Low calorie cocktails with home flavoured spirits
Low-Cal Cocktails Worth a Second Sip
Light on calories, heavy on flavour: how to mix a drink that feels like a win, not a sacrifice
If you've ever sipped a so-called "low-cal drink" and thought, "Did someone forget the flavour?", you're not alone. Most light cocktails fall flat.
Cut the sugar, keep the soul
Standard cocktails are sugar bombs. Think syrups and sweet mixers, and while they taste nice, they hit like a slab of dessert. You don’t need all that bulk to get the same complexity.
Start with a lean base spirit
Vodka or a neutral spirit is your go-to for light cocktail builds. Mixing an essence into a neutral spirit you've bought isn't distilling and doesn't need a licence, but distilling the base spirit yourself needs an excise manufacturer licence from the ATO.
A liqueur flavouring like the Still Spirits herbal liqueur is sweet once it's made up, so in a lighter drink use it as a small splash for flavour rather than the main pour.
Swap heavy mixers for bright, low-cal options
Think soda water, freshly squeezed citrus, cucumber, rosemary. A wedge of ruby grapefruit and a sprig of thyme in sparkling water is simple alongside a clean, herbal spirit.
- One trick: Add a dash of bitters for a strong flavour.
- Another trick: Use chilled unsweetened teas for creative mixers.
2 Lighter Cocktail Recipes
1. Spiced Citrus Cooler
- 30ml neutral spirit with a splash of herbal liqueur
- Fresh orange slice and juice (from ¼ orange)
- Soda water to top
- Ice and sprig of mint
2. Cucumber & White Tea Highball
- 30ml vodka flavoured spirit
- Chilled brewed white tea (unsweetened)
- Cucumber slice and crack of pepper
- Dash of lemon or lime
Give these a go next time you’ve got guests over, or even just after a long day.
Cheers,
Candeece
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