Festive cheer without the beer

[nigelp]

Festive cheer without the beer - or without any alcohol!

As a non drinker of a few years I sometimes enjoy a strong ginger cordial with ice as an evening drink if I fancy something to swill around in a glass. In the early days of weaning myself off alcohol I worked my way through the selection of low and no alcohol beers but found many too sweet, or over processed.

With the festive season coming up I wondered what non alcoholic drinks folk like to drink?

Festive cocktails? Homemade cordials and spiced drinks? One of the non alcoholic mixers off the shelf?

What is your go to non alcoholic drink when you need a winter warmer?

 

[GNJC]

You can make a pretty good infusion from hemp, and I believe that some fungi can be used too, but they obviously require some decent knowledge before using.

 

[Watch-keeper]

We make an elderflower cordial which is extremely popular with the kids.
Mixed 20% cordial and the rest fizzy water and some mint makes a very refreshing drink.
The only downside is it's so popular the kids have finished this year's supply already .......9 liters of undiluted cordial!!!

 

[Woody girl]

Cawston press, apple and ginger drink, spiced up with a sachet of mulling spices, is wonderfully as an alternative to spiced cider.
Good hot as a Toddy, or cold.

 

[nigelp]

We make an elderflower cordial which is extremely popular with the kids.
Mixed 20% cordial and the rest fizzy water and some mint makes a very refreshing drink.
The only downside is it's so popular the kids have finished this year's supply already .......9 liters of undiluted cordial!!!

Nice. Like the sound of mint being added in.

 

[nigelp]

Cawston press, apple and ginger drink, spiced up with a sachet of mulling spices, is wonderfully as an alternative to spiced cider.
Good hot as a Toddy, or cold.

Will have a look for that. I like the idea of mulling spices and having as a hot toddy.

 

[Toddy]

I mix up a carton of fresh (well, I'm pretty sure Tesco's and Sainsbury's is from a concentrate) apple juice, add a good glug of homemade ribena, and spice that up for gluhwein. Heat gently, let the spices infuse. I like to slice up an orange and add it to the pot too.
My only complaint is that it's a tad too sweet for my tastes, but add some hot water and it suits me fine. Everyone else seems fine with it.

It's quite nice iced down too after it's strained.

 

[Tantalus]

Apple juice, cinnamon stick, clove, heated through.

I used to have a gas stove on the landrover tailgate and brew up a cauldron of it for outdoor events like our dog training group.

A nice little winter warmer and everyone was safe to drive home after.

 

[Watch-keeper]

Nice. Like the sound of mint being added in.

Nice. Like the sound of mint being added in.

Yes, those two flavours go very well together, It was the kids go to drink for until it ran out. Will need to make a larger amount next year maybe a jerry can of it!

 

[nigelp]

gluhwein

Had to look that up.

 

[nigelp]

Lots of great ideas. Ta

 

[British Red]

I make a mulled wine syrup (it's on here somewhere). It makes fantastic mulled wine even in a microwave! It's lovely with alcohol free wine or apple juice

 

[Tengu]

Coming from a Methodist family is so grand at Xmas.

You get to see everyones massive bills at the checkout, and compare to your skimpy one.

 

[Chris]

Most of the AF beers I’ve tried are rubbish, but two hold up well: Lucky Saint for lager, then the Guinness 0.0.

Other than that, I can enjoy a big glass of water with loads of ice and a slice or two of lemon. Hits the spot of something a bit different from the day-to-day plain water or tea/coffee.

 

[Nice65]

Bunderburg Ginger Beer is a decent one, some of the mixers are good too. There’s a Feverfew Mexican Lime and Soda that’s refreshing, and a Blackcurrant and Hibiscus I also like.

 

[Paul_B]

I mix up a carton of fresh (well, I'm pretty sure Tesco's and Sainsbury's is from a concentrate) apple juice, add a good glug of homemade ribena, and spice that up for gluhwein. Heat gently, let the spices infuse. I like to slice up an orange and add it to the pot too.
My only complaint is that it's a tad too sweet for my tastes, but add some hot water and it suits me fine. Everyone else seems fine with it.

It's quite nice iced down too after it's strained.

Ribera is pumped full of artificial sweeteners. Whilst your recipe sounds really nice that would have me calling huey down the toilet in about 15 to 20 minutes depending on how much I'd drunk before realising what was in it. I know others who have this artificial sweeteners being a major trigger for migraines. Always gives me the worst kind of one's too, the ones that hit quick and takes you out in minutes.

PS I used to love hot ribena as a pick me up when I'm full of a nasty cold. Then they came out with sugar free, then they turned the normal version into reduced sugar by swapping it with sweeteners. I found that out with a nasty, sudden attack of migraine. It was scarily bad one too.

So if you know of any safe alternatives to ribena for your recipe... I'd love to try it but I've never found a sweeteners free alternative to ribena.

 

[Toddy]

Note; "home made ribena".

I loathe artificial sweeteners....and I still have a stash of original ribena planked away
It was a thing at the time, I know someone who stashed three dozen bottles. I'm down to one.

Go to Iceland or Farmfoods and buy 1kg bags of blackcurrants.....make your own ribena

I am fortunate and have two large blackcurrant bushes in the garden, but honestly, the frozen food shops stuff is both cheap and available all year round.

M

 

[grainweevil]

Bunderburg Ginger Beer is a decent one...

Heartily seconded. Pity it's so pricy, but I suspect we partially have the sugar tax to thank for that, and indeed the general undrinkability of most other ginger beers now.

 

[Tony]

I like the ginger drinks, especially with everything getting changed to sweeteners...
Belvoir ginger beer cordial for me, good with some sparkling water or hot water.
Bunderburg Ginger Beer was good until they changed it to sweeteners
Fentimans ginger beer is good if you like that fermented taste
Rochester Ginger drink has got a kick and is good for adding to things as well as on it's own

 

[nigelp]

Belvoir ginger beer cordial

That’s the one I use. Nice ginger kick and mixes well with their things.

Will check out the others but not one for having sweeteners either - I would rather have the sugar and not drink it as often.