Leonidas Schultz, who is renowned for heading up bars all over Charlottesville, and the team at Charlottesville City Lifestyle are excited to share some fun ways to spruce up your sips sans spirits. From rich chocolatey goodness to a deeply flavored shrub and citrusy goodness that will have you coming back for more, these delicious zero-proof drinks may become your go-to sips even after Dry January.
Solar Therapy
Leonidas Schultz says this is a great large-batch shrub you can use to introduce guests to this style of drink, bringing in sunshine through mango and raspberry. For a higher intensity, cover the pan immediately after reaching a simmer, or swap out the rice wine vinegar for champagne vinegar.
Shrub Ingredients
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12 oz Rice Wine Vinegar
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12 oz Sugar
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1 Vanilla Bean, Split
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4 Star Anise
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10 oz Frozen Mango
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2 oz Frozen Raspberries
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1 tbsp Kosher Salt
Directions
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Combine sugar, vinegar, vanilla, and star anise in a pan. Bring it to a low simmer and let cook uncovered for 10 minutes (this helps reduce the harshness of the vinegar while keeping its tangy bite). Then turn off the heat, cover, and allow to steep for 1 hour.
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Pour the mixture into a blender and add your frozen fruit. Blend until completely smooth, then put into a sealable container and store refrigerated for up to three months.
Final Assembly
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In a Collins glass, add 2 oz of your Solar Therapy Shrub, then top with ice.
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Add 4 oz of club soda and stir to incorporate the shrub with your seltzer.
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Top with another 4 oz of soda and stir gently to combine while getting rid of as few bubbles as possible.
Cranberry Ginger Sparkler
Publisher Jim Lisowski crafted this refreshing mocktail recipe using ginger beer, cranberry, and a cinnamon stick. This mocktail is perfect for any occasion, especially during the fall and winter seasons.
Cranberry Ginger Sparkler
Ingredients
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2 oz cranberry juice
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4 oz ginger beer, chilled
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Fresh cranberries, for garnish
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Cinnamon stick, for garnish
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Rosemary Sprig, optional
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Ice
Instructions
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Moisten the rim of the glass and dip it into raw sugar.
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Fill a glass with ice.
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Pour in the cranberry juice.
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Top it off with chilled ginger beer.
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Garnish with fresh cranberries and a cinnamon stick.
Optional: For a sweeter twist, you can add a splash of lime juice or a drizzle of honey.
The Marquess' Coco
This is a chocolate drink as delicious hot as it is cold according to Leonidas Schultz. Note: This is a large batch, suitable for up to 22 drinks.
Ingredients
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15 oz Earl Grey Tea, Made at Triple Strength
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10 oz Molasses
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4 oz Sugar
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10 oz Dutch Cocoa
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Angostura Bitters
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Dairy or Dairy Substitute
Directions
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Brew your favorite Earl Grey tea at three times the usual strength.
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Add this to your blender, along with your molasses and sugar
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Turn your blender on low and allow everything to incorporate, before slowly adding cocoa powder.
The final step is best done by going through the lid while the blender is running but can be done in batches by turning the blender off, removing the lid, adding about a fifth of the cocoa, and then closing it back up and running till smooth. Repeat until all your cocoa is incorporated.
Assembly
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Add 1.5 oz of your cocoa syrup to your glass. If serving hot, use a heat-safe microwaveable mug.
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Measure out 4.5 oz of your favorite dairy or dairy substitute
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Add a small amount of the dairy to the glass and stir into your syrup until it is thinned out and homogenous.
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Add the rest of your dairy along with 3 dashes of angostura bitters, then stir to combine.
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If serving hot, heat in a microwave using 30-second bursts, until you reach your ideal temperature, stirring each time before testing the warmth.
Grapefruit Ginger Glow
Editor Jennifer Waldera has a love for the citrusy bite and gorgeous color of grapefruit. This mocktail embodies the beauty of the fruit with a few other simple ingredients.
Ingredients
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2 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
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1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
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½ oz Honey Syrup (equal parts honey and water, warmed to combine)
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4 oz Ginger Geer (Chilled)
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Grapefruit Wedge (For Garnish)
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Lemon Slice (For Garnish)
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Fresh Rosemary Sprig (For Garnish)
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Ice
Instructions
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Prepare the honey syrup and let it cool.
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Moisten the rim of the glass with a lemon wedge and dip it into raw sugar for a zesty rim.
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Fill the glass with ice.
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In the glass, combine grapefruit juice, lemon juice, and honey syrup. Stir gently to mix.
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Top with chilled ginger beer and stir lightly to combine the flavors.
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Garnish with a grapefruit wedge, a lemon slice, and a sprig of fresh rosemary. For an aromatic touch, gently bruise the rosemary sprig by tapping it between your hands before adding it.
Optional: Spice it up with a dash of fresh ginger juice or a thin slice of candied ginger as a garnish.