A Boldly Fashioned Winter Sipper
If you had told me in 2020 that just down the road I’d be well-educated on (and voluntarily compiling a blog post about) non-alcoholic beverages, I would have said, “Go home, you. You’re drunk.”
But after one-too-many ho-ho-holy holiday hangovers, here I am—three years sober and pouring you a frosty and fully AF (alcohol-free) Old Fashioned in honor of Dry January. My twist on this classic cocktail?
Giving it the kick of craft-cultivated tangerines and saying bye-bye to the booze!
Not to mention a killer clove simple syrup and citrusy winter ice cubes that will make you reconsider everything you thought you knew about frozen water.
Noble Autumn Honey® Tangerines are a sweet holiday delight and a no-brainer in this zero-proof cocktail. Orange and bourbon are a dynamic duo, after all, so Autumn Honey’s distinctive honey notes and low acidity make it a shoo-in for this lively libation. When you’re using minimal ingredients, you want the best of the best. And these sweet, juicy Florida citrus are selectively bred over four decades.
Doesn’t get much better than that.
Autumn Honeys are the first to arrive in the fall—a timely treat around the holidays when your palate is already oversaturated with heavy provisions. Tangerines are low-calorie and boast antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, and loads of vital nutrients. With all of that goodness, I couldn’t help but give them a dual purpose in this drink. First, the fragrant peel is julienned (or thinly sliced) and dropped into homemade ice cubes alongside whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and black peppercorns. Second—a hearty squeeze of fresh Autumn Honey juice tops the whole shebang.
If you’re wondering how in the world I replaced the bourbon and bitters in an Old Fashioned, don’t worry—I didn’t. Thanks to pioneers like Spiritless, Lyre’s, and Ritual (to name a few) sweeping the non-alcoholic beverage industry, it’s now possible for folks in recovery or those booze-free-by-choice to remain completely clear-headed while still throwing back a “bourbon” that yields the burn of the real deal. These alcohol-free alternatives are typically made from a combination of water, botanicals, and other spices to emulate the characteristics of traditional whiskey and bourbon.
I splash Spiritless Kentucky 74—brimming with notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak—into this cocktail and it does the trick. I also reach for All the Bitters Orange (a complex concentrate with cardamom and coriander) to keep things 100% alcohol-free.
You can snag the above-mentioned brands online, in local NA bottle shops, or at specialty retailers.
I’m proud to be sharing my newfound knowledge on zero-proof living and as it turns out, I’m right on time. Even as recent as several years back, the variety of NA choices within the alcohol industry was severely lacking. Nowadays, there are so many solid selections you can absorb via can, corked bottle, and more. And just like that, the term mocktail has turned around its endlessly bad rap.
If Dry January isn’t your thing, fear not as I was once a self-proclaimed bourbon expert. Bulleit high-rye content offers a spicy kick that would complement the warm, aromatic hints of the clove simple syrup while Woodford Reserve’s full-bodied robustness would be a nice balance for the juicy tangerine.
I reach for honey over granulated sugar in the clove simple syrup to harmonize with the honey undertones of the tangerine. The citrusy winter cubes are like fun little boats floating in your bourbon. You know—if boats carried spicy peppercorns and woody cinnamon sticks. As the cubes succumb to the cocktail, they release their spicy winter wonderland essence.
Good luck finding that at your local dive bar.
Whether you’re fully abstaining for your physical or mental health, participating in Dry January, or simply riding the sober-curious wave, this zesty Autumn Honey Old Fashioned will quench your thirst, but keep you levelheaded.
That’s the spirit! Literally…
Yield: 2 cocktails
Citrusy Winter Cubes
- 12-ounce ice cube tray
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped cinnamon sticks, chopped into about 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 Noble Autumn Honey® Tangerines, peeled with a julienne peeler or rind peeled and chopped into thin strips
Clove Simple Syrup
- 5 whole cloves
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Old Fashioned
- 4 ounces non-alcoholic bourbon (such as Spiritless Kentucky 74)
- 6 dashes non-alcoholic orange bitters (such as All the Bitters)
- 2 teaspoons clove simple syrup, plus more to taste
- Strained juice from 2 Noble Autumn Honey® Tangerines, plus wheels for garnish
In a small saucepot over medium-high heat add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, peppercorns, and tangerine strips. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature, pour into an ice cube trays (making sure the spices are dispersed evenly) and freeze until solid.
In a small saucepot over medium-high heat, bring the cloves, water, and honey to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and steep the mixture for 30 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and then strain out the cloves. Cool the syrup to room temperature before using.
Fill 2 rocks glasses with the winter cubes. In a large glass, add the bourbon, bitters, and clove simple syrup and gently stir to combine. Pour over the cubes, top with the tangerine juice, and garnish with the tangerine rounds.
Notes: The clove simple syrup will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 1 month.
