Low-Cal Libations: 4 Flavorful & Healthy Craft Cocktails Recipes

The biggest trend in the alcoholic beverage industry is having more low-calorie options for those that want to imbibe. From the rise of hard seltzer to brands selling low-calorie beer and wine, there is a huge push to make drinking healthier. It’s also the reason why more and more people are choosing to stop or pause (ex. Dry January, Sober October) their consumption of alcohol and switch to non-alcoholic beverages that have a similar flavor profile as their boozy favorites.

We partnered with Fever-Tree to create a quartet of healthy alcoholic drinks that are light and refreshing to inspire drink enthusiasts to craft healthier cocktails. Fever-Tree scours the planet to find the best natural ingredients to create their varieties of tonic water, ginger ale and sparkling beverages. Fever-Tree premium mixers avoid artificial sweeteners and flavoring, choosing instead to use all-natural ingredients that complement the characteristics of the spirits they are mixed with.

In addition to traditional spirits, we’ve included a non-alcoholic alternative for each low-cal cocktail to create an even healthier and booze-free beverage.

Sparkling Basil Paloma

121 calories

The citrus flavor from the Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit and lemon juice pairs excellently with the tequila while the muddled basil balances out the sweetness in this drink. Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit gets its flavor from handpicked pink Florida grapefruits and contains just 30 calories per 6.8 oz bottle.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz Tequila (Non-Alcoholic option: Ritual Tequila Alternative)
• ¼ oz Lemon Juice
• Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit
• Fresh Basil

Glassware

• Fizzio Glass

Tools

• Cocktail Shaker
• Cocktail Jigger
• Cocktail Strainer
• Muddler

Instructions

Add 8 leaves of fresh basil and lemon juice to shaker tin and muddle. Add tequila and ice and shake until chilled. Fine strain into glass and top with Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit. Garnish with basil leaves.

Garden Mule

167 calories

Consider this a skinny Moscow Gin Mule or a tasty vegetable garden in a glass. Fever-Tree Ginger Beer is not overly sweet and has only 90 calories per bottle while the carrot juice and celery bitters blend so well with the aromatics of your favorite gin.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz Gin (Non-Alcoholic option: Lyre’s Dry London)
• 1 oz Carrot Juice
• ½ oz Lemon Juice
• 2 Dashes of Celery Bitters
• Fever-Tree Ginger Beer
• Celery for garnish

Glassware

• Rocks Glass

Tools

• Cocktail Shaker
• Cocktail Jigger
• Cocktail Strainer

Instructions

Add all ingredients except ginger beer to a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into rocks glass with fresh ice and top with Fever-Tree Ginger Beer. Garnish with a celery stick.

Ginger Lime Shrub

147 Calories

The Ginger Lime Shrub is our take on a classic switchel drink, which was consumed during colonial times to quench one’s thirst in the same way we consume sports drinks today. A traditional switchel is made with water, cider vinegar, ginger (for seasoning) and sweetened with maple syrup or honey.

We used Element Ginger Lime Cocktail Shrub for this healthy cocktail to introduce the vinegar and ginger flavor into the drink along with a touch of lime. Just omit the vodka from this recipe for a very refreshing non-alcoholic shrub.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Vodka (Non-Alcoholic option: omit Vodka)
• 1 oz Ginger Lime Shrub
• Fever-Tree Club Soda
• Lime Wheel for garnish

Glassware

• Hi-Ball Glass

Tools

• Cocktail Jigger

Instructions

Add vodka and shrub to a glass filled with ice. Top with Fever-Tree Club Soda and garnish with a lime wheel.

Yuzu Ranch Water

119 Calories

The ranch water is a classic cocktail that’s perfect for beating the heat on summer days. While it traditionally uses a bit of fresh lime juice and sparkling mineral water, we’ve replaced the lime flavor and bubbly effervescence with Fever-Tree Sparkling Lime & Yuzu. Swap out the tequila for Ritual Tequila Alternative for a tasty non-alcoholic cocktail that has about only 30 calories.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz Tequila (Non-Alcoholic option: Ritual Tequila Alternative)
• Fever-Tree Sparkling Lime & Yuzu
• Lime Wedge for garnish

Glassware

• Rocks Glass

Tools

• Cocktail Jigger

Instructions

Add tequila to rocks glass filled with ice. Top with Fever-Tree Sparkling Lime & Yuzu and garnish with a lime wedge.

We hope these low-calorie cocktail recipes spark your imagination to come up with your own healthier drinks. Fever-Tree’s mixers and sodas are a great base for any low-calorie cocktail, and we can’t recommend them enough.