After over-indulging at Christmas, dry January is an appealing prospect for many of us. It's time to detox, reset and get the new year off to a healthy start. For many of us though, January can be a somewhat depressing month. Short days, long nights, minimal sunshine and far too much darkness can make us dread the Winter months. So, it's important to have something to look forward to. Parties and social events are ideal for brightening up dull days. And what better way to embrace dry January than throwing an alcohol-free party? The chances are, you won't be alone in avoiding alcohol this month. So, get your friends and family together and celebrate with some of these fantastic alcohol-free winter warmers.
Alcohol free hot cocktails
At this time of year, hot cocktails can be a great option for a party or social gathering. Many of our customers are outdoor adventurers who love to be in the fresh air. You can enjoy these cocktails tucked up inside in the warm or soak up the cold winter air outdoors beside a fire pit. For a large gathering, increase the amounts to make multiple servings and leave the drinks in a pan over a very low heat with a ladle and garnish selection beside it. Your guests can help themselves to delicious hot cocktails all evening.
Feragaia Dry January Hot Toddy
Recently launched in Switzerland, Feragaia is an alcohol-free spirit produced in Scotland. Taking its inspiration from whisky, Feragaia is ideal for creating a hot toddy without the alcohol. Enjoy its unique taste in our dry January hot toddy.
Ingredients:
50 ml Feragaia
100 ml ginger beer
50 ml water
Orange twist to garnish
Method:
- Gently heat 50 ml Feragaia, 100 ml ginger beer and 50 ml water in a small pan
- When warm, pour into an enamel cup
- Serve garnished with an orange twist
APRTF no-wine mulled wine
Are you ready to kiss goodbye to the scent and flavour of mulled wine spices now that Christmas is over? Neither are we. That's why we're celebrating alcohol free mulled wine for just a little longer this January. Cook up a vat of this to serve with a ladle and a garnish tray. Your guests will love helping themselves to a last hurrah of spiced deliciousness. Check out our no-wine mulled wine post with ideas for food pairings to go with this warming treat.
Ingredients
- 300 ml Aprtf Bitter Aperitif
- 40 ml Maple Syrup
- Cinnamon Stick
- 2 Star Anise
- 4 Cloves stuck into two orange wedges
- 1 Lemon quartered
To garnish:
- Orange wedge
- Cinnamon stick
- Star anise
Method
- Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and cook on a medium to low heat at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes
- Remove from the heat and let the spices infuse into the "mulled wine" for 30 minutes
- Strain out all the ingredients using a sieve
- Serve warm, garnished with an orange wedge, cinnamon stick and star anise
Cold alcohol-free cocktails for dry January
Guests who prefer to stay wrapped up in the warm and leave winter outside might prefer to enjoy a cold cocktail. Why not celebrate dry January in style with something sparkling? Or bring a little of the Cornish coast to Switzerland with a Pentire cocktail.
Strawberry Rhubarb 0.0% Rose Spritzer
Ingredients
- 120ml of Noughty Organic Alcohol-Free Sparkling Rosé
- 50ml of rhubarb simple syrup
- 5 strawberries
- Juice of 1 lemon
Method
This is a summer spritzer to brighten up your winter party. It's a cool taste sensation that will remind everyone that spring is on the way.
- Add some fresh strawberries and freshly pressed lemon juice to a blender and pulse until they become a smooth purée.
- Add 30ml of the strawberry lemon purée and the rhubarb simple syrup to a glass with ice.
- Top up with Noughty Organic, Alcohol Free, Sparkling Rosé.
- Stir lightly and serve garnished with a fresh strawberry or rhubarb.
Pentire Adrift alcohol-free Forest Spritz
Bring the outside in with this refreshing nod to the magical atmosphere of a pine forest. Pentire is one of the newest alcohol-free spirits to launch in Switzerland. Wow your guests with this unusual alcohol-free cocktail.
Ingredients
50ml Pentire Adrift
25ml green syrup of your choice
Soda to top
Scots Pine to garnish
Method
- Place Pentire and syrup together into a wine glass and stir
- Add plenty of ice and top with soda
- Garnish with the fresh scots pine before serving
Vegan Hot Chocolate with Feragaia
There's not much better at this time of year than a really special hot chocolate. Especially when it has an extra flavour kick with a shot of alcohol-free Feragaia.
Ingredients
- 50 ml Feragaia distilled alcohol-free spirit
- 125 ml oat milk
- 2 tbsp dark chocolate powder
- 10 ml sugar syrup
- Vegan marshmallows to serve and finely grated dark chocolate to serve
Method
- Place all ingredients except for the garnishes into a milk frothing jug
- Heat the mixture
- Pour into a mug
- Garnish with the finely grated dark chocolate and vegan marshmallows to serve
Dry January party themes
Looking for a theme for your dry January party? We've put our thinking caps on and come up with a few ideas.
Winter hot tub party
Why not hire a hot tub so you and your guests can enjoy a sparkling drink outside while staying warm? We suggest solar lights for a sparkly path from the house to the hot tub. Pop the tub under a gazebo in case it rains, and leave a tray of sparkling rhubarb rose spritzers beside it so everyone can grab one to enjoy in the tub.
Board games
There's nothing better than a board game with friends to pass a cold winter's evening. For a lengthy game with good friends, try monopoly. You're going to need some light-hearted cocktails to keep you going, so we suggest Feragaia hot chocolate with plenty of vegan marsh mallows.
Bring a plate party
If you're providing all these stunning alcohol-free cocktails for your dry January party, your guests are going to want to make a contribution too. Why not ask them all to bring a plate for the buffet table? It's a great way to make sure dietary requirements are catered for because everyone is sure to bring something they'll enjoy eating. We suggest requesting that everything is labelled with allergen information so people know what's going to work for them.
Decorating party
Just moved into a new place? Why not invite a load of friends round to help you decorate? You provide the paint, brushes, rollers, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. Everyone just needs to turn up in old clothes, ready to muck in. Many hands make light work so you'll be surprised at how quickly you can get your new house painted!
Movie night
Why not get everyone to dress up as a character from a classic movie? Decorate the house in line with the theme and show the movie with popcorn and a dry January drink selection.