Ginger Beer Mocktail
I never knew the magic of ginger beer (not ginger ale – similar but better) until I started making sangrias for my wedding in 2015. I realized how delicious ginger beer was in mixed drinks. Since then I’ve been adding it too all kinds of juices and cocktails, but this ginger beer mocktail made with mint simple syrup and cucumbers is the best yet!
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Ginger Beer Mocktail
On the topic of late discoveries, it wasn’t until my pregnancy that I learned to appreciate and LOVE interesting lemonades and mocktails, so why not combine both.
A few things to know about ginger beer, so you can begin to understand why it’s such a great drink ingredient…
Nope! Though the name is tricky like that, ginger beer is basically a soda, no alcohol.
Ginger Beer vs Ginger Ale
Ginger Beer and Ginger Ale are generally the same (carbonated, sweetened singer water), but ginger beer has a much more ginger-forward flavor (“spicier”) is what they call that. It’s this spice that makes it so good for drinks. Ginger ale is yummy, but the flavor isn’t as pronounced and it tends to be sweeter.
A quick ingredient note. I like to find ginger beer made with real sugar, not corn syrup.
How Do You make a Good Mocktail?
So, here’s the thing, I love a good mocktail, but I’ve also found that many mocktails are overly simple in concoction and are super sweet. As I said above, I love a good flavored lemonade, but that’s not a mocktail.
There are a few things that make real cocktails so appealing – one is the complexity in flavor (making the pungence of hard alcohol enjoyable but not sweet with the mix of other flavors) and the second is the glass.
I know that sounds funny, but a cocktail served in a water glass just doesn’t have that appeal. And yet a fun glass with a garnish and I’M IN!
So with that in mind, this ginger beer mocktail is really supposed create all those feels of having a “drink” without any alcohol.
The lemon and mint are on a reusable cocktail picks (see them used in this broccoli appetizer even) and the drink is served in Nick and Nora glasses! Are the fancy, iconic cocktail glasses mandatory here? Of course not, but it does give the vibe of a classy drink.
Ginger Beer Mocktail Ingredients
The flavors that make this mocktail tasty are a cool, refreshing (but not sweet) cucumber juice, the sweet and spicy ginger beer, earthy mint simple syrup, and a tangy lime juice – a lovely combination of flavors with depth.
- cucumbers
- water
- Mint Raw Sugar Simple Syrup
- fresh lime juice
- ginger beer
What to Serve with these Mocktails?
These ginger beer mocktails are perfectly refreshing, so don’t be afraid to serve foods full of flavor, tang, and spice as well as your usual happy hour favorites.
- sea salt & vinegar chips
- Salted or spiced nuts
- charcuterie (see my easy Trader Joe’s Charcuterie Board)
- aged, hard cheeses
Looking for more alcohol-free drinks? See this collection of summer mocktails recipes!
GINGER BEER MOCKTAIL
Ingredients
Mint Simple Syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup raw turbinado sugar
- 6-10 large mint leaves torn
Ginger Beer Mocktail
- 5 small Persian cucumbers often called cocktail cucumbers
- 4 ounces cold water
- 2 ounces Mint Raw Sugar Simple Syrup
- 2 ounces fresh lime juice
- 6 ounces ginger beer chilled
- Mint leaves for garnish
- Candied ginger sliced, for garnish
Instructions
Mint Simple Syrup
- Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-heat. Bring to a simmer and stir until all the sugar is dissolved in the water. Remove from the heat and stir in the mint leaves. Let cool for at least 1 hour.
- Strain the syrup and discard the mint. Use as desired in the mocktail and store any extra in a sealed jar in the refrigerator to use within 5 days.
Mocktail
- Break up or chop the cucumbers into large chunks and add them to a blender. Pour in the cold water and puree on high for 20 seconds until the cucumbers are blended into a juice.
- Pour the contents of the blender through a mesh colander set over a small bowl. Stir the pulp in the colander to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the pulp once you have 6 ounces of cucumber juice collected.
- Add the cucumber juice to a cocktail mixing glass. Pour in the simple syrup, lime juice, and ginger beer. Stir well.
- Pour the mocktail into glasses, or any cocktail glass that will hold at least 4 ounces. Garnish with mint leaves and candied ginger before serving.
This was so yummy. Such a good alternative for when you’re not drinking or just in general!