Sip Happens: Drink a Mocktail
Dear Cyters, Mysters, and Friends,
As we head into a holiday weekend known for heavy drinking, I thought I would do a little testing on different brands of mocktails to see if there are any decent ones out there. While TTC (Trying To Conceive), many people choose to stay sober, but that can be difficult when it feels like the only options are pop or water. I am the kind of person who loves a big fancy drink, so a flavored water doesn’t always do the job. There are lots of yummy recipes for mocktails, but when I am out on the boat, I am not mixing together 3 different juices to make a drink. I want something grab and go!
In the past few months, I have tried three brands of canned mocktails. I would have liked to try more, but due to the cost of some of them, I need to get through the ones I have at home before buying any others. My opinions on these are below as well as my personal recommendation at the end.
Mocktail 1: Mingle
Rating: 7/10
Flavors: So many! See them on the website HERE
Where to purchase: Target, Kroger, Meijer, Total Wine & More, Amazon
Cost: $3-4 a can (12 oz)
While it has been a while since I have tried Mingle, they were the first mocktail option I tried when we started TTC over 2 years ago. They have a ton of flavors and I feel they do a great job of making them taste fancier than juice without having a fake alcohol taste! However, they can get expensive. The cheapest way I have found to get them is through Amazon, but they only have huge packs. After a total failure on a giant pack of a different mocktail brand, I highly recommend trying a few first before buying a giant pack online.
The only reason this did not get a higher rating is because of the cost and the fact that it has been a while since I have had one, so I didn’t want to rate them super high when I had one recently I really liked!
Mocktail #2: Recess
Rating: 8/10
Flavors: So many AND they just added a Margarita Sampler pack. Find their mocktails and more HERE
Where to purchase: Target, Kroger, Total Wine & More, Amazon
Cost: $2-3.50 a can (12 oz)
This brand came to me by surprise when Devin’s cousin bought me a pack of their Mules. While the Mule had a LOT of ginger going on for me, it still was very refreshing and I decided to try the Margarita flavor. I really enjoyed it! I thought that while it was very lime forward, it had a great mix of other juices to make it taste different than a lime water. I am really looking forward to trying their other flavors soon as all the mocktails on their website are based off my favorite cocktails.
Recess also has “Mood” drinks that have natural relaxers from plants and other things like magnesium. I haven’t tried them yet, but am hoping to n the future.
Mocktail #3: Blake’s
Rating: 2/10
Flavors: Old Fashioned, Spicy Margarita, and Triple Jam Mojito
Where to purchase: Amazon
Cost: $2.50 a can (12 oz)
It actually hurts me to give Blake’s this low of a rating. Here’s why - I LIVE for their Triple Jam Hard Cider. It’s the first drink that I ever blacked out with, so it just holds a special place in my heart. If we go somewhere with Triple Jam on draft, move over because I will knock you down to get to the bar. So when I saw Triple Jam Mojito as a mocktail it was an immediate “add to cart”.
Unfortunately, I think they sent me a can of mint extract. I didn’t get any triple or jam flavor which was so disappointing. I tried the Old Fashioned, which is listed as having apple, orange, and cherry flavors in it. Overall, that should be a pretty good combo. Don’t get your hopes up because it tastes like sour apple juice. Not only that, but each flavor tastes like they tried too hard to make it taste like alcohol and it’s just a really gross after taste that I don’t know how to describe. I made the mistake of trusting my love for Triple Jam and am now stuck with a big variety pack of these mocktails, including the spicy margarita, which I won’t drink because I am allergic to spicy peppers.
While this does get some points for affordability, Blake’s mocktails just don’t hold up to the standard they usually set for their hard ciders and even their regular apple cider. I am going to try and get through them by mixing them with lemonade, but that defeats the purpose of having a canned, ready-to-go, beverage.
Mocktail #4: Bubly Melted Ice Pop
Rating: 9/10
Flavors: Lots of regular flavors but I am talking specifically about their Melted Ice Pop!
Where to purchase: Target, Kroger, Walmart
Cost: $0.30-0.55 per can (12 oz)
I had to take a point away from this one because in reality, it isn’t a mocktail, it’s a flavored sparkling water. It isn’t trying to taste like a cocktail, it isn’t branded as one, etc. However, this sparkling water by far is my favorite drink of the summer! It tastes EXACTLY like a bomb pop, which is one of my favorite sweet treats. Besides it being way more affordable than the other options, it also has minimal ingredients, which I love. I have been drinking it right out of the can, but you could easily add fresh fruit or grenadine to make it a bit fancier. Because Bubly has 0g of sugar, I will probably make it a “fancy drink” this weekend by literally throwing a bomb pop right into it!
It received extra points for being a great way to stay hydrated while enjoying some summer flavors. I just ordered an 8 pack for this weekend as I am typing this.
While there are many more mocktail options I haven’t gotten to yet, I hope this gives you something different to add to your fridge this summer! We all deserve to have “adult beverages”, or at least things that feel more adult than a juice box. Stay safe this weekend and remember that in the season of newborn babies and pregnancy announcements, it’s always okay to turn your phone off and just enjoy where you’re at. If you need any support over the weekend, you can email me at stompoutpcos@gmail.com. However, we are going up north where my service isn’t the best, so it might take me longer than usual to respond.
With love and support,
Madison Spears
