Alcohol-free gin and tonic
Alcohol-free gin, good tonic and plenty of ice. A long, dry, bitter drink.
- Time
- 2 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Glass
- Highball
- Strength
- Alcohol-free
How to make an alcohol-free gin and tonic
- Chill the glass. Fill a highball with ice and leave it for 30 seconds, then pour off any meltwater. The glass should feel cold in your hand.
- Add the gin. Fill the glass with fresh ice and pour in the alcohol-free gin.
- Top with tonic. Pour the tonic slowly down the side or down a bar spoon so the bubbles last. Stir once, gently.
- Add the peel. Squeeze a strip of grapefruit peel over the drink, skin side down, so the oil sprays across the top. Drop it in.
- Glass
- HighballNo highball? A large wine glass.
- Ice
- Ice cubes
- Garnish
- Grapefruit peelOr: A lime wedge.
What you need to make an alcohol-free gin and tonic
Kit
JiggerA double-ended measure, usually 25 ml and 50 ml.
Vegetable peelerFor wide strips of peel with little pith.
Bottles we'd use
- Alcohol-free ginGordon's 0.0% or Tanqueray 0.0% are easy to find and juniper-led.Find it on Amazon
- Dry tonic waterFever-Tree Refreshingly Light keeps the drink dry without drowning the gin.Find it on Amazon
Links to Amazon are affiliate links: if you buy through them, Bar Bandol may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The alcohol-free gin and tonic story
The gin and tonic began as a way of making quinine, the bitter bark used against malaria, easier to drink in British India. The usual story is that soldiers and officials mixed their tonic powder with sugar, soda and gin. Alcohol-free gins are a very recent addition, made by distilling or blending botanicals such as juniper and citrus peel without the spirit.
The drink depends on three things: ice, cold and tonic. Alcohol-free gins are lighter than the real thing, so a heavily sweetened tonic buries them. Choose a dry or slimline tonic, pour it slowly and add a garnish that has a strong smell, like grapefruit peel or rosemary.
Alcohol-free gin and tonic: your questions answered
What is in an alcohol-free gin and tonic?
An alcohol-free gin and tonic is made with 50 ml alcohol-free gin and 150 ml tonic water. Garnish: grapefruit peel.
Is this alcohol-free gin and tonic alcohol-free?
Yes. This alcohol-free gin and tonic is made without any alcoholic ingredients, though alcohol-free spirits and sparkling wines can still contain a trace of alcohol, so check the label if you need to avoid it completely.
What glass do you serve an alcohol-free gin and tonic in?
Serve an alcohol-free gin and tonic in a highball over ice. No highball? A large wine glass.
