Spruce Up Your Dry January With a Recipe Book for Innovative Non-Alcoholic Drinks

For many, the new year also means partaking in "Dry January," a month-long commitment to giving up all alcohol-related drinks after indulging during the holiday season. And with interest in low- and non-alcoholic drinks increasing throughout 2020, it looks like some are looking to cut down on the booze beyond the first 31 days of the year.

Whether you're swearing off alcohol for a month or for the long haul, writer, editor, and podcaster Julia Bainbridge's new book, Good Drinks: Alcohol-Free Recipes for When You're Not Drinking for Whatever Reason, provides plenty of options for zero-proof drinking.

According to the press release, the book was sparked by a single question: can you make an outstanding non-alcoholic drink?

"Julia spent a summer driving across the U.S. going to bars, restaurants, and everything in between in pursuit of the answer, and she found it: an emphatic 'yes.' Many emphatic yeses, in fact, such as blackberry-infused cold brew with almond milk and coconut cream. Smoky tea paired with tart cherry juice. A bittersweet, herbal take on the Pimm’s Cup. As curiosity about and interest in alcohol-free mixed drinks increases, these full-flavored, balanced beverages capitalize on this newfound energy and acceptance."

The book compiles recipes from bartenders around the country who all have an innovative take on non-alcoholic drinks or "mocktails." Good Drinks categorizes each recipe by the time of day you're drinking and indicates the difficulty and "commitment level" for each one. The recipes are prefaced just like any other cookbook, with tips, tools, and techniques, with sections dedicated to glassware, ice, syrups, and pantry items.

Get the book on Amazon ($21) or bookshop.org ($22). Below is a recipe for the Verjus Spritz from Adam Chase, lead bartender at Corvino Supper Club in Kansas City, Missouri.

Serves 1

2 ounces white verjus
2 ounces soda water
2 ounces tonic water
1 lemon twist, for garnish

Combine the verjus, soda water, and tonic water in a wine or spritz glass filled with ice. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Reprinted with permission from Good Drinks: Alcohol-Free Recipes for When You’re Not Drinking for Whatever Reason by Julia Bainbridge, copyright © 2020. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

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