A Is For Alcohol-Free

On Saturday night, Hayley our Youth Worker organised a special evening for all the Task Force Teenagers who helped out with Holiday Bible Club. I  dug out my barmaid’s apron and tee-shirt

I organised the A-Bar, which is an alcohol-free cocktail bar for the kids. A for alcohol-free, Angela, or Anything-you-like-really

Here’s our menu [don’t know why those ?? have appeared in it!]

It’s relatively easy to run one of these bars – you just need to get organised about the drinks, and make sure your selection of basic ingredients will combine to make lots of interesting variations. I make the drinks in 175ml glasses [wineglasses with adults, clear plastic tumblers for kids] and use a 50ml shot glass as my standard measure. For most drinks, there is a basic flavour, and a basic ‘fizz’ – for example, diesel is 50ml blackcurrant squash [undiluted] topped up with coke, and St Clements is 50ml OJ topped up with lemonade.

To make things extra special, you do need to decorate the drinks with orange and lemon slices on cocktail sticks, plus maraschino cherries, olives [for the martini] and little parasols. Brightly coloured bendy straws are fun too. And ice cubes!

Basic shopping list for the menu above

• coke, lemonade, tonic water FIZZ
• orange juice, apple juice, ginger ale FLAVOUR
• lime cordial, blackcurrant cordial FLAVOUR
• oranges, lemons, cherries, green olives GARNISH
• ice cubes COOL
• cocktail sticks, parasols, glasses, straws HARDWARE

For speed I usually buy my parasols from the cash’n’carry – but if you are a budding Martha Stewart you can always make your own!  You’ll also need a cutting board, sharp knife, stirring spoon, shot glass, and plastic measuring jug [one set for each member of the bar staff]. I’d also advise a roll of kitchen paper to hand for mop ups, and a black bin sack for rubbish. Clear as you go!

2 litres of ‘fizz’ will make about 6 drinks, and you get 20 ‘shots’ of flavour from a litre. One lemon [or small orange] should give about 16 half-slices, and one bottle each of cherries and olives will be more than enough. I mix the drinks in one container [a plastic measuring jug] stir well, then pour them into the glass.

The menu above is my ‘teenage’ menu – I have another selection for younger children [involving more drinks with cherryade- how they love the pinkness] and another for adults [who prefer less sweet stuff] and some other recipes which require a splash of cream. If anyone wants more details, email me.