Coffee and Tea Mocktails

As the days get shorter and evenings slow down, we turn to drinks that feel a little more intentional. This collection of three mocktail recipes highlights coffee and tea in unexpected ways, layering seasonal ingredients, house-made syrups, and thoughtful techniques. From bright and sparkling to rich and quietly complex, each drink is designed to be enjoyed at home, no special occasion required.

THE NIGHTINGALE

A sweet and deep drink perfect for a little evening pick-me up. The rich flavors of the blackberry cold brew concentrate balance out the sweet, nutty spice of the cold foam that create a decadent drinking experience.

How to make the blackberry syrup:

• 20oz Water
• 1 Cup Blackberries
• 20oz (by weight) White Cane Sugar

Create a 1:1 simple syrup using 20 oz water and 20 oz (by weight) of cane sugar. Add 1 cup of blackberries and let simmer on the stove until soft. Let the mixture cool completely and then blend. Strain the blended mixture to remove large particles and seeds. The syrup should be used within a week.

How to make the Cardamom syrup:

• 20oz Water
• 10 Whole Cardamom Pods
• 20oz (by weight) White Cane Sugar

Toast the whole cardamom pods lightly until fragrant. Add 20 oz of water to a pot and bring to a simmer. Stir in the 20 oz white cane sugar. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain to remove the cardamom pods. Store in the fridge. The syrup should be used within a week.

Drink Assembly:

• 1 oz Blackberry Syrup
• 2 oz Sparkling Water
• 3 oz Cold Brew Concentrate

Mix well.

For the cold foam and garnish:

In a cup, combine 1.5 oz coconut cream and 1 oz of the cardamom syrup. Whip until fluffy and pour on top of the drink. Add a blackberry on the rim for garnish.

THE QUINCE TEA-NI

A surprisingly simple tea based mocktail that’s perfect for a night in. Temple Coffee’s quince green tea is a mixture of green tea alongside mallow flower and blue cornflowers. The tea is both a mixture of herbs, vanilla, and fruit which makes an excellent base to many drinks.

How to make the apple syrup:

• 4 Granny Smith apples
• 20 oz Water
• 20 oz White Cane Sugar

Blend together 4 apples, water, and sugar. Strain the resulting mixture to remove all apple particulates. Take the resulting liquid (which should look like apple juice) and bring it to a simmer on the stove. Add in 2 cinnamon sticks and reduce until slightly thickened.

Drink Assembly:

• Ice
• 4 oz Chilled quince tea
• 0.5 oz Lemon juice
• 1.5 oz Apple cinnamon syrup

Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass. The drink should have a visible foam from the shaking. Grate over fresh cinnamon and garnish with a bourbon cherry.

AUTUMN HARVEST

The Autumn Harvest is the most complicated out of the three drinks featured here, but is one that will have people asking “wait there’s coffee in here?”. The drink involves an espresso milk wash, which removes a lot of the solids from the coffee, leaving a light brown liquid that blends seamlessly with the other ingredients.

How to make the espresso milk wash:

In a container, add 6 oz of espresso, 3 oz of lemon juice, and 3 oz of simple syrup. In a separate container, add 4 oz of whole milk. Rapidly pour the espresso mixture over the milk. Let sit in the fridge for 24 hours. Strain using a coffee filter until all solids are removed. Store in the fridge (best within a week).

How to make the flambéd pear syrup:

• Slice 4 pears lengthwise to get wide, flat strips. Torch or bake at 350°F for 10 minutes until golden brown.
• Blend cooked pear slices into 20 oz of 1:1 simple syrup. Strain if a smoother syrup is desired.

How to make the cinnamon chili syrup:

• 20 oz Water
• 20 oz White Cane Sugar
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• 3 Full dried chilis

Bring water and sugar to a simmer. Add cinnamon sticks and chilis, cook for 20 minutes. Let cool and bottle. (Optional: keep cinnamon sticks and chilis in the bottle for extra flavor.)

Drink Assembly:

• Ice
• 4 oz Sparkling water
• 1 oz Flambéd pear syrup
• 0.75 oz Cinnamon chili syrup
• 1 oz Milk washed espresso

Stir lightly and enjoy!