Who isn’t trying to drink less, walk more, eat better? True story: Matt and I stopped drinking for 30 days. We decided on a short spirit-free challenge to end this summer. We make cocktail mixers for a living, it was hard not to reach for the booze but instead, we celebrated the NA beverage.
So we found a new way to love our Iconic Mixers and filled the fridge with a variety of plain and flavored bubbly water, fresh herbs, and of course, mixers. This past month, we even welcomed a new shrub mixer company to our community, Shrubwell, and use their collection of vinegar mixers for sodas. (More cocktail recipes coming next month!)
We’re sharing a few of our favorite sparkling mocktail recipes that we made during the 30-day challenge. These recipes are even perfect to welcome the fall season, still refreshing enough to be served over ice but have the right autumn notes. Wanna spike it? We included some spirit pairings for each recipe.
And if you’re ready for Fall flavors, then you’re in luck! You can pre-order our Fall Seasonal designed for the holidays, Cranberry Thyme, in thyme for the full-fledged season. Orders will start shipping October 11th.
Grapefruit Tarragon Tonic
As a personal favorite, I had grapefruits and tarragon as a staple in the fridge. I went through about 4 bottles of Lime Leaf Tonic (aren’t you happy about that Mega Pack deal now?!) The sweet licorice tarragon pairs perfectly with herbaceous Mukrat lime. I’ll be heading to the fridge now...
- 1.5oz Iconic Lime Leaf Tonic
- 1.5oz Grapefruit juice
- 4oz Topo Chico Sparkling Water
- Handful of Tarragon
-Combine Lime Leaf Tonic, grapefruit juice, and tarragon in a shaker with ice
-Shake vigorously
-Fine strain into a glass with ice and top with Topo Chico
-Garnish with tarragon and grapefruit twist
Suggested spirit pairing: Add 2oz of Tequila to the shaker to create a take on the Paloma.
Honey Sage Apple
Okay, we get it. Starbucks released the fall menu. It just doesn't feel like that yet here in Arizona but we ARE craving those fall flavors. So we whipped up a refreshing soda and turned the AC way down. We’re almost to full-fledged fall season but it will take time. This recipe will help.
- 1oz Iconic Spiced Honey
- 1oz Apple juice
- 4oz Lemon La Croix Sparkling Water
-Simply combine all in a short glass with ice
-Clap sage in between hands to express oils
-Drag sage against the edge of the glass and drop in glass with a lemon wedge
Suggested spirit pairing: Add 2oz of whiskey.
Herbal Vanilla Cranberry Spritz
Again, we ready for hot tea. (are we sounding bitter about this summer yet?) With our cleanse, we explored the variety of Yogi brand teas, there’s a lot. For this recipe, we steeped Perfect Energy Vanilla Spice to pair with our seasonal Cranberry Thyme. And it was just the right amount of spritz for summer and tiny hint of fall.
- 2oz Vanilla Spice Tea
- 1oz Iconic Cranberry Thyme
- 2oz Pure La Croix Sparkling Water
- Orange Wedge
-Steep tea according to the instructions
-Combine all in a short glass
-Garnish with thyme and a squeeze of orange
Suggested pairing: Serve it hot with 2oz of rum.
So do you ever go on a cleanse and ditch the booze for a bit of time? All together? We want to make sure you know that our mixers aren’t just for cocktails. Just an ounce of whatever flavor creates a delightfully refreshing soda for any time of the year. Stock your fridge with some Iconic staples to make it easier to reach for something fresh.
Let us know what you’re making to start off the fall season! Share your recipes on social media at @iconiccocktailco
Cheers!
Kaylee from Iconic