Fun Drink Ideas You Never Knew About
Humans have to hydrate to stay alive, but the fun thing is that we don’t just drink water and move on, no sir. We can make hydration fun!
So, when you feel like lemonade has gotten a little too blase but you’re not quite ready for a margarita, and you’re craving something a little bit different, try out one of these five fun drinks!
These drinks range from fun blue drinks that you can share with the kids to full-blown cocktails. Hopefully, these drink recipes will intrigue you enough to add them to your repertoire. If not, we at least hope you have fun trying them out and deciding whether or not they’re for you.
Ocean Water Kid’s Cocktail
Let’s start off with something lighthearted. Ocean water punch is a kid’s cocktail perfect for any special occasion. They are especially popular at children’s pool parties, but these aquatic treats are popular anywhere from the beach to a blizzard.
It doesn’t have to be summer to enjoy this ocean-inspired kiddie cocktail. They are sure to be a hit. Here are the ingredients you will need to create this incredible ocean water punch:
- 3 ounces blue fruit punch
- 2 ounces 7UP
- 2 teaspoons of lime juice or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of pineapple juice
- red gummy fish for garnish
- lime wedges
The mixology on this one is pretty straightforward. Stir everything together, save the lime wedge. Let a few gummy fish swim around each drink. Then to make your drink extra special, garnish with a lime wedge.
Just like that, a fun and festive non-alcoholic drink that both kids and grown-ups can enjoy. Ocean water punch is sure to please even the pickiest of party guests. If you want to make an adults-only version, consider shaking a few shots of vodka or gin with the punch and lime and pineapple juice. Pour into a highball glass. To cut down on the sweetness, top with club soda instead of 7UP and garnish with a mint sprig, just to feel a little fancy.
Boba Tea
Another fun drink for the whole family is boba tea. They’re pretty popular, but if you haven’t tried one yet, now is definitely the moment to take the plunge! Boba tea is a Taiwanese drink that has gained favor in many countries in recent years.
What we love about boba is the multitude of flavors that they come in. Boba can be savory, sweet, fruity, chocolatey—pretty much anything! What is boba, you ask?
Boba tea usually consists of a black or green tea mixture, milk or milk powder, sometimes a sweetener, and tapioca balls at the bottom of the beverage. These tapioca balls are also often called boba. Boba can refer to the entire drink or the sweet chewy pearls at the bottom of the beverage.
The tapioca pearls are made from cassava plant extract in the form of tapioca starch. The pearls themself are usually tasteless, but they can be soaked in simple syrup or flavored with coconut, chocolate, and much more. Pearls for boba are cooked in large vats of sugary caramelized syrup for a solid length of hours. This gives them their signature sweetness sucked up through the fat straws seen in the boba drinks you’re familiar with.
Some flavors to branch out and try include Taro, a root similar to a purple sweet potato, or Thai milk tea. You can also get fruit teas in popular flavors, including strawberry, orange, and lychee.
Tepache
Have you been desperate to try a drink made from pineapple rinds? You’re in luck: enter tepache! Tepache is a traditional Mexican drink usually served out of the carts of street vendors. De La Calle is a great place to start when dipping your toes into tepache waters. It is a fermented drink, similar to kombucha, but with a personality all its own.
Tepache is a great drink to try when looking for alternatives to kombucha. The beverage has a ton of different health benefits too. Tepache is probiotic, naturally low in sugar, low in caffeine, and dairy and gluten-free. This means just about anyone can enjoy tepache, regardless of their dietary restrictions.
Another plus side to tepache is that you can enjoy it any time of day for any occasion. This refreshing fizzy drink is a perfect pick me up mid-day, as well as a great chiller at the end of a long day at work.
Tepache is also technically recycled food. The primary ingredient in tepache is pineapple skin, and this part of the pineapple is usually thrown away. Making or buying tepache supports the recycled food movement and creates less food waste.
Making Your Own Tepache
As a bonus, it is super simple to brew your own tepache too. Here is what you'll need and how to do it.
First, peel the pineapple and wash the rinds well. They will be making direct contact with your brew, so you don’t want anything unpleasant on them. Place the pineapple peels, the piloncillo or sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, and the 2 quarts of water in a large glass pitcher or another container.
Mix to combine. Next, cover it loosely with cheesecloth or plastic wrap. This can also be done with a towel or lid, anything that creates a loose barrier between the brew and the air.
Now let the mixture ferment for 24 hours. Strain the liquid and serve chilled! You can add sugar or any other spices to your personal taste.
If you’re feeling a little sluggish and would rather try tepache made by professionals, perhaps try out a Picante Mango Chili Tepache to get inspired.
You can also combine tepache with liquors like tequila, rum, or bourbon for a more adult take on the classic. Treat it like you would ginger beer, and create a take on a Moscow Mule, or combine it with whiskey in a cocktail shaker for a unique Whiskey Sour.
POG Juice
This juice is a local favorite in Hawai’i. It is a refreshing fruit juice made out of the combined juices abbreviated in the name—passionfruit, orange, and guava juice.
There are places besides Hawaii to get POG. However, you can always make your own to take that extra step into freshness. Here is what you will need, if you can’t already guess.
- 1 passionfruit or passion fruit juice
- 3 oranges or orange juice
- 1 guava or guava juice
When making POG, you can either juice the fruit yourself or create a mixture from pre-packaged juices of each type. All you need to do is combine the three ingredients and enjoy!
Get Creative
These are just a few different drinks to try if you want to take a break from the basics, like cranberry juice.
From tepache to boba, there are a ton of options for fun drinks for you to try out. Don’t be afraid to branch out.
Sources:
Boba Explained: Types of Bubble Tea, and How to Order | Eater
