Celebrate National Mocktail Week with the Most Searched Mocktail of 2023 [Video Tutorial Inside]

Dry January is starting with a bang!

It’s National Mocktail Week, y’all!

From January 14-20, 2024, the beverage world is celebrating National Mocktail Week! 

Mocktails, or non-alcoholic cocktails, have a rich history dating back to the early 20th century. Initially known as "virgin cocktails" or “temperance drinks,” they gained popularity during the Prohibition era when alcohol consumption was restricted in the United States. These non-alcoholic alternatives allowed people to enjoy the social aspect of drinking without the booze or the hangover. The buzz is that today, mocktails are celebrated for their creativity and diverse flavors, offering a refreshing option for those who choose not to consume alcohol, are not of age to consume alcohol, or are looking for a lighter alternative. 

According to National Today in this recent article, Mocktail Week was founded by Marnie Rae in 2018 after realizing that delicious, fun drinks without alcohol were hard to find. 

We’ve talked about the very first mocktail that stole our hearts and made us feel fancy during childhood, so it was only right to feature it again AND show you how we make it. We’re talking about the most classic of classic mocktails…the OG gateway mocktail, if you will–the Shirley Temple!

Funny thing is, the Shirley Temple was the most searched mocktail recipe of 2023.

So, what’s in a Shirley Temple?
A Shirley Temple is a sparkling symphony of flavors that'll transport you to a nostalgic world of fizzy fun. It’s named after the iconic 1930s child star, Shirley Temple, and was rumored to have been created for her 10th birthday by a bartender at Hollywood’s Brown Derby Restaurant.  

Picture this:
A dazzling dance of ginger ale or lemon-lime soda and a splash of grenadine, twirling together over a cascade of ice cubes. Maraschino cherries, like whimsical ballerinas, gracefully pirouette on the surface, inviting you to take a sip and join the effervescent celebration. It's a non-alcoholic masterpiece that sparkles with every sip, leaving your taste buds in a state of joy and youthful jubilation.

The good thing about Shirley (the drink) is that her ingredient list is minimal and sets her up to be tasty out the gate.  It’s so simple to make, you can do it in a literal minute or less. You can’t mess it up!

Watch me make it here. 

To recreate it yourself, you’ll need:

🍹Ginger ale or lemon-lime soda

🍹Grenadine (1 oz or 2 tbsp)

Everything else is optional:

🍈Sweetened lime juice

🍒Cherries

🍈Lime wheel

Instructions:

1. Fill a glass with ice cubes to chill the ingredients
2. Squeeze the juice of half a lime into the glass 
3. Gently add an ounce (2 tablespoons) of grenadine syrup. It will gradually rise to mix with the other ingredients.
4. Fill the rest of your glass with ginger ale or lemon-lime soda (or both because that’s your business!)
5. Add an additional splash of sweetened lime juice
6. Stir the ingredients gently to combine them or let the colors create a layered effect
7. Garnish with a lime wheel or two and a few maraschino cherries
8. Serve and enjoy your refreshing Shirley Temple mocktail!

Feel free to adjust the measurements based on your taste preferences.

Cheers!