HOUSTON – Whether you don’t drink alcohol, or you are ditching the booze as part of your new year’s resolutions, you can sip fun beverages in form of mocktails.
Rebecca Burkart, bartender at Johnny’s Gold Brick in The Heights, shared with Houston Life three refreshing recipes without alcohol you can serve at your next event.
To see Burkart’s complete interview, watch the video above.
GARDEN PARTY
Ingredients:
• 2 ounces water
• 1.5 ounces fresh lime juice
• 1.5 ounces jalapeño simple syrup *
• 2 slices of cucumber
• 10 mint leaves
Directions:
Muddle cucumbers. Add all other ingredients. Shake to dilute. Strain with a fine mesh strainer into a glass to remove all chunks. Garnish with a mint sprig.
*JALAPENO SIMPLE SYRUP:
Place 16 ounces of water and 16 ounces of sugar in a pot over high heat. Cut two jalapeños into slices and add to pot. Once boiling, turn off heat and steep jalapeños for 20 minutes. Strain off jalapeños and cool before using.
SIPPIN’ SANGRIA
Ingredients:
• 4 ounces red grape juice
• 3 ounces orange juice
• 2 ounces water
• 1-ounce fresh lemon juice
• .75-ounce cinnamon syrup**
Directions:
Combine all ingredients together in a wine glass. Fill with cubed ice/ Stir to combine. Garnish with fresh fruit and a cinnamon stick.
**CINNAMON SYRUP:
Bring 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil with 6 broken up cinnamon sticks. Remove from heat and steep until brown and aromatic. Remove cinnamon sticks and cool before using.
PEACH PALMER
Ingredients:
• 2 parts water
• 1-part fresh lemon juice
• 1-part peach ginger/black tea syrup***
• 3 parts topo chico
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher or glass. Add frozen peaches. Stir to combine and pour of fresh ice. Garnish with fresh peaches and edible flowers.
***PEACH TEA SYRUP:
Bring 16 oz. of water to a boil. Add 2 peach ginger tea bags (regular peach works great as well) and 2 black tea bags. Once boiling, turn off heat and steep tea for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and add 32 ounces of sugar and return to a boil. Once boiling, turn off and cool before using.
Recipes provided by Rebecca Burkart.