Sip and Stay Well: Easy Holiday Mineral Mocktail Recipes for Festive Gatherings

When we picture the holiday season, we look forward to gatherings, festivities, and gift-giving. But as our calendars fill up, it’s easy to be left feeling run down and overwhelmed. 

That’s why at Ancient + Brave, we stay grounded with non-alcoholic holiday mocktails elevated with replenishing minerals and aromatic clove water.

Why make a mineral-water mocktail for the holidays?

With all the hustle and bustle that the holiday season brings, our bodies often require a little extra care. 

That’s where minerals like magnesium, potassium, and zinc play a quiet but powerful role, supporting everything from energy production and immunity to tissue growth and repair (1). 

Ancient + Brave True Hydrate and True Nightcap were thoughtfully designed to do just that, providing essential minerals and other nutrients often depleted by modern-day stressors, lacking in our soil and diets, and impacted by poor sleep (2). 

Cue the mineral mocktail, trending in the USA, and for good reason. These nourishing rituals 

combine essential nutrients with seasonal fruits and warm holiday spices like cloves, creating a non-alcoholic holiday mocktail that feels like a small celebration while supporting hydration, a healthy stress response, and restorative sleep. 

Best mineral waters for holiday mocktails

Are you looking for the perfect mineral water to mix into your festive drinks? 

Clove-infused water is not only easy to make and blends beautifully with your favorite seasonal spices, but it also has a long history of supporting whole-body health.

Valued by our ancestors for medicinal, culinary and ritualistic purposes, cloves' anti-inflammatory and energizing properties meant that they have been used for everything from aiding digestion to clearing congestion and even enhancing mental clarity.

Today, modern research confirms what our ancestors intuitively knew. Studies show that among spices, cloves contain the highest amounts of polyphenol and antioxidant compounds, suggesting they may help protect against oxidative stress (3). 

Cloves also possess strong antimicrobial and warming properties, making them a timeless ally for the cold winter months.

How to make clove-infused water at home

Making clove-infused water for your holiday mocktails takes just minutes

1. Boil water: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan.

2. Add cloves: Once boiling, add 1 teaspoon of whole cloves to the water.

3. Simmer: Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

4. Steep: Turn off the heat and cover with the lid. Let steep for 5-10 minutes for a bolder flavor.

5. Strain and refrigerate: Strain the liquid to remove cloves and chill in the fridge until ready to use.

Make a festive mineral water mocktail with us

Ideal for holiday parties and New Year’s celebrations, our clove-water holiday mocktails are the perfect way to toast the holidays.

Raise a glass to the festive season with two easy-to-make mineral mocktails:

The Morning Reviver: Winterberry Refresher Mineral Mocktail

This mineral-rich, non-alcoholic holiday mocktail is bursting with refreshing citrus and berry flavors and is oh so easy to make.

Ingredients:

• ½ ritual scoop True Hydrate added to ⅓ cup water (blend with frother)

• ⅓ cup pomegranate juice

• 1 tablespoon orange juice

• 1 tablespoon pineapple juice

• Splash of cranberry juice

• ⅛ cup clove water

• Splash of ginger ale 

To make the rosemary-pomegranate ice cubes, you will need: 

• 12 sprigs of rosemary

• Pomegranate arils

• Water

Directions:

1: Prepare the ice cubes: Place a small sprig of rosemary and 1–2 pomegranate arils in each section of an ice cube tray. Fill with water and freeze.

2: Mix your mocktail: Add True Hydrate (blended with water), the fruit juices and clove water to a glass or shaker bottle. Blend or shake to combine.

3: Serve: Add a few ice cubes to a glass and pour over your mocktail glass. Top with ginger ale to fill the glass. Enjoy!

The Evening Elixir:  Spiced Pear Nightcap Mineral Mocktail

The perfect welcome drink for cozy evening festive gatherings, this mineral mocktail pairs mineral-rich clove water with the warming taste of cinnamon and pear.

Ingredients:

• ¼ ritual scoop True Nightcap added to ⅓ cup water (blend with frother)

• ⅓ cup 100% pear juice or fresh pear purée

• ⅛ cup clove water (chilled)

• Splash of sparkling apple cider

• Cinnamon sugar for decorating the glass

Directions:

1: Prepare the glass: Rim the glass with cinnamon sugar. 

2: Mix your mocktail: In a new glass or shaker, add True Nightcap (pre-blended with water), pear juice and clove water. Blend with a frother or shake to combine. 

3: Serve: Pour your festive mineral mocktail into your glass and top with a splash of sparkling apple cider. To garnish, add a sprig of rosemary and a cinnamon stick.

Happy holidays!

Resources

1. Smith J, Carr T, Gropper S. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. 7th ed. Boston, MA: Cengage; 2016.

2. Lopresti AL. The Effects of Psychological and Environmental Stress on Micronutrient Concentrations in the Body: A Review of the Evidence. Adv Nutr. 2020;11(1):103-112. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz082

3. Verma A, Toshi N, Mungi V, Mehta A. The medicinal properties of clove with special focus on antimicrobial effect: a systematic review. JMS. 2024;93(4):e1156. doi:10.20883/medical.e1156