In this valley, connections happen across tables. Old and new friends mingle with drinks in hand—sharing their tales of life’s adventures. An intoxicating concoction of conversation, laughter and clinking glasses can be heard in local restaurants and bars as customers pause the day to eat, drink and be merry. Whether it is colleagues having a business meeting at the Duchin Lounge, Rasberrys’ catering for a celebration of life, families parked on the patio of Village Station, or a wedding reception at Warfield, there are beverages that everyone can enjoy no matter the occasion. Enter the newest drink trend: mocktails.
A nice, cool, and refreshing drink from raspberries.
Redefining Nightlife
As the sun melts away the last traces of winter, mocktail season begins. Crafted non-alcoholic beverages with a twist redefine nightlife, toasting those embracing a sober or mindful lifestyle. Mocktails’ balanced, botanical and bold flavors disguised as their boozy relative are a worthy contender on menus throughout the Wood River Valley.
“I think people enjoy drinking with each other, and maybe they just want to still be able to walk at the end of the night, and mocktails kind of strike a nice little balance between the two,” said Jess Rempe, Warfield Distillery and Brewery bartender of five years.
Also known as a temperance drink or virgin cocktail, a mocktail provides an alternative guilt-free option for folks staying away from alcohol for the benefits of health and sobriety. Alcohol causes dehydration and an overwhelming feeling of thirst, whereas non-alcoholic drinks are both hydrating and refreshing. There is no need to worry about dealing with a hangover or the underlying sense of regret from accidentally drinking too much.
“I think sobriety has kind of changed,” said Alex Vogt, Sun Valley Resort Assistant Director of Restaurants. “I’ve seen a lot of people in general that just enjoy not drinking and feeling the sobriety side of things.” With the growing appeal of health benefits and mindful drinking, the mocktail movement raises a toast to the guilt-free taste of summer.
Where it Began
The term mocktails was coined during the Prohibition era beginning in 1916. While the law prohibited the sale of alcohol, the thirst for creative mixed drinks was not quenched. Non-alcoholic drinks rose in popularity and have continued to remain desirable, allowing non-drinkers to blend in with the crowd with a drink that imitates or “mocks” an alcoholic beverage. The culture of enjoying a good drink with good company isn’t just for spirituous individuals.
Mixologists creatively dress up the average fruit punch or lemonade to blend in with its alcoholic counterparts, so the average patron can’t even tell the difference between a mocktail and a cocktail at first glance. Everyone can experience the refreshing taste of summer in a glass.
Crafting A Mocktail
Local restaurants mindfully build their bar programs to pair with the flavors on their food menu—sweet, savory, sour or spicy. Tried-and-true bases for a mouthwatering mocktail are sparkling or soda water and fruit juice. For a tart twist, add lemon juice. For a splash of sweetness, add honey, juice or simple syrup.
Homemade Syrups
To concoct a simple syrup, simply mix an equal ratio of water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. While the syrup simmers, sprinkle in fruits, vegetables, herbs or spices to extract the flavors of your ingredients. Though simple, a delectable syrup can elevate each sip, sending taste buds to heaven.
Tucked away in the Sun Valley Lodge, the soft lighting and dark wooden interior of the cozy Duchin Lounge enchants vacationers and “stay-cationers” with its bar menu. The bartender creates specialty syrups in-house to elevate the bold flavors of their signature mocktails, such as a lavender simple syrup used in their lavender lemonade mocktail. Warfield Distillery and Brewery bring the heat to spice up their mock mojito, “Some Like It Hot,” with a house-made guava and habanero shrub.
Shrubs and Mixers
“Shrub” is an Aramaic word for “vinegar.” It’s made by infusing fruit or vegetable extract with vinegar and sugar and letting it marinate for days. It’s a base most often used in mocktails and cocktails with gin and soda water.
Warfield mixes batches of some of their popular mocktails to have on hand. Their mocktails are sans alcohol but are highly flavorful. They have also been experimenting with zero-proof liquors since non-alcoholic liqueurs have the same bite but tend to taste more watery.
Fiamma’s creative mocktail lineup. From left to right: Cherry Lime House Soda, Blood Orange Basil Tonic, Cucumber Lime Refresher, Bella Temple (a take on the Shirley Temple with house-made grenadine and lemon lime soda).
The quaint underground cafe, Rasberrys, serves dishes made 90% with organic and locally sourced produce for savory summertime nosh. Their rotating mocktail specials are made with whatever ingredients they have on hand, such as a sweet cherry apricot compote mixed with non-alcoholic white negroni. Arranged on a shelf next to their deli are house-made mixers in slender bottles so customers can make refreshing mocktails in their own kitchens.
NA beer and kombucha
Even beer companies are hopping on the sobriety train. The first non-alcoholic beer was launched in the late 1970s. The first drinks didn’t emulate the beer flavor particularly well, but now brewers pay closer attention to brewing a balanced and refreshing beverage. Today, there are around 150 brands that produce non-alcoholic products.
Lagunitas, a hoppy, citrusy, crisp beer, introduced its 0% beer and called it the IPNA. NA beer is brewed with mostly water, yeast, grains and hops (a small green flower that gives beer its bitter, earthy taste). The only difference is the fermentation and de-alcoholization process. Atmos Brewing Co. served at Sawtooth Brewery, and Athletic Brewing Co., served in the Sun Valley Resort, are popular canned, non-alcoholic beers.
Rasberrys makes its own ginger beer combining ginger, Chinese chilis and peppercorns, which is then pasteurized so customers can enjoy that sweet bite. Rasberrys’ in-house kombucha has rich, botanical, fruity and herbal flavors—the perfect drink to pair with brunch. With minuscule traces of alcohol (less than 0.5%), Kombucha is a popular drink choice with a sparkly, vinegary bite. Its sweetened tea is fermented with a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), which turns sugar into tang—it tastes better than it sounds!
Sweeten the deal
To sweeten the deal, mixologists pay special attention to the presentation, including garnishes like dried orange slices, sprigs of greenery and salted or sugared rims. For example, the Duchin Lounges’ jalapeño mock mojito spices up the rim of the glass with Tajin and jalapeño slices.
Restaurants like the Village Station are experimenting with non-alcoholic liquors which mimic traditional spirits. An Aperol spritz is a refreshing drink for morning, noon and night and pairs very well with the Italian-style dishes on Village Station’s menu. Zero Proof Lyre Italian Spritz still contains the bitterness of Aperol but has a milder flavor, making it a light drink that mixes well with club soda and is reminiscent of a traditional Aperol Spritz.
A drink for everyone
“I think restaurants are trying to cater to all audiences,” Rempe said. Mocktails aren’t just for adults. Even kids can enjoy sipping on a fancy, colorful mocktail. Whether it’s a lively night out or a casual brunch, mocktails make it possible for everyone in your group to raise a glass to good health, no hangovers, and summertime!
Specialty Mocktails Recipes
The Lavender Lemonade from the Duchin Room at the Sun Valley Lodge.
Lavender Lemonade
Duchen Lunge: Bartender Brandon Caicano
Mix:
1 oz lavender simple syrup
- Steep-dried lavender flowers in hot water
- Strain the flowers out
- Mix 50% water and 50% sugar
1 oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz lemonade
Top with soda water
Coat the rim of the glass with sugar and pieces of lavender flower
Some Like It Hot
Warfield: Bartender Jess Rempe
Blend:
1 quart of guava syrup
1 habanero pepper
1 oz lime juice
Coat the rim of the glass in lime juice, then sugar
Lyre Spritz
Village Station: Sun Valley Food and Beverage Director Alex Vogt
Lyre’s Italian Spritz
Soda water or sprite
Peach Lemon Sweet Tea
Road Bars
1-2 oz Peach Lemon Shrub
5 oz black iced tea