Our little garden is still going strong! We have so many cucumbers, hot peppers and herbs that we needed to start getting creative before they were no longer fresh. These non-alcoholic sparkling mocktails are the perfect, refreshing drinks for summer, and a great opportunity to use up some of the extra herbs in your garden.

Basic Simple Syrup

This can be added to any of the recipes below if you want to add a bit of sweetness to your mocktails. It’s also great to have in your fridge to iced coffee 🙂 If you want to add a flavor to the simple syrup (like basil) add the leaves right in while you heat and strain them out at the end.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Combine the water and sugar in small sauce pan.
2. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
3. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Cucumber and Mint Refresher

These two flavors together are one of my favorite combinations. This is an easy and perfect drink to keep you cool on warm day. Makes 1 drink.

Ingredients:

• Seltzer Water
• Thinly sliced cucumber
• Mint leaves
• Ice

Directions:

1. Muddle mint in the bottom of a glass, or just smack it a couple of times with your hands, this helps to release some of the mint oil.
2. Fill glass with ice
3. Add cucumbers to the glass
4. Fill with favorite seltzer

Blueberry & Rosemary Spritz

Our blueberry bush has supplied us with a ton of berries this season. This drink is a great way to use some of them up! If you want a bit of sweetness, muddle the blueberries with a little simple syrup. This drink is also super yummy if you swap the rosemary for basil. Makes 1 drink.

Ingredients:

• Seltzer water
• Blueberries (10 or so per drink)
• Rosemary sprig
• Ice

Directions:

1. Muddle blueberries the bottom of a glass
2. Clap the rosemary sprig in your hands to release the oils
3. Fill glass with ice
4. Fill with favorite seltzer

Grapefruit Ginger Spritz with Basil

The combination of basil, ginger, and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice is perfect any time of year. Make 2-4 drinks.

Ingredients:

• 1 large grapefruit for juicing and additional for garnish if desired
• 3- 12 oz bottles/cans of your favorite ginger brew. ( I like Maine Root)
• Handful of fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup Basil Simple Syrup (see recipe above)
• Ice

Directions:

1. Juice one large grapefruit.
2. Fill a pitcher halfway with ice
3. Pour ginger brew, basil simple syrup, and juice into the pitcher. Stir to combine
4. Fill glasses with additional ice if needed and serve. Garnish with additional basil and grapefruit slices.

Sage and Grapefruit Cooler

We have a crazy amount of sage in our garden! This is the perfect mocktail to stay hydrated on a warm day. Makes 1 drink.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ice
• 2-4 sage leaves
• 1 cup grapefruit juice
• Salt, to rim glass (optional)

Directions:

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine ice, sage leaves and grapefruit juice. Shake well to infuse grapefruit with sage.
2. Rim serving glass with salt.
3. Strain out leaves and pour into glass.

Spicy Mango Mint Mocktail

We love spice in this house so this mocktail is the perfect blend of spicy and sweet with the mango nectar and fresh jalapenos. You can add a little lime and a salt rim too if you’d like.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups seltzer water
• 2 cups mango nectar
• 5-6 mint leaves ,finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons Simple Syrup (optional)

Directions:

1. Finely chop up the mint
2. Cut the jalapeno pepper into thin slices. Depending on how spicy you want your drink add 1-3 slices of jalapeno per glass.
3. Fill glasses with ice
4. Mix the mango nectar, mint leaves and simple syrup in a shaker or mason jar.
5. Pour into serving glasses, and top with seltzer.

I hope you enjoy sipping on these garden mocktails. Enjoy them while you can, summer and garden fresh season goes by in a flash, especially in Maine.

Cheers!