Navigating Non-Alcoholic Drinks with Franklin & Sons

Globally, cocktail culture is in a magnificent place, with many bars having gorgeous menus listing many alcoholic and non-alcoholic concoctions. But, in reality, some of the non-alc options are... terrible. It can be so difficult when you want a night on the town with friends and loved ones to have a delicious drink when you aren't drinking alcohol. Too often, bartenders think they can slap a syrup and a soda together and create a "good enough" non-alcoholic option. What so many fail to realise is "good enough" is rarely that. Syrupy sodas can get exhausting, making it feel like a full night of sipping sugar. Even mocktail menus can rely too heavily on simple elements like a flavoured syrup to carry the entire drink through to the guest. For people who are choosing not to drink on a night out, drinks options can range from, at best, undeniably underwhelming to, at worst, a cloying cluster. With a few tips and a little ingenuity, however, navigating a non-alcoholic night out will be easier and yummier than it seems. Here’s how:

Craft sodas 

Some of the later ideas will take a little explaining, a little innovation, some luck, and a fair bit of social bravery to help the staff combine the ideal non-alcoholic drink. This first option, however, is easy. It's an incredible saving grace that simplifies everything if the establishment carries craft sodas. Craft soda brands are mixing up mocktails in a bottle. Obviously, craft sodas vary in quality and sweetness which will have to be navigated with caution. Franklin & Sons creates a range which encompasses all of the favourites like Dandelion & Burdock, Grapefruit, and Rhubarb Lemonade. Not only do they make delicious flavoured soda waters that could stand up to the best-selling global competitor, they also have beautifully made classic rich soda options. 

TOP-TIER: Franklin & Sons Peach & Mango 

Brand new to the UK market, this is flying off the shelves as the expression of these two flavours together is nothing short of harmonious. The Franklin & Sons craft sodas come in a canned and bottled range and are a great blend of not-too-sweet and full of flavour. The Peach & Mango Soda is transportative and tropical. There aren't many products on the market that can take either peach or mango as a flavouring and create a balanced beverage - much less both. In any good beverage, excellence lies in balance - the balance of sweet and sour, the balance of carbonation intensity, and the balance of all the flavours together. The Franklin & Sons Peach & Mango Soda is perfectly adjusted in all of these aspects. An impressive burst of fruity flavour, without overwhelming your taste buds so much that you won't be able to have another. There are a lot of great craft sodas on the market, but this one is at the top of the list to keep the fun flowing and the flavour fantastic.

Soft Spritzes 

With a new non-alcoholic spirit or bottled mix coming out seemingly every day, it's getting easier and easier for bartenders to combine flavours and add in some soda water for a non-alcoholic cocktail. The problem that becomes very obvious very quickly, is taste. Commercial non-alcoholic spirits are often trying to replicate the taste of a specific alcohol, the burn of the alcohol, or the texture the botanicals provide. For people who aren't seeking a replica of the alcohol experience, the desire asks for something far less sweet than a sugary soda and more balanced with experimentation and work. Enter: the non-alcoholic bitter. These beverages, popularised from Italy, are creeping their way into stores in the UK and the US. They have everything a delicious mocktail needs: time-tested recipes, balanced sweet and bitterness for complex flavour, and packaged in an adorable glass bottle. Though not the most common thing to see in a restaurant or bar fridge, most bars and restaurants can get them quite easily. While there are many different options, the cream always rises to the top:

TOP-TIER: Dandelion & Burdock Soda + Pineapple & Almond Soda 

Dandelion & Burdock is a classic UK blend that wouldn’t necessarily be a staple in other countries. But the flavour is strong, balanced, and balances the bittersweet expertly. Those not used to bittersweet drinks might not enjoy it upon first try. For anyone with a lot of experience drinking spritzes - or any bittersweet drinks - adding an extra pop of jazziness via a craft soda water is ideal. Mixing in the Pineapple & Almond Soda in equal amounts to the Dandelion & Burdock will open up the flavour and stretch the enjoyment time making a lasting spritz experience with a depth and multitude of flavour. A lot of great cocktail bars have bottles of Franklin & Sons stashed away, but if they don't, they can easily get it upon request from a guest. And any kind-enough server or bartender won't mind combining two into one.

.001% Mixes (approximately)

If there's a hard rule for avoiding all alcohol, entirely, without exception, under any circumstances, this section won't be useful. However, if you're okay with trace amounts only measurable in minute scientific terms, a whole new world opens up with bitters and tinctures. As an industry rule, when a guest expresses they aren't imbibing in alcohol, staff respectfully avoid bitters and tinctures as they are alcohol based. However, the creative flavour landscape changes entirely if a guest says, "I'd like something non-alcoholic, but bitters and tinctures are okay!" With bitters being the spice rack of the mixology world, a whole cupboard of combinations await that one simple caveat. 

TOP-TIER: Guava & Lime with Honey and Bitters 

The Franklin & Sons sodas are delicious all on their own, but the experience can be maximised with a few additions to the full flavour already in the bottles. Utilising the spice rack of the drinks world, bitters can change and add complexity to many low-almost-no-alcohol drinks. The honey will accentuate the Guava richness, the bitters work perfectly with the lime, and the lime wedges will add extra zing to the delightful bubble structure across the whole Franklin & Sons portfolio. This cocktail - a loose adaptation of the Australian sensation “Lemon Lime Bitters” - will zhuzh up your night out instantly. Traditionally, imbibers haven't ever had more than two dashes of bitters, but this 8 dash recipe brings an unbelievable flavour bomb to the combination below. But, also, everything mentioned above would be delicious with a few dashes of bitters. 

Ingredients:
3 lime wedges muddled
1 bottle Franklin & Sons Guava & Lime Soda 
15 ml honey 
8 dashes aromatic bitters 

Method:
Combine all ingredients and add ice.

Bar programs are realising the growing demand for thoughtful, delicious non-alcoholic options. Finding or requesting craft sodas or soft spritzes or asking for a drink with bitters to create a balanced, flavorful drink without alcohol doesn't have to be a challenge. With the right ingredients and a bit of courage to ask the staff, non-alcoholic beverages can offer just as much complexity and enjoyment as their boozy counterparts. These options make it clear that alcohol-free nights out can be just as delicious and memorable. All it takes is a little exploration and openness from both bartenders and guests to elevate and enhance the non-alc experience. Cheers to a vibrant, flavourful night out—now available with more flavour!

For more info check out these non-alcoholic options too.

By Zach Sapato 

Piña Colada: Hacks and History

Nothing screams beach day more than the popular party cocktail, the Piña Colada. But this absurdly tropical drink has much more to it than just refreshing and delicious flavours. The preparation of this traditionally blended cocktail can be quite involved, and without a hotel bar team at your disposal, recreating these tropical vibes at home can be a daunting task. However, there are some cheats, tricks, and alternatives to creating all the complexity of the original without having to clean all the parts of a blender afterwards. If you can't make it to an island and stay in a fancy hotel to have this drink made for you, The Three Drinkers team is here to help with some history and some at-home beach party hacks and recipes.

THE HISTORY of the Piña Colada

The disputed history of the Piña Colada is thought to have started with a recipe adaptation from a Puerto Rican bartender. The most widely accepted story is that bartender Ramón "Monchito" Marrero created this cocktail by adding the increasingly popular canned coconut cream into a Cuban cocktail called Strained Pineapple - a combination of strained pineapple juice, rum, and lime. Strained Pineapple might not ring many bells for non-Spanish speakers but the Spanish word for pineapple is "Piña" and strained is "Colada."

The most important ingredient is a can of coconut cream which played a part in helping pull the tiny island nation first out of poverty and then into karaoke machines around the world. Though coconut cream was being used in many Puerto Rican recipes, the creation and preparation of this ingredient at home was labour intensive. Enter Ramón López Irizarry, an agricultural professor, with his invention Coco Lopez - an emulsion of coconut cream, sugar, and stabilizers. The mass production of this and global popularity of the cocktail gave the country resources to carry it parallel to the global industrialisation happening at the time. This was also an easy to work with and widely available locally produced product which made it the perfect thing to PuertoRicanise, an already touted tropical tipple. 

The new and improved Piña Colada was in fact so well-received, it became the national cocktail of Puerto Rico in 1978 and gained global sensation status in the 1979 hit song "Escape" by Rupert Holmes which is always listed with a parenthetical of "(The Piña Colada Song)" in the title.

The traditional Piña Colada cocktail

Ingredients
60ml rum
30ml Coco Lopez
30ml heavy cream
180ml pineapple juice
½ cup crushed ice

Method
Add all ingredients into blender and blend for 15 seconds. Pour into hurricane glass. Garnish with pineapple wedge.

Piña Colada HACKS

Just about any coconut cream will suffice for an at home Piña Colada, but Coco Lopez is the best choice because it already includes sugar. Most other coconut milks will need added sugar and will fall out of solution meaning they will settle at the bottom of the cocktail. So, while other coconut milks and creams may be more readily available, they will not work as well in any cocktail. Coco Lopez is available easily online, both in the US and the UK, so using this in any of these alternatives is going to make a more traditional, better performing, and better tasting cocktail.

Piña Highball-ada 

Though no substitute would claim to come close to the OG blender banger, sometimes you find yourself in a corner shop craving a tropical treat to make at home. This alternative uses just three ingredients that are available in almost every store.

Ingredients
25ml pineapple rum
25ml coconut rum/liqueur 
110ml coconut water 

Method
Build all ingredients into highball glass with ice. Swirl to combine. No garnish required.

CocoPiña Daiquiri 

The Piña Colada origins are possibly based on a variation of a Cuban Daiquiri made with added pineapple juice, it is possible to reverse engineer that recipe to create a version made more simply at home with three ingredients that drinks a bit lighter and is more balanced. This cocktail will be delightful to guests looking for a not so sweet alternative. It works for hosts as it requires less planning and purchasing, is faster to create, and is a delightful treat nonetheless.

Ingredients
50ml pineapple rum
30ml Coco Lopez
20ml lime juice

Method
Add all ingredients into cocktail shaker with ice. Shake & fine strain into coupe glass.

BONUS - Piña Co-Lager 

As an added bonus, this final cocktail is less of a hack and more of a wild innovation and adaptation, named with an unbeatable pun. Leave it to none other than the Scots to come up with a dangerously punchy Piña Colada that not only includes scotch and beer, but is even more fun to say than the original. It’s created by the staff at The Gate, Glasgow - led by Ally Shaw!

Ingredients
35ml scotch 
15ml coconut rum
25ml rum
10ml sugar syrup
50ml pineapple juice 
Top w/ lager (preferred: Tennents)

Method
Add the first 5 ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake & fine strain into highball glass. Garnish with pineapple leaf.

The Piña Colada stands as an icon of tropical concoctions, blending history with technology to transport imbibers to sunny shores. From local origins in Puerto Rico, where innovation and necessity gave rise to the beloved Coco Lopez, to global acclaim catalyzed by pop culture, this cocktail has become synonymous with summer holidays and escapist moments. While traditional creations are still available where they make the classic blender concoction, modern adaptations and hacks allow enthusiasts to enjoy the fantasy in simpler ways. These inventive mixes and playful variations will bring the spirit of Puerto Rico to any party. Whether it is the simple smooth Piña Highball-ada or the powerful and fun Piña Co-Lager, the Piña Colada and all its variants continue to prove a taste of paradise is always within reach.

By Zach Sapato

What is Amaro and How Do You Drink It?

“Horrid, medicinal, disgusting,” and many more colourful descriptors and phrases are commonly used when someone is trying their first amaro liqueur. But, for those more accustomed to bitter flavours and strong herbaceous botanicals, this category of liqueurs can be a wonderful journey through location and history.

Though this category often inspires uncertainty in those not used to bitter flavours, it is said that the amaro category is the largest and most numerous category in the world. So numerous, in fact, that anytime an attempt is made to count the number of bitter liqueurs on the market, it is almost immediately rendered insufficient by the release of several new variations in several different countries. Luckily for us, we won’t be taking on that impossible task. Instead, we’re going to get to the bottom of what amaro actually is and the different ways you can enjoy it. Let’s go.

What is Amaro?

Amaro, translating to “bitter” in Italian, is the umbrella term for a category of liqueurs. Though the category itself has no official definition, it is best explained in most basic terms as a wine or spirit infused with bitter or herbaceous botanicals and some amount of sugar to offset some of the bitterness and occasionally aged. 

This category therefore encompasses traditional amari but also vermouth, popular red bitters, aromatized wines, krauter liqueurs, and more. Historically, these liquids were produced to capture and preserve flavours and effects of herbs. This was done medicinally, like many flavourful alcohol-based creations, but also it was done for perfumery and for the sole purpose of enjoying and imbibing.

Many of the most well-known amari - the plural of amaro - have historically been produced in Italy but several countries like Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Jamaica, and most recently the US, have a strong tradition of bottling bittersweet blends. Interestingly, a beautiful element of this category is liqueurs coming out of different regions will often use locally sourced herbs and botanicals creating a picture of the place and a connection to the location. Some globally famous amaro brands are Jägermeister, Campari, Aperol, Fernet-Branca, Suze, Cocchi, etc.

Amaro vs Bitters?

The amaro category is made up of alcoholic bitters often included in cocktails. However, confusingly, the category does not include what the English speaking world calls “Bitters” or “Cocktail Bitters” - the small bottle, a concentrated cocktail accentuating ingredient that is usually administered in dashes. These are an entirely separate category of ingredients that, unfortunately, are referred to using the same word. To offer a quick differentiation, cocktail bitters are legally deemed as a non-potable bittering ingredient, whereas the amaro category includes only the legally potable liqueurs. The legal definition of potable - and determination process thereof is the subject of many a detailed legislation and an entirely separate article.

Amaro vs Aperitif vs Digestif?

The terms aperitif and digestif are the source of lots of confusion specifically in the conversation around the amaro category. This is due to the fact that they, too, do not have officially designated definitions. The confusion is exacerbated by many brands marketing themselves as one or the other. The words were originally applied to this category because of the evolutionary response to bitterness in regards to digestion. The human body naturally reacts to bitterness in a way that aids and speeds up digestion. So these liqueurs have been enjoyed throughout history either pre- or post-degustation with the hopes that they would not only be delicious but also beneficial and healthy along the way.

How do you drink Amaro?

As guided above, a new spirit category is best introduced through trying the individual elements on their own. However, understandably, that is often too jarring or bracing for many alcohol enthusiasts. If this is the case, stretching the liqueur with water or soda will help open up the flavours. But also, cold water or carbonation can increase the intensity of some of the bitterness or medicinal qualities.

As the cocktail renaissance continues on and expands from the cities into more remote areas, the demand for more complex and interesting flavours has increased. The flavour profile of the amaro category lends itself beautifully well to the creativity of cocktail creators and innovators. For anyone that has dipped toes into the cocktail world, it is likely tomorrow has already been a significant part of that drinking journey. Amari makes appearances in many many of the most popular classic cocktails like the Negroni, the Aperol Spritz, and the Manhattan.

Which amaro should you buy?

Choosing which amaro to buy is certainly the most difficult challenge in the process to familiarize oneself with the category. Because each expression varies so vastly from the others, it will often be difficult to discern how each spirit will taste. The best strategy for acclimating yourself to this bitter category is to visit and trust a local bartender. Tasting these carefully and slowly one by one is the best bet to exploring and finding out which expression has the right balance of bitter and sweet. It will also be a lower stakes way to get to know the different botanicals used in different regions and productions of amari. This category is numerous and expansive, and surely contains something for everyone.

No matter the taste profile desired, there will be something to fit every palate. There are amari for people who like sweet and fruit-forward. There are amari for the most bitter-loving, medicinal-flavoured enthusiasts. The wine-based amari can be enjoyed over ice on a patio. The spirit-based, baking-spiced amari can warm up a winter evening. For every occasion and flavour desire, there is something in the category appropriate for every need and occasion. 

What if I don't like bitter flavours? 

How have you gotten this far in the article? You poor thing, here, go check out The Best Brand or maybe our Summer Cocktail Guide?

By Zach Sapato

What’s the Secret to the Perfect Daiquiri?

Here is the comprehensive, unparalleled, and indisputably correct guide to the perfect Daiquiri. Or, rather, five perfect Daiquiris - if we do say so ourselves. See, Daiquiris are like people - striving for balance, different in wonderful ways, and uniquely perfect once they’re surrounded by the right support. 

Using five vastly different but incredible rums, these recipes are all perfect riffs on one of the most popular cocktails to ever exist. They are simple enough to make with minimal equipment at home, but delicious enough to bring complexity and fun to your cocktail hour for anyone you’d like to impress - even if you’re trying to impress yourself. Although innumerable variations exist, we believe that there’s a Daiquiri out there for everyone. After all, every palate is unique and everyone enjoys different flavours and balance. So, here are five great starting points on your journey to find a Daiquiri recipe as individually perfect as you.

The Perfect Classic Daiquiri 

Eminente Ambar Claro

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £30.95

Tradition dictates that the classic Daiquiri is an exercise in the art of balance and quality ingredients. In all recipes on this list, it is essential to use fresh lime juice for the best balance, quality, and flavour. Avoid store-bought bottles of pasteurised lime juice, as it will lack the bright, tart taste of freshly squeezed limes. But you wouldn’t be reading this if you wanted boring bottled cocktails, would you? 

In classic Daiquiris, the go-to for most bartenders is a light rum - often called white rum or unaged rum, though these are both misnomers but that’s a whole different topic which can be discussed among the most nerdy of spirits enthusiasts another time. For the perfect classic Daiquiri, the best choice for rum is Eminente Ambar Claro. This rum is light enough to delight the traditionalists and packs bold flavours like bottled Cuban sunshine. The rich nuttiness and vanilla notes of this will balance beautifully for the perfect classic 2:1:1 Daiquiri. 

Ingredients
50ml Eminente Ambar Claro
25ml freshly squeezed lime juice
25ml simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)

Method
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Fine strain into a coupe or Nick & Nora glass.

The Perfect Historical Daiquiri

La Progresiva

Size: 700ml
ABV: 41%
Find here: £39.99

Tourists visiting Cuba during the early 20th century helped to popularise the drink around the world. The exact origins are somewhat disputed but any cocktail this popular will inevitably be the subject of endless hours of research from bartenders, historians, and anthropologists. Through this research we know there is a long history and tradition of craftsmanship around blending of rums to create the perfect expression of the Cuban island. For the perfect historical Daiquiri, the best rum to use is La Progresiva. Despite being one of the newest expressions to come out of the Cuban market, it’s a beautiful blend of rums with a balance that is entirely and perfectly Cuban. This caramel-forward and buttery rum is arguably a representation of how rum would have tasted back when the Daiquiri was a burgeoning boom.

Ingredients
50 ml La Progresiva
30 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
20 ml simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)

Method
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Fine strain into a coupe or Nick & Nora glass.

The Perfect Dangerous Daiquiri

Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum

Size: 700ml
ABV: 63%
Find here: £29

Originating back in 2005 in a London party bar, this non-stop train to trouble town has become a beloved modern classic among bartenders. Also known as the Nuclear Daiquiri, it combines two of bartenders’ favourite ingredients: high-proof alcohol and a disregard for consequences. Plus, it is absolutely delicious - a magnificent balance of strong, bitter, sweet, and sour. The best rum choice for the perfect dangerous Daiquiri is Wray & Nephew. This Jamaican rum, famous for powerful flavour and intense strength, works in harmony with the other ingredients leaving you to dance dangerously with the devil.

Ingredients
30ml Wray & Nephew Overproof Jamaican Rum
30ml freshly squeezed lime juice
25ml Green Chartreuse
15ml falernum

Method
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Fine strain into a coupe or Nick & Nora glass.

The Perfect Funky Daiquiri

Clement Canne Bleue Agricole Blanc

Size: 700ml
ABV: 50%
Find here: £39.75

Funk isn’t for everyone and certainly not for the faint of flavour. Funky rhum comes with nutty, earthy, and/or fermented smell and tastes so unique that it has its own hard-to-define word that’s even harder to spell: haut-gout. The haut-gout flavour is commonly present in rhum from Martinique - called Agricole rhum. Agricole rhum is a spectacular and criminally underappreciated category. While many rums make Daiquiris smooth, sweet or easy-going, Agricole rhum brings a grassy, regional-driven sugarcane power pop. For the perfect funky Daiquiri, the best choice is Clement Canne Bleue Agricole. It tastes like pears and apples have somehow sprung from the ground in the middle of the island’s sugarcane fields.

Ingredients
40ml Clement Canne Bleue Agricole
30ml freshly squeezed lime juice
30ml pure cane sugar syrup

Method
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Fine strain into a coupe or Nick & Nora glass.

The Perfect Modern Daiquiri

Kromanti Rum

Size: 500ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £34.39

A modern variation on the Daiquiri needs to celebrate the timeless appeal of this iconic cocktail while embracing the innovation and quality of modern rum. It also needs to be really yummy or it’ll never get inducted into the perfect Daiquiri hall of fame. Which is why the best choice for the perfect modern Daiquiri is Kromanti Rum. This family-owned rum is botanically infused with tamarind for a spice and fruit profile unlike anything else on the market. Their commitment to quality is unparalleled and that means the rum come through with incredible taste in cocktails. They are also deeply connected to their communities both in the UK and the island nation of Dominica, which would make it worth supporting the brand even if the rum wasn’t so wildly easy to drink.

Ingredients
50ml Kromanti Tamarind Rum
30ml fresh squeezed lime juice
20ml simple syrup

Method
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Fine strain into a coupe or Nick & Nora glass.

Feel free to try the perfect Daiquiri - or five of them - and alter the recipes to make the perfect Daiquiri for you - cocktails are all about experimentation and personalisation. If you’re still thirsty for more spirits fun, you can find some Stunning Margaritas or dive into some Rogue Whiskies.

By Zach Sapato