Alcohol-Free Sour: Ghia, Lemon, And Beautiful Blood Orange Juice
I love bitter. I love sour. I pretty much knew I was gonna love this nonalcoholic Ghia Blood Orange sour, adapted from Food & Wine.
What Is Ghia?
Ghia is a non-alcoholic aperitif made from natural ingredients (think: fruits, herbs, spices). If you’ve had Campari or Aperol, you’ve got the basic idea of Ghia—except that with Ghia, there are no nasty side-effects of alcohol.
Ghia was created by a chef and restaurateur named Mattias Hultquist in 2018, who was looking for a non-alcoholic drink option that was as complex and nuanced as a traditional cocktail. The ingredients used in Ghia include grapefruit, elderflower, lemon balm, fig, and ginger, among others.
I’ll post a full review of Ghia later this month (my bottle is almost out!). Ghia can be found all over Instagram, glossy magazines, and cocktail tables as more people seek out non-alcoholic options that are still sophisticated and flavorful. Drink it as a mixer in mocktails or no-alcohol cocktails like my Ghia Sour.
Click here to buy yourself a bottle of Ghia!
Blood Orange Ghia Sour (Nonalcoholic Mocktail)
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Ghia
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 blood orange
- sweetener to taste (agave or simple syrup)
- ice
Instructions
- Combine juice of lemon and orange. Add ghia and shake with ice.
- Pour and garnish with a thin slice of fresh blood orange.
Why You’ll Love This Nonalcoholic Sour
If you love the “sour” part of a sour, you’ll love this one.
To me, Ghia is a little heavy on the grapefruit pith taste (at least, my bottle was!). But when you add the sweetness of blood orange, a bit of garnish, and maybe a sweetener to taste, the flavors of this mixer really become worthwhile.
The deep ruby color of this drink is a true feast for the eyes; when I put together this video, I kept thinking the saturated colors reminded me of an oil painting!
The texture or mouthfeel of this nonalcoholic sour is just right; not too watery, not too thick.
This Ghia Sour is:
- Sour
- Sweet
- Gorgeous
- Easy
- Uncomplicated
- A crowd pleaser for drinkers who prefer strong tastes
What Is A Sour Cocktail?
A sour cocktail is a type of cocktail that includes a base spirit, citrus juice (usually lemon or lime), and a sweetener such as simple syrup or sugar. The term “sour” refers to the tartness or acidity provided by the citrus juice.
One of the most well-known sour cocktails is the classic Whiskey Sour, which typically includes whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup, shaken with ice and served over ice.
Apparently, Margaritas (tequila, lime juice, and triple sec), Sidecars (brandy, lemon juice, and triple sec), and Daiquiris (rum, lime juice, and sugar) are all kissing cousins of the sour.
Traditionally, sour cocktails have alcoholic in them, but my Ghia sour has no alcohol at all.
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Thanks so much for reading!
Love,
Lee
Disclosure: I may earn a small commission on purchases made from links on this site (I only link to products I would use). My family and I cannot thank you enough for your support of my efforts to spread the words about nonalcoholic beverages for adults!
