This Ginger-Forward Mocktail Gets A Kick From One Fresh Ingredient

There are tons of reasons to drink less, whether you're doing Dry January, committing to a lifestyle change, or just want to explore the incredible world of non-alcoholic beverages. Though, there can be a hiccup in getting started, as recreating the refreshing, nuanced, and complex qualities of alcoholic beverages without the booze can be tricky. One excellent place to get started is with this spicy cranberry mule mocktail, which gets its kick from a not-so-unique ingredient: jalapeños. 

Jalapeños offer this refreshing non-alcoholic drink numerous layers of sensory and flavor complexity. Since its base is comprised of ginger beer, cranberry juice, and honey, the scales can tip very sweet. The muddled jalapeños offer a bright pop of flavor and spice that cuts through the sweetness and balances the NA bevvy. The back-of-mouth heat it offers can also stimulate the burn of alcohol and slow down your sipping, making it an excellent ingredient to play with if you're looking to develop your NA drink-making repertoire. 

Jalapeños are an excellent match for this particularly sweet non-alcoholic beverage (we prefer that term instead of "mocktail"), but there are other NA creations that can benefit from it, too. If you love a good spicy marg, you can replicate similar flavors in a citrus-forward, jalapeño-mixed NA margarita. Start with this watermelon mint NA margarita recipe and muddle a few jalapeño slices with the ingredients or allow the jalapeños to steep in the homemade simple syrup.

Another NA rendition that could benefit from this spicy, bold addition is a mojito. Muddle the lime juice, mint (or cilantro), and jalapeños before topping it off with a drizzle of honey for sweetness and sparkling or soda water for bubbles. It's a great drink for lounging by the poolside, or in the depths of winter, when you need to be reminded of what it feels like to drink something poolside.