Cocktail Garnish Guide: Fall Edition
Nov 01, 2021
It’s the time of year when the changing leaf colours and crisp temperatures have us craving evenings spent by the fire, wrapped in a comfy sweater and sipping a cocktail. From fresh apples to baking spices, changing up your non-alcoholic cocktail garnishes can be a satisfying way to celebrate the arrival of the coziest season. Here are a few ideas on how to add fall flavour and flair to your cool-weather alcohol-free bevies.
Warm spice rim
You might have tried a salt rim to garnish a summery non-alcoholic margarita made with Sobrii 0-Tequila. You can easily modify the rim spice blend to incorporate the fall flavours of baking spices and citrus.
Create a sweet cinnamon and brown sugar blend, or play with savoury notes by mixing ground ginger and salt. Rub the rim of your glass with an orange slice or dip it in cranberry juice for an added taste of fall, before pressing it into the mixture of your choice to help the spices adhere.
Fresh herbs
The same herbs that give fall roasts and soups their soul-warming flavour can also be used to add an earthy note to your cocktail. Rosemary’s piney taste is a lovely match for the juniper flavour in a non-alcoholic gin and tonic made with Sobrii 0-Gin. For a pro touch, before adding a sprig to your drink, place the herb between your hands and clap gently. This helps to release some of the herb’s essential oils, adding a boost of aroma you’ll notice when you take a sip. To take your herb garnish to the next level, you can briefly burn the end of the rosemary sprig and then quickly blow it out to add a smoky element to your drink.
You can also try using a fresh herb as a skewer for other seasonal fruits. Use rosemary’s sturdy stem as a skewer for cranberries or blood orange slices for a cool-weather twist on a non-alcoholic gin and tonic. Or use some dried lavender and fresh raspberries as an artful finish for this Lavender Raspberry with Sobrii 0-Gin. Simply use a paring knife to make a small slice in the raspberries that you can pass the lavender sprig through. Thread the lavender through the raspberries and garnish your drink.
Spice sachet
You might be familiar with the use of sachets, bags filled with aromatics, as a technique for adding flavour to soups when cooking; but this approach can also be used to infuse your cocktail with a burst of fall flavour.
To make a sachet, gather a few complementary herbs and spices and place them in the centre of a piece of cheesecloth. Tie the cheesecloth closed with some string and clip it to the side of your drink glass. Try adding a sachet of whole cloves and allspice to this cozy Sobrii Chai Hot Noddy recipe.
Apple fan
Evoke memories of fall apple-picking by adding an edible apple fan garnish to your cocktail. To make an apple fan, cut a few half-moon slices of apple flesh. Arrange them on a flat surface into a fan shape and secure them together with a toothpick or clove. You’ll want to pierce the slices midway between their middles and ends to keep the fan shape secure. Balance the garnish in your glass with plenty of ice. Add an apple fan to a fall version of a margarita made with Sobrii 0-Tequila, apple juice or cider, honey, and fresh lime juice.