The fun of sitting down with a few friends and a drink in hand doesn’t have to involve alcohol. “Sober mixology” is the craft of making fun cocktails without alcohol, pun-fully called “mocktails.” This craft has been on the rise as the popularity of alcohol has fallen. According to Statistics Canada, Canadians have been consuming less alcohol than ever before. This is partially due to the rising cost of living, but also because people have become more conscious of how alcohol makes them feel.
This summer Kitchener Public Library hosted two Literary Mocktails socials as part of our 85 Green initiative. 85 Green programs promote food literacy and environmental sustainability. At Literary Mocktails, we introduced people to fun mocktails using herbs from the garden at Central Library. "The Grapefruit Gatsby" was everyone's favourite mocktail.
"The Grapefruit Gatsby" Recipe
3 shots of grapefruit juice
Fresh basil
2 tbsps of simple syrup (1:1 ratio of sugar melted in water)
Ice
Topped off with ginger beer
If you are looking for other ways to reduce your drinking, here are some tips:
- Have something to eat, before you drink or as you drink
- Include a glass of water on the side
- No top-ups! Finish your drink before having another to track your drinking
- Start with smaller servings
If you're interested in exploring more alcohol-free drinks check out these books from our collection:
