9 Homemade Non-Alcoholic Drinks for Happy Hour

It doesn’t have to be Dry January or Sober October to enjoy a night or two off the sauce, but that’s not to say you have to miss happy hour. There are lots of fun, healthful non-alcoholic sipping beverages that can make an everyday evening every bit as satisfying as double on the rocks. Or, at least close.

For many of us, particularly regular drinkers, there is something about kicking back with an evening beverage that signals to our bodies and minds that it’s time to relax. However, that drink doesn’t have to be booze. It can still be strong. It can still be special. It can be made right at home.

Often the ritual of making a happy hour drink, alcoholic or not, and chillaxing for a minute with it is as important as getting a buzz. The following list of happy hour specials are some favorites, and we’ve linked them up with links for how to do them start-to-finish at home.

1. Kombucha

Kombucha has loads of good stuff about it. It tastes great. It has good bacteria that increase gut health. It can be made at home for next to nothing, and it doesn’t require a lot of attention. Here’s an OGP guide to kombucha, including how to make it. For an added cocktail effect, squeeze in a bit of citrus and leave the fruit in the drink.

2. Infused Waters

Water alone doesn’t sound like something special, but infuse it with a bit of flavor—herbs, fruits, vegetables—and it can be downright mellowing. Put a few springs of fresh herbs, a sliced cucumber, or a cup of fruit in a water pitcher before leaving home in the morning. When you get home, it’ll be waiting there for ya.

3. Ginger Beer

Homemade ginger beer is easy to do though it does require regular maintenance of the “ginger bug” which is kind of like a sourdough starter for ginger beer. Unlike store-bought ginger ale, homemade ginger beer is not soda. It has probiotics, medicinal prowess, and real flavor.

4. Herbal Sun Teas

Sun tea is an old-school method for making ice tea using the heat of the sun. It has a flavor and a feel all its own. It can also be enhanced by adding some fruit or herbs to the mixture. Set the jug of tea on a sunny windowsill or outside on a sunny patio and enjoy it over ice when you get home.

5. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is highly regarded for its medicinal benefits (Make your own at home). Lots of people swear by taking a tablespoon a day to keep illnesses and colds away. It also makes a dandy evening libation. Pour a shot of apple cider vinegar over ice in a highball and add water and maybe some mint as a garnish. Or, make some fire cider for added medicinal benefits and flavor.

6. Virgin Mary

A Virgin Mary is the perfect sipping beverage for the happy hour slot when you are feeling a bit hungry but need to wait a while longer for dinner. It can come with various snacks—celery, olives, pickled green beans, etc.—and drinks like an appetizer anyway. Here is an awesome smoothie-style Bloody Mary sin vodka. It’s a great way to celebrate the summer garden.

7. Spiced Lemonades

Lemonade in and of itself is an absolute treat, so when we take something as nice as it and turn up the volume, drinking it is an occasion to appreciate. A regular homemade lemonade can be spruced up by adding fruit (peach, strawberry, blueberry…) and/or fresh herbs (mint, lavender, tarragon…).

8. Golden Milk

Heading to the old milk bar for an evening drink might be a nice blast to the past for some, and golden milk is a great way to make it extraordinary. It can be very reminiscent of a cup of chai, and it has crazy medicinal qualities because of turmeric that makes the milk its golden color.

9. Elderberry Fizz

Elderberries are agreeable to growing in most USDA Zones, and they are ideal plants for those low spots in the yard where water hangs around too long. Those elderberries can be used to make elderberry syrup (great for warding off colds in the winter), and a shot of that super can be added to plan soda water to make a great happy hour hoist.

Getting into the right frame of mind as quickly as possible after a long day at work is what it’s all about, and having a special drink can help. Why not go a bit healthier with it and skip the booze now and again?

Related Content:

• A Guide To Gluten-Free and Vegan Alcohol For The 4th of July!
• Healthiest Cocktails to Consume and Alcohol Types That Have Unique Nutrients
• 12 Delicious Fruity Cocktails and Mocktails!
• How to Make Organic Ginger Beer
• Bought One Too Many Six Packs? Here are 10 Beer-Based Recipes to Try!

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