03 Aug 2023: Summer Vibes Mocktail

JM Hirsch, the travel writer, food writer, and editorial director for Milk Street, creates some of the most intriguing alcoholic cocktails! Recently I’ve discovered he also develops delicious mocktails. The video for this one, Summer Vibes, can be found on his Instagram account and meets one of my criteria for good non-alcoholic imbibing: no fake booze - something I detest.

The only thing I would change from my first go-round is to absolutely crush the ice, which probably would make adding ginger ale unnecessary. Otherwise, a tropical, refreshing summer mocktail which I plan to put on repeat.

Summer Vibes

A Mocktail by J.M. Hirsch

Ingredients

• 4 ounces unsweetened coconut water

• 2 ounces pineapple juice (since my local Market Basket didn’t have this (!), I used what I could get in small sizes. That turned out to be a pineapple-mango juice)

• 1/2 ounce grenadine (buy - or make this version from Anders Erickson - something high quality. You won’t regret it)

• Dash of orange bitters

• Dash of Angostura bitters

• 6-10 granules kosher salt (It makes a difference. Really.)

• OPTIONAL: Ginger ale (I used sugar free)

Add the first 6 ingredients to a mixing glass and mix thoroughly without ice. Pour into a highball glass (or what have you) filled 2/3 with ice (see my headnote). Top with ginger ale if using.