Give your Dry January some sparkle with these non-alcoholic spritzes

A booze-free alternative to the beloved Aperol Spritz

By Georgina Torbet Published January 10, 2025

Josh Cellars Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Aperol Spritz — Josh Cellars

The Aperol Spritz is one of the most beloved cocktails, but it’s not exactly appropriate for Dry January. However, if you are skipping the booze this month, you needn’t miss out on the fun of a spritz. We have two recipes from Josh Cellars, which makes non-alcoholic sparkling wine that is perfect for turning into spritzes. There’s an Aperol-related version which uses non-alcoholic Italian orange liqueur, or a Hugo-related version which makes use of elderflower syrup to add a floral, deep note to your drink.

Get out a big copa glass, fill it up with NA sparkling wine, other ingredients, and some fancy garnishes, and enjoy all the luxury of a spritz without the booze.

Recommended Videos

Josh Cellars Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Italian Spritz

Josh Cellars

Ingredients:

Josh Cellars Non-Alcoholic Sparkling – 3 oz.
NA Italian Orange Liqueur – 2 oz.
Sparkling water or club soda – 1 oz.
Ice for serving
Orange slice and mint leaves or rosemary sprig for garnish

Method:

Fill a large wine glass ¾ full with ice.
Add Josh Cellars Non-Alcoholic Sparkling and NA Italian Orange Liqueur and stir gently to combine
Top with the sparkling water. Garnish and serve.

Josh Cellars Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Hugo Spritz

Josh Cellars

Ingredients:

Josh Cellars Non-Alcoholic Sparkling – 4 oz.
Elderflower Syrup – .5 oz.
Seltzer – 1 oz.
3-4 mint sprigs
1 Lemon Slice and a few cranberries for garnish

Method:

Strip the leaves off one mint sprig. Lightly slap the leaves in the palm of your hand to release the oils, then add to a glass.
Fill the glass with ice, then add in the Elderflower Syrup, chilled Josh Cellars Non-Alcoholic Sparkling and seltzer. Stir to combine.
Garnish with lemon, cranberries and mint

Georgina Torbet

Georgina Torbet is a cocktail enthusiast based in Berlin, with an ever-growing gin collection and a love for trying out new…

Food & Drink

Mix things up by using mezcal in your Margarita

The other agave spirit is the perfect subsitution for this cocktail

Mezcal Unión

With National Margarita Day tomorrow, now is a great time to celebrate this beloved drink -- or even to experiment with it. While the classic Margarita is made with just tequila, lime juice, and triple sec, there are no end of variations that you can try out. And one great way to bring a whole new dimension to the drink is to use a different base spirit such as mezcal.

Though both tequila and mezcal are made from agave, mezcal tends to have a deeper, smokier flavor that will appeal to lovers of fine Scotch or those who prefer their drinks with a savory, spicy note. And these recipes featuring Mezcal Unión show how you can swap in this spirit to give your Margarita a new kind of bite.
Mezcal Unión Margarita

Food & Drink

Pick your preferred Margarita: spicy, sharp, caffeinated, or classic

There's a Margarita to suit every palate

The Original Margarita

This weekend sees National Margarita Day, and if you fancy raising a glass to this beloved cocktail then you've got plenty of options. You'll find Margaritas in both frozen and non-frozen versions, and if you've only ever had a happy hour pre-batched frozen Margarita from a machine in a dive bar, then it's well worth trying the non-frozen version. With quality spirits and fresh citrus juice, the drink is clear, classy, and perfectly balanced.

As for ingredients, practically anything goes here too. While Margaritas might vary with the fruits, garnishes, and even spirits that they use, with mezcal being a popular alternative to tequila, one thing that almost all Margarita variations have in common is the use of triple sec.

Food & Drink

Take your Margarita up a notch with beautiful garnishes, like this bar does

Visual appeal is as important as flavor in creating a great drink

The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel Margarita

It's Margarita season, and that means you'll be seeing Margarita recipes which incorporate fruits, infused tequilas, and even alternative spirits like mezcal. But if you'd prefer to keep your Margaritas more on the classic side, then there are still changes you can make to fancy them up.

One option is to keep the changes minimal, such as switching out the usual lime juice for lemon juice. That adds a tart, sharp note to the drink, and lemon is a natural partner for tequila. You should also feel free to play with the proportions of tequila, triple sec, and citrus juice to find your own preference, as well as adding a sweetner like simple syrup if required. One thing to remember is that the freshness of your citrus will make a big difference to its flavor, so fresher citrus juice may not require any additional sweetner at all, while if you're using older lemons or limes you might need to help them out with a little additional sugar.