Zero proof, pure pleasure: Mixing up Dry January mocktails

It’s a bright, shiny new year full of resolutions and commitments. The tough part is finding ways to match your good intentions with your good taste.

If you are looking to avoid sugar, that can just be a matter of finding a good diet soda or a recipe for low-carb cookies. But finding a good substitute for alcohol may be more challenging.

While some people abstain because of addiction, when the calendar flips, others can do so for a variety of reasons. Maybe it’s to cut back on the cost of expensive nights out. It might be because of the added calories. It could just be for general health; too many fun nights can be rough. For some, it’s just a popular challenge — a kind of annual reset.

That doesn’t mean you don’t want to sip something with friends while you chat or watch a game or hang out at a party. You can do all of that without a beer or a glass of wine or a shot.

So how do you wet your whistle during Dry January?

You want to think about exactly what you like about a drink — aside from the buzz.

If you love candy-sweet drinks, you’re in luck. Take out the booze and a piña colada or a strawberry daiquiri is still pretty tasty. A Cuba Libre — that’s a rum and Coke with a little lime — still looks the same when you leave out the rum. Maybe double up on the lime for a bit more bite.

But it can be harder to duplicate other profiles, like the smoke of whiskey, the oak of bourbon, the herbaceousness of gin or the caramel of rum. And as much as people might say vodka is neutral, is it really?

Instead of trying to replicate what can’t be counterfeited, focus on categories of flavor: sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, salty, even the mystical savoriness known as “umami.” Find something that speaks to the taste you are chasing and build upon that.

For example, maybe you like the bright, acid punch of something like a margarita. You could just pour a little margarita mix over ice and top the glass with tonic water. But that might be so close to the original that it leaves you missing the tequila and feeling like a stingy bartender watered down your drink.

Instead, blend lime with grapefruit juice for a puckery zing, using a twist of zest to scent the whole thing with the freshness of citrus oils. Top it off with a bubbly froth of lime seltzer.

If you’re looking for the bitterness you find in a Manhattan or an Aperol spritz, reach for something you usually don’t find in the liquor cabinet — apple cider vinegar.

Paired with the grassiness and effervescence of sparkling green tea, a splash of dark pomegranate juice and the richness of a little honey, the vinegar you might use to dress a salad or lace a barbecue sauce can give an unexpected depth that might just act as an understudy for a more complex alcohol.

But if you’re a sweet drink lover, you don’t have to stick to glorified smoothies. Yes, pineapple feels almost trite for a mocktail, but let’s dress it up a little. In a tumbler, layer ice and pineapple rings. In a shaker, combine pineapple juice, ginger ale (or ginger beer for a little more oomph) and a little cream. After a little agitation, pour into the tumbler and you have something that is colada adjacent, but feels more grown-up despite the lack of spirits.

There are a million ways to make it through Dry January. The real key is to try something familiar enough to satisfy but just different enough to have its own appeal. And the great thing about a mocktail? You never have to worry if you’ve had too many.

Creamy Pineapple Fizz

3 ounces pineapple juice

1 ounce cream (heavy or coconut, depending on how tropical you’d like to get)

Chilled ginger ale or ginger beer

Ice, layered with thin pineapple slices

Fill a tumbler with ice and pineapple slices. In a shaker, mix juice and cream. Pour over ice and pineapple slices. Top off with ginger ale or ginger beer, pouring slowly. Serve immediately.

Apple Green Tea Sour