Don't call them mocktails!

I chat with THE Derek Brown about non-al and low-al mixed drinks and their growing popularity

Non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic mixed drinks have been around a very long time. The Shirley Temple, for example, was invented not quite a century ago. But clearly they are a growing trend. I’ve seen them on bar, restaurant, and hotel menus in Florida, Washington, DC, New York City, and Ohio in recent months.

What’s going on with these drinks? Why are they becoming a thing? And how hard is it to make these delicious drinks at home?

I am joined by THE Derek Brown. Derek’s accomplishments are many. He has created famous bars, such as the Passenger and the Columbia Room in Washington, D.C., He has won awards for his wizardry in drinks-making, and served as Chief Spirits Advisor to the National Archives Foundation. He also has co-authored two books. (See below.)

Watch our chat (above). And if you can think up a better term than “mocktails,” let me know!

Derek Brown and Julia Bainbridge, Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails with 60 Recipes (Rizzoli)

Derek Brown and Robert Yule, Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World (Rizzoli)