These 13 Simple Mocktails Are So Good, You’ll Make Them Long After Dry January

Ingredients:

• 3 Lemongrass stalks
• 6 Green teabags
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• Ice
• 6 Sprigs of mint, plus extra, to serve

Directions

1. Halve the lemongrass stalks lengthwise, then smash with the back of a knife (careful, now).
2. Pop them in a pan, add 1.4l water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins.
3. Take off the heat, add the tea bags and honey, and allow to brew for 5 mins.
4. Strain into a jug and stir in 470ml of cold water. Serve over ice with mint. Zing.

Ingredients:

• 65g Sugar
• 1 Vanilla pod
• 5 Cardamom pods
• 2 Ripe Rosemarie pears
• 6 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
• Ice
• Sparkling water

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, bring the sugar, vanilla, cardamom and 125ml of water to a boil.
2. Cut a few pear slices for garnish and roughly chop the rest; add to the pot.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins, then let it stand for 30 mins.
4. Strain, then stir in the apple cider vinegar. Pop in the fridge to cool.
5. Line 2 glasses with the pear slices, add ice and divvy up the mixture. Top with sparkling water.

Ingredients:

• 50g Sugar
• 4 Cloves
• 1 Star anise
• 3cm Piece of ginger, sliced
• 1l Cherry juice
• Crushed ice, to serve

Directions:

1. Pour 125ml water and the sugar into a saucepan.
2. Stir in the cloves, star anise and the ginger, bringing gently to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer (refrain from stirring) until the sugar dissolves – it should take about 3 to 4 mins.
4. Once cool, strain the syrup into a jug and stir in the cherry juice. Fill your glasses with crushed ice and pour in your cocktail. Berry nice.

Ingredients:

• 125ml Naartjie juice (you’ll need about 6 naartjies) plus some peel to garnish
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp Real maple syrup
• 1 tbsp Egg white
• 3 Dashes orange bitters
• Ice

Directions:

1. Pop all the ingredients except the peel in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously (see, that hen do cocktail-making class wasn’t a complete waste of time) for 1 min.
2. Pour over ice and garnish with a sliver of naartjie peel. Voila.

Ingredients:

• 225g Tomatillos, husked (Can’t find them? Use green tomatoes or unripe red tomatoes with a squeeze of lime)
• 1 Cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 4 Stalks celery, chopped
• 50g Fresh coriander
• 1 Jalapeño chilli, deseeded
• 115ml Lime juice
• 30g Fresh horseradish, squeezed of excess moisture
• 2 Tbsp Peppadew brine
• 1 tsp Green Tabasco
• ¼ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Pepper
• Ice
• Celery, to garnish
• Pepperoncini or jalapeño, to garnish
• Aleppo pepper, to garnish

Directions:

1. Pop the tomatillos or tomatoes, cucumber, celery, coriander, jalapeño and lime juice in a blender and whizz until smooth (about 1 min). Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a measuring jug, pressing to extract as much juice as possible.
2. Next, whisk in the horseradish, Peppadew brine, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
3. Serve over ice, garnished with celery and pepperoncini or jalapeño, in a glass rimmed with Aleppo pepper for max presentation points.

Ingredients:

• Ice
• 115g Guava nectar
• 3 Tbsp Orange juice
• 2 Tbsp Lime juice
• Salt
• Lime wedge, to garnish

Directions:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add the guava nectar and the juices and shake it like a Polaroid picture. Don’t have a cocktail shaker? Just chuck everything in a blender for a frozen version. (Don’t have a blender? Haai shame.)
2. Strain into a salt-rimmed glass filled with ice. Serve with a slice of lime, as fancy as you like.

Ingredients:

• 5cm Piece of ginger, sliced
• 6 Tbsp Dried hibiscus flowers
• 3 Tbsp Agave syrup
• Ice
• Sparkling water

Directions:

1. Bring, the ginger, hibiscus, agave and 240ml water to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5 mins.
2. Remove from the heat and let it stand for 10 mins before straining into a jug and stirring in 480ml of cold water.
3. Pour a few tablespoons into each glass and top with sparking water or PURA Soda Cranberry. It’s low in sugar, natural and colourant free.

Ingredients:

• 80ml sparkling lemonade
• 60ml pear juice
• 20ml fresh lime juice
• 20ml maple syrup

Directions:

1. In a highball glass, combine limeade, juices, and maple syrup and stir.
2. Add ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 2 thin slices fresh mango
• 60ml mango juice
• 120ml ginger beer

Directions:

1. In a tall glass, muddle ginger and mango slices.
2. Add mango juice and ginger beer and stir.
3. Add ice and garnish with a slice of lime.

Ingredients:

• 150ml sparkling apple-grape juice
• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Pour juice into a wine glass and add vinegar.
2. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Shake briefly with ice.
2. Strain over large ice cubes and serve in an old-fashioned glass.

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients in a glass.
2. Stir and fill with fresh cubed ice.
3. Serve in a large or stemless wine glass.

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients into the glass.
2. Fill with fresh ice cubes and stir.
3. Add soda and garnish.