It is less than two weeks till the Holiday Season - the perfect time to start thinking about where, how, and with whom we are going to spend it, and what we will have on the plates and inside the glasses.
Christmas is strongly associated with mulled wine and champagne - a tough time for the 0% community.
But let's stay strong, my friends, especially since this season I prepared lots of ideas for non-alcoholic Christmas drinks - hot and cold - that will help us keep the holiday spirit without spirits.
Hope you will find a recipe that will bring you joy during a usually-not-so-silent night!
0% Mulled Wine (Glühwein)
It is a great time for us, non-drinkers, because we have a dealcoholized wine now. Not all of it is great, but you don't need great to make a Mulled Wine. Just pick any red, but it should be made by dealcoholized technology, it is important to achieve the right taste. You can find the recipe here.
Cranberry or Cherry Glühwein
For non-drinkers who like to think out of the box. It is basically the same glühwein recipe, but with cranberry or cherry juice instead of wine. This slight change makes this non-alcoholic version of traditional hot Christmas drink more authentic and substantive.
Non-alcoholic sparkling wine
During Christmas dinner, we want bubbles in our glass, and we will get them - in a form of alcohol-free sparkling wine! There are many of them, and some of them are notably good - 0% cava by Freixenet, for example. You also may consider brands like Pierre Zero or Miguel Torres.
Sparkling Cider
There is more than one way to have a bubbly drink this Holiday Season. And if you are looking for something new I will recommend giving 0% ciders a chance. For example, if you are in Germany, there is a nice brand Manufaktur Jörg Geiger that produces a drink called PriSecco made from different types of fruits. I degusted "Cuvée Nr.12" and enjoyed it a lot!
Ginger Ale
Another sparkling drink that you can put in your champagne glass. It has a few features - first, it could be found everywhere, and second, you can have it not only zero-alcohol but zero-sugar as well. Or you can make a "Herbst in Deutschland" to make it a little bit more festive.
The Painful Vasectomy
If you are more a cocktail person than a wine person, "The Painful Vasectomy" is a good non-alcoholic option to choose for a Christmas dinner. It is easy to mix, and the tartness of cranberry juice will set the right mood.
Nordic Sour
Sea Buckthorn with its strong nordic vibe is a great provider of festive spirit. Nordic Sour has a sophisticated taste and will be a perfect choice for a chic Holiday gathering. And the fresh rosemary in the glass looks exactly like a Christmas Tree branch!