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Made with simple ingredients, this refreshing mocktail is perfect for summer gatherings or as a relaxing end of day ritual for one. Not too sweet. Not too tart. Not too fizzy. Easy to love, and to make!

Transfusion – Bartender’s Secret For An Easy, Delicous Summer Mocktail

I enjoy a cocktail as much as anyone, but I’m finding myself more and more drawn to the mocktail menus when I go out for dinner or a drink. My husband feels the same.

Though there can be something fun and festive about enjoying an adult beverage, we don’t always appreciate the slow, sluggish, sleepy feeling that comes afterward.

Judging from the increasing number of mocktails offered on menus late, it seems like we aren’t the only ones. More restaurants and bars are offering options for the sober and sober curious these days, crafting delicious, creative mocktails in a variety of flavor profiles.

I love checking out the ingredient list of mocktail menus when we go out, hoping to find something easy and delicious that I can replicate at home. However, more often than not, I’m disappointed because the ingredients involve all special syrups or infusions that I don’t have on hand and don’t have time to make.

But a couple of months back, I enjoyed a delicious restaurant mocktail that the bartender called a Transfusion that was made with just three simple ingredients.

Transfusion is an easy, delicious summertime mocktail with a tart but sweet taste, a little bit of a bite, and just enough fizz.

And that nice bartender was willing to share the recipe with me!

How To Make A Transfusion – An Easy, Delicious Summertime Mocktail

This is refreshing, mocktail is perfect for summertime gatherings, or a relaxing end of the day ritual.

And you’ll only need three ingredients to make your own Transfusion at home – grape juice, lime juice, and ginger beer.

No kidding! That’s it!

But there are a couple of things you need to know about those ingredients

You’ll need unsweetened Concord grape juice for this recipe – not that sweet stuff your kids drink. And that makes sense because this is a mocktail, not soda pop. Concord grape juice has a lovely depth of flavor, which adds a touch of sweetness, but only a touch.

Lime juice brings in a pleasantly tart taste and a crisp, citrusy punch. While you could use bottled lime juice, fresh squeezed is best. It’s just got a brighter, fresher, and more vibrant flavor than bottled.

The final ingredient is ginger beer. Take note that ginger beer is NOT the same as ginger ale. It’s not nearly as sweet and has a stronger ginger flavor that adds a nice little bite to your mocktail.

(Oh, and if some of your guests would rather have a cocktail than a mocktail, just add a little vodka or gin to the glass. Instructions for an alcoholic version will be included in the recipe below.)

To actually make a Transfusion, you’ll simply pour the ingredients over a tall glass full of ice, stir, and enjoy! But, of course, every mocktail tastes better with a fancy garnish.

Gilding The Lily With An Optional Garnish

Relaxing with a special beverage before dinner or at the end of a busy day is one of life’s pleasant little rituals.

Enjoying that beverage in a lovely glass that’s topped with a pretty garnish makes the ritual feel even more special, like a small celebration.

A simple slice of lime perched on the edge of the glass is a quick and easy way to garnish this mocktail.

But if you want to take it a step further, try rinsing some grapes with water, rolling them in sugar, and putting them in the freezer for an hour. Thread three of the frozen, sugared grapes onto a skewer with mint leaves or thin slices of lime between the grapes.

It adds an extra special touch to this easy, delicious summertime mocktail.

Cheers!