Damp January Is Where It's At. Here Are My Go-To Cocktails (& Mocktails!) To Get Me Through Winter
The start of the year is the best time to create habits that will last you for the rest of the year, which means, for many, it's a time for diving headlong into healthier routines. Whether that is limiting screen time, heading to the gym, or creating new diet and drinking habits, we all have our own goals and ideas for a healthier, happier “me”. Dry January has quickly become a popular way to start the new year off without any alcohol, and while that is certainly a noble goal, cutting anything out cold turkey can be difficult, and not always desirable. Damp January, on the other hand, is the perfect solution. While Dry January calls for the complete stoppage of drinking, Damp January prefers an approach that for many is much more, well, approachable: Limiting how often and how much you drink, but not abstaining all together. This less-daunting approach is highlighted by low-ABV drinks and mocktails, and I’m here to prove this approach can be not only healthier, but tastier!
Spritzes are a great way to reduce the ABV of a drink while also making your favorite cocktails more refreshing. From our classics like Aperol or Campari spritzes, to soon-to-be classics like our figgy spritz or our coconut-pineapple spritz, we’ve got plenty of delicious lighter cocktails to choose from.
While spritzes do cut down on the alcohol, the best way to enjoy a tasty drink without any morning-after regrets is to choose a mocktail, and even better, mocktail spritzes! Try our bee’s knees mocktail spritz, our grapefruit-rosemary mocktail spritz, or our blood orange mocktail spritzer. The mocktails don’t stop there, either. Our porn star mock-tini and NOjito! take your favorite cocktails and flip them to the light side.
However you decide to enjoy your Damp January, remember that the best drink to enjoy is the one that makes you feel good before, during, and after, and you should never have to sacrifice flavor and enjoyability to drink more healthily.
Aperol Spritz
The Aperol Spritz is the classic cocktail that’s here to stay. Herbal, floral, and subtly sweet with just the right amount of bitterness, the 3-ingredient Italian cocktail is not only perfect all year round, but simple as can be.
Get the Aperol Spritz recipe.
Bee’s Knees Mocktail Spritz
Whether you're practicing dry (or damp) January or not, winter is the perfect time to swap your favorite cocktail for a mocktail. This Bee’s Knees mocktail spritz, inspired by the gin-based classic drink, has lemon, a sweet honey syrup, and is topped off with club soda.
Get the Bee’s Knees Mocktail Spritz recipe.
Porn Star Mock-tini
This mocktail has all the flavors of the original porn star martini but none of the hangover. The star flavor of the passion fruit juice adds a tart zippiness that’s balanced lovingly with a warm vanilla simple syrup and a bright bubbly side car of club soda.
Get the Porn Star Mock-tini recipe.
Hugo Spritz
I love the idea behind a sparkling wine cocktail, but I’m not always into the bitterness of the omnipresent Aperol Spritz. Enter the Hugo Spritz. Featuring floral, fruity St-Germain, fresh lime, and mint, it’s the perfect crisp alternative to heavier drinks. It’s also low ABV, so feel free to enjoy them from afternoon 'til night!
Get theHugo Spritz recipe.
Blood Orange Mocktail Spritzer
Alcohol-free cocktails should never be an afterthought! This blood orange and ginger spritzer hits all the right notes: a little sweet, a little sour, and a little spiced. Finished off with a bouquet of fresh garnishes, it’s the perfect winter cocktail to toast with all season long.
Get the Blood Orange Mocktail Spritzer recipe.
NOjito!
NO booze, no problem is the name of the game with this NO-jito! This mojito-inspired mocktail is light and refreshing and has all of the flavor and none of the alcohol. You can have as many as you want without worrying about the headache the next day.
Get the NOjito! recipe.
Red Sangria
Fruity, refreshing, and perfect for a crowd, sangria is one of my go-to cocktails to enjoy all year long. While I love this classic combination of fruits, spices, and wine, I’ve also included all of my top tips on how to vary this wine cocktail to your particular taste.
Get the Red Sangria recipe.
Campari Spritz
Move over, Aperol, there’s a new spritz in town! The Campari spritz—bubbly, bitter, and very refreshing—is the perfect drink for a leisurely pre-dinner hang or happy hour with friends. With just 5 minutes and 5 ingredients, you can have this light and refreshing cocktail in hand.
Get the Campari Spritz recipe.
Kalimotxo Cola Punch
The kalimotxo took the internet by storm earlier this year, giving “sophisticated sangria” vibes as a composed cocktail—now we're turning it into a big-batch version. This sangria upgrade is literally a little bit of this, a little bit of that with a top off of everyone's favorite soda—an ice cold Coca-Cola.
Get the Kalimotxo Cola Punch recipe.
Coconut-Pineapple Spritz
Craving a tropical vacation? This summer cocktail is for you. One sip of this coconut and pineapple spritz will transform your mindset right to a tropical beach or beautiful sunny day, making this the perfect cocktail for any season. Warm up a winter day or slip further into the summer vibe—we'll sip on this all year long.
Get the Coconut-Pineapple Spritz recipe.
Grapefruit-Rosemary Mocktail Spritz
This easy-to-make, booze-free spritz hits all the marks. It’s tart, herby, slightly sweet, a little smokey, and definitely an adult mocktail that isn’t too heavy on the fruit juice or sweetener. Serve with some bite-size apps, and get ready to really get the party started.
Get the Grapefruit-Rosemary Mocktail Spritz recipe.
Figgy Spritz
While summertime brings plenty of great cocktails, in the winter we like to highlight seasonal ingredients. This figgy spritz is a take on the minty and refreshing Hugo spritz with a spin of a woodsy rosemary sprig and fig syrup to welcome winter's rich earthy flavors.
Get the Figgy Spritz recipe.
Ranch Water
It’s no surprise that this refreshing cocktail was born in often-sweltering Western Texas. A sort of effervescent, less-sweet version of a margarita, only 3 ingredients are required for Ranch Water: tequila, lime juice, and seltzer. (Preferably Topo Chico; some claim it’s not a real Ranch Water without it!)
Get the Ranch Water recipe.
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