Okay friends! Here it is, the first of four large-format drinks as promised.
But first! My friends Alex and Youngmi and I started a podcast about what it’s like to be an aging millennial and it’s funny and insightful and mildly informative and I think you should listen to it. Subscribe on Apple or Spotify.
Non-alcoholic cocktails are tough. Alcohol is a great base for flavor and has a tingly, vibrant texture—not to mention people tend to enjoy the way that alcohol makes them feel. There’s also a diverse and huge selection of spirits to choose from that are not only delicious, but also reliable as ingredients, ie. if you pick up a random bottle of rum, chances are it will serve well in cocktails that call for rum.
This is all to say that when it comes time to put together an alcohol-free drink that is as interesting, complex, crave-able, as a traditional Daiquiri or Old Fashioned, there are some hurdles to overcome. When crafting these types of drinks, my first thought is to create a drink that’s densely packed with flavor, with every ingredient pulling its weight. There’s also been a very welcome trend in the past few years of an increased interest in bottled non-alcoholic potions like spirit substitutes (whiskey, gin, etc.) and other liquids that use bases like verjus, the juice of unripe wine grapes, to recreate the look and feel of things like wine and vermouth. Unexpected combinations also help to up-regulate the sophistication of non-alcoholic drinks, which can slide into “fancy soda” territory all too easily.
These strategies all come together in this autumnal and slightly caffeinated large-format cocktail. Kally is an aforementioned verjus-based drink that features toasted fennel for deep complexity. Adding that to gin, cranberry, maple, and coffee might sound like an unholy combination, but the relative brightness of the cold brew concentrate provides an interesting accompaniment to the fruit flavors while also supplying some bitterness, depth, and richness. And at this point (late 2023) there is enough consistency across non-alcoholic gin brands that you can use your favorite here, but if you don’t have one, I used Monday. (You can also use traditional gin!)
Maple Reviver
Serves 8-10
1 750mL bottle Kally Berry Fennel
8 ounces non-alcoholic gin
6 ounces cold brew coffee concentrate (I make my own, but you can buy it)
6 ounces Cheeky Cocktails cranberry syrup
2 ounces dark maple syrup
Garnish: dried cranberries and rosemary springs
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and stir to combine. Add ice to pitcher if desired. Serve by pouring into ice-filled tall water or Collins glasses. Garnish with four dried cranberries on a pick and a rosemary sprig, and serve with a reusable straw.