Tips for the best homemade soft drinks

Today, alcohol consumption is so common that at a party, people will rather wonder at the brave person who refuses a drink. Whatever reason a person drinks alcohol, there is no harm in purposefully limiting its consumption from time to time. For example, during the traditional Dry February, when you unexpectedly have a unique chance to find out a lot of interesting information about yourself thanks to abstinence.

You might be surprised to learn, for example, in which situations you miss alcohol the most. And vice versa, when you don't even think about it. You will realize whether, how often and under what circumstances you think about drinking. It will also be instructive for you to observe the reactions of those around you to your abstinence, when through them you can get an interesting insight into your own drinking.  

Whether you have already decided on Dry February voluntarily, or for you regular consumption is not a relevant topic at all, we bring you some tips for delicious non-alcoholic cocktails and drinks that will disarm even the biggest lovers of Long Island, Mojito or Gin Tonic! The tastiest non-alcoholic drinks can be easily and playfully prepared by yourself at home in a few minutes.

TIP: If you're looking for ideal electrical appliances that will help you blend or juice selected parts of fruit or vegetables, we'll put our hand into the fire for Orava kitchen helpers.

Alcohol and social interactions

The reason for increased alcohol consumption is often the need for social interaction with friends, family or colleagues. Alcohol somewhat deviates from the classic division of drugs into stimulants and sedatives – it has a euphoric effect to a lesser extent, but its increased consumption results in drowsiness. A social level of drinking helps to relax the mind and, at least ostensibly, revives social relationships. However, as we all know, excessive drinking is mostly harmful, without any positive benefit.

If you feel like you're naked in a thorn without a drink during a social event during this year's dry February, there's nothing easier than agreeing with the bartender on one of the non-alcoholic options. Believe me, their preparation is often a bigger show than shaking a martini with vodka, and every bartender likes to take a break from mixing Cuba libre forever. In addition, you can come home in your own car, you will easily remember who went with you, and you won't even have a headache in the morning.

Recipes for the best soft drinks

So, let's start preparing some popular non-alcoholic drinks that will not only refresh you, but also kick you up in the best sense of the word. Their preparation will not take more than a few minutes. With the right kitchen helpers, even much shorter.

Homemade iced tea

Prepare a delicious drink that will refresh you on hot days. You can cool homemade ice tea to your taste and offer it to visitors not only at a summer barbecue.

Ingredients: black tea (4 bags), 50 ml lemon juice, 1 spoonful of sliced ginger, 2 lemons or limes, honey, mint, ice

Procedure: Let the black tea brew in 3.5 litters of hot water. After the recommended infusing time, remove the bag: the manufacturer usually recommends infusing them for 2 to 3 minutes, no longer. Then pour the tea into a jug, add squeezed lemon juice, chopped peeled ginger and honey to taste. Let the drink cool down in the jug. Just before serving, garnish it with fresh mint and sliced lemon or lime slices.

Homemade cucumber lemonade

The refreshing cucumber lemonade is a great drink as a break between sweeter lemonades or cocktails. It will help to keep you hydrated during hot summer days and at the same time will keep you pleasantly cool.

Ingredients: 2 liters of chilled sparkling water, 2 salad cucumbers, honey or cane sugar to taste, 2 limes

Procedure: First, cool the mineral water in the refrigerator. Peel one salad cucumber, cut it into larger pieces and blend them together with water in a separate container with a kitchen smoothie blender or table blender into a smooth puree. Then add roughly half a liter of mineral water and let the mixture stand in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Then pour the mixture through a strainer into a jug, add lime juice and sweeten the drink with honey or sugar to taste. Pour the rest of the sparkling mineral water over the whole mixture and add ice cubes. Add thin slices of cucumber to the glasses before serving. 

Ginger beer

Ideal for an evening party and other social celebrations. If you don't want to explain anything to anyone, you don't have to. With this drink, no one will even think that the glass you are holding in your hand does not contain even a hint of alcohol. Ginger beer is historical  drink of British housewives who, even between the wars, stored monoculture in a sideboard for its production in a similar way to kombucha. Thanks to the Ginger Beer sign, most of the cheerful pub mates won't even think of treating you with the decent "so blow the beer!".

Ingredients: juice from one lime, ginger beer, 1 spoonful of chopped ginger, honey to taste, mint, ice

Procedure: Put ice in a glass and pour lime juice over it. Add liquid honey to taste and pour ginger beer over the whole mixture. Estimate the quantity according to the size of the glass. Finally, garnish with lime slices and sliced ginger. For a more intense taste, you can grate the ginger or chop it with a kitchen chopper for chopping fruits and vegetables.

TIP: You can also make the job easier with a lime, which you simply juice with a citrus fruit juicer.

Mango Delight summer cocktail

An honest mango cocktail will reliably whet your appetite for Margherita. Of course, non-alcoholic. You will appreciate it not only during Mexican parties, but more or less at any time of the day.

Ingredients: 1 lime, lime juice, mango, sparkling mineral water, crushed ice, 3 pieces of strawberries

Procedure: Peel the mango and cut it into cubes, which you put in a blender. Add lime juice, pieces of strawberries, sparkling mineral water and ice, which your kitchen blender crushes into small chips. Let the mixture blend until the ice and fruit combine nicely into a soft sorbet. Finally, pour the mixture into a glass and garnish with a sliced lime.