Whiskey Sour Mocktail: Tea or Whiskey Alternative

A whiskey sour mocktail needs a robust base, lemon and sweetness.

Serving inspiration from the ProstZero drink collection: amber malt highball

A whiskey sour mocktail needs a robust base, lemon and sweetness. Use a non-alcoholic whiskey alternative or make a tea-based interpretation. This version contains no egg.

The quantities make one serving. Measure the ingredients before mixing and chill any mixer. Syrups, juices and bottled alternatives vary in sweetness and acidity, so taste the base before topping up.

Ingredients for one serving

  • 60 ml non-alcoholic whiskey alternative or strong cooled black tea
  • 25 ml lemon juice
  • 15 ml simple syrup
  • Ice
  • Orange peel

Method

  1. Add the base, lemon and syrup to a shaker with ice.
  2. Shake firmly.
  3. Strain into a short glass over fresh ice.
  4. Garnish with orange peel.

Getting the balance right

Tea supplies structure and a lightly tannic contrast rather than identical whiskey flavour. Brew with more tea instead of an extremely long steep to avoid harsh bitterness. With a sweetened bottled alternative, start with 10 ml syrup.

Variation and substitutions

Use 20 ml lemon for a softer drink. For a honey note, dissolve honey in a little warm water and use 15 ml of the resulting pourable mixture instead of syrup, then check sweetness.

Preparing several servings

Measure juice, purée and syrup shortly before serving. Add ice and carbonated ingredients when you make the drink. To serve a group, multiply the quantities, but adjust one glass first before mixing the whole pitcher.

Common question

Does a sour need foam?

No. The balance of base, acidity and sweetness creates a sour style even without egg or a foaming ingredient.

Find more ideas in our mocktail recipe guide . Compare this with Amaretto Sour Mocktail: Almond and Lemon or browse the drink collection .