Tips from Tallink City Hotel bartender Anton for making a great mocktail at home
2024-06-25T09:50:46
Summer is here, and the weather is hot – it’s time to put away the boots and coats! And our summer drink recommendations are now also moving towards lighter mocktails (non-alcoholic cocktails). Tallink City Hotel bartender Anton brings us mocktail classics, surprising flavour combinations, and other clever tips to help us enjoy perfectly chilled drinks on hot summer days.
Six tips for making great mocktails at home:
- Use plenty of ice: fill the glass with ice and then add a few more cubes. This helps cool the drink properly. When you pour the drink over the ice, the first few cubes will melt immediately. Adding too little ice will dilute the flavour, and the result will be lukewarm.
- Use simple tools: an amateur cocktail maker does not need to worry about not having fancy bar equipment. Instead of a professional shaker, you can use a jar with a lid, instead of a bar strainer a tea strainer, and instead of a bar spoon a teaspoon (5 ml). A household muddler or a flat, broad-surfaced paddle, rolling pin, or the end of kitchen utensils can replace a muddler.
- Convert units conveniently: bar measurements can be confusing, as they often use centiliters (cl). Convert to grams with ease – 1 cl = 10 grams. For measuring liquids, use a measuring cup or a shot glass, typically 4 cl (40 grams).
- Balance the flavour: a great cocktail is cold, flavourful, and balanced in sweet and sour, allowing different ingredients to shine. Always taste the cocktail with a spoon before serving. If a flavour is too intense, dilute it with water or non-alcoholic sparkling wine, add sweeteners, or tart citrus juice. Use a clean spoon each time to ensure the drink remains hygienic.
- Be creative: cocktail making is an art. Mix different flavours, experiment with quantities, and find your favourite variations. Write down every step – this will help you recreate the perfect balance once you find it.
- Garnish thoughtfully: a great drink is first enjoyed with the eyes. Traditionally, cocktails are garnished with an ingredient already present in the drink – find the right component and add it to the glass or its rim. Edible flowers also make excellent garnishes, creating a beautiful presentation.
Anton’s Mocktail Recommendations
Lemon Shores (Favourite Mocktail of the Tallinn Cocktail Week 2024 Jury, Created by Anton)
Ingredients:
- 6 cl non-alcoholic limoncello
- 14 cl non-alcoholic sparkling wine
- 2 drops of lemon bitters
- Soda or sparkling water (we recommend soda water for a softer taste)
- Garnish: lemon peel
Preparation: Fill the glass with ice, add the limoncello, non-alcoholic sparkling wine, and two drops of bitters. Top with water, leaving about 1 cm of space at the top. Garnish with lemon peel and, if desired, an edible flower.
Alcohol-Free Hugo
Ingredients:
- 5–6 large mint leaves
- 4 cl elderflower syrup
- 2 cl lime juice
- 2 drops of orange bitters
- 14 cl non-alcoholic sparkling wine
- Soda or sparkling water (we recommend soda water for a softer taste)
- Garnish: mint leaves
Preparation: Place the mint leaves in the glass and muddle gently to release the natural oils. Add plenty of ice, elderflower syrup, lime juice, bitters, and sparkling wine. Top with water, leaving about 1 cm of space at the top. Garnish with mint leaves.
Corsaro Spritz
Ingredients:
- 6 cl Corsaro Aperitivo
- 14 cl non-alcoholic sparkling wine
- 2 drops of orange bitters
- Soda or sparkling water (we recommend soda water for a softer taste)
- Garnish: orange slice or orange peel
Preparation: Fill the glass with ice, add Corsaro Aperitivo non-alcoholic vermouth, non-alcoholic sparkling wine, and bitters. Top with water, leaving about 1 cm of space at the top. Garnish with orange peel or slice and, if desired, an edible flower.
Spritz-type cocktails offer many possibilities, allowing everyone to find their preferred flavour combinations. Instead of Corsaro Aperitivo, you can use different non-alcoholic infusions, fresh juice, flavoured syrups, or even juicy fruits and berries.
For syrups, add 3-6 grams of lime or lemon juice per 4 grams of syrup to balance the taste. Fresh berries and fruits should be muddled into a puree or blended before adding to the drink.
Come and discover a variety of delightful mocktails in the lobby bars and restaurants of Tallink hotels, the pool bar at Tallink Spa & Conference Hotel, and in the Tallink Hotels’ restaurants NOK NOK and Ristorante Flavore.
Come visit us – let’s create unique mocktail experiences together!