit juices, bubbly drinks (tonic, club soda, and kombucha), bitters, and non alcoholic spirits.
Adults will probably appreciate various sizes of glassware to choose from, but if you're serving children or want to skip the dishes, many dollar stores and liquor stores have plastic cups in a variety of shapes that you could use as well.
This is highly subjective, and probably regional, but I find the most popular mocktail to be a Shirley Temple. It is made with grenadine, lemon lime soda, and maraschino cherries and has been the drink of choice for children at weddings for as long as I can remember.
Making a mocktail is a little different than making a cocktail. When developing your own mocktail, try to keep it to four parts base (such as club soda, tea, or fruit juice), one part sour (such as citrus juice, a shrub, or ginger beer), and one half part sweet (such as simple syrup or maple syrup).
No, despite the name, ginger beer does not contain a significant amount of alcohol. It may contain trace amounts, similar to what you'd find in non alcoholic spirits or fruit juice.
More drink recipes
- Cherry Mojito
- Sparkling Greyhound Cocktail
- Lemon Drop Shot
- Gold Rush Cocktail
- Strawberry Lemonade Vodka
- Blackberry Gin Smash
- Gin and Tonic
- Mojito Pitcher
- Margarita Pitcher
- Pineapple Margarita
- Apple Cider Cocktail
- Vegas Bomb
- Christmas Gin Cocktail
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Mocktail Bar Ideas
Ingredients
- Non alcoholic spirits, such as Seedlip
- Tonic water
- Club soda or other sparkling water
- Regular soda or ginger beer
- Kombucha
- Bitters
- Simple syrup / honey syrup / maple syrup
- Fruit juices
- Fresh fruit, citrus, berries, etc.
- Herbs, thyme, rosemary, mint
- Grenadine
- Maraschino cherries, or Luxardo cherries
- Ice
Instructions
How to set up a mocktail bar
- You can set up your mocktail bar in any way that makes sense for the space that you have. I like to have the glassware and ice at one end for people to start at and choose what they'll be using.
- From there, arrange your base options such as non alcoholic spirits and fruit juices. Place bitters and syrups next, then group together some of the fizzy options like sodas and sparkling water.
- Finally, arrange your garnishes like cherries, fresh herbs, and fresh fruit for adding last. If you're setting up mocktail suggestions, you could group the ingredients together in a few spots with a card showing the recipe.
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