Summer nights are made for sitting outside and enjoying a refreshing drink under the stars. Or if you live in the city, summer nights are made for sitting outside and enjoying the city lights.
When I lived in Tennessee, I used to love sitting outside on a summer night with my husband Travis and sip on a nice, cold beverage. I’m talkin’ adult beverage here, like a glass of wine or a beer. Travis isn’t much of a drinker so he would either share a drink with me or drink something non-alcoholic. I miss those Tennessee summer nights sometimes, and I especially miss drinking a glass of wine.
If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you know I am very pregnant right now (due early August) so alcoholic drinks are not an option for me. But I found out I can have an alternative drink– a mocktail! I wish I could tell you I have always known what a mocktail is, but the truth is I seriously just found out about mocktails when I attended a cocktail event at The Skip.
Why didn’t anybody tell me? I could have been sippin’ on mocktails this whole time! Either way, I’m glad I know now because mocktails are really good, especially when mixed with Pepsi-Cola’s 1893 premium cola.
Date Night at The Skip with 1893 (From the Makers of Pepsi-Cola)
A little over a week ago, Travis and I were invited to a small private gathering hosted by 1893, from the makers of Pepsi-Cola, at the Skip in Downtown Detroit.
We treated it as a date night because let’s be real: date nights are not always easy to pencil in your schedule when you have four children. Attending 1893 Pepsi-Cola’s cocktail event was a special treat for us, and we were delighted to be invited to explore the art of craft cocktail mixology.
Oh yeah! Just in case you’re wondering what’s the difference between a cocktail and a mocktail, here’s a little factoid I found about cocktails and mocktails from Difference Between’s website.
What’s the Difference Between a Cocktail and a Mocktail?
“Cocktails [are] a mixed alcoholic drink that requires mixing either one type of alcohol with juices, soft drink and other fruits or mixing multiple alcoholic drinks with juices or ice tea. Mocktail is any mixed drink that does not have alcohol. The name mocktail is derived the word ‘mock’ meaning to “imitate or mimic” referring to mocktails imitating a cocktail as it seems very similar to a cocktail but does not have alcohol or any other spirits,” (“Difference Between Cocktail and Mocktail”. Difference Between.)
So mocktails it was and boy were they delicious! Not only did Travis and I enjoy sippin’ on our mocktails, but we also enjoyed eating delicious appetizers, as we admired the beautiful city scenery of The Belt.
The BELT, Downtown Detroit
“The BELT is a culturally redefined alley in the heart of downtown Detroit. Named for its physical orientation in a former downtown garment district, The BELT is located between Broadway and Library Street and links Gratiot and Grand River.
Public Art is the driving force behind the redevelopment of The BELT. The public space is home to murals and installations by local, national and international artists. It is part of a continuous effort to ensure that artists have a space to create and engage with the public in Detroit,” (“About The BELT”, The Belt.)
Exploring the Art of Craft Cocktail Mixology with 1893, The Next Generation Cola
1893’s Mixology event featured one of Detroit’s top bartenders Dorothy Elizabeth. Dorothy shared four of her cocktail and two of her mocktail creations with guests. Each drink was infused with a tasty 1893 premium craft cola.
“1893 was inspired by the original recipes created in the year 1893 by Pepsi founder Caleb Bradham. 1893 can be enjoyed as a delicious standalone beverage or as the perfect enhancement for quality cocktails.”
Travis and I enjoyed our evening eatin’ and sippin’ while sitting outside in The Skip’s patio area. We both agreed the 1893 craft cola was a very nice blend with the mocktails. Travis said he thought it was a “cool concept that Pepsi-Cola wants to explore cocktail mixology with their 1893 brand.” He described the 1893 pop as an “old-fashioned type of flavor and it’s infused with different blends” such as Ginger Cola, Black Currant, and Citrus Cola.
- Black Currant: This cola is based on the original 1893 recipe with a bold berry flavor.
- Citrus Cola: The Citrus Cola is the original recipe with a grapefruit essence to it.
- Ginger Cola: The inspiration for the Ginger Cola is based on a Chinese drink that was created for soothing health benefits.
If you’re interested in trying Pepsi-Cola’s 1893 brand, you can purchase at any place where you can find Pepsi products.
1893 Mocktails by Dorothy Elizabeth: Caroline and No-Sin Fizz
I know I’ve already said this, but I really loved my mocktail drink! The non-alcoholic drink I had is called “Caroline”. It reminded me of a mojito because it was garnished with fresh mint. Dorothy used fresh lime, raspberries, a handful of mint, and 1893 Ginger Cola for this drink.
Travis had “The No-Sin Fizz” mocktail. His drink was cream-based and tasted a little similar to a cream soda. (I know because I tried it, too.) For this mocktail, Dorothy used fresh lemon, lime, heavy cream, one egg white, tangerine marmalade, rose water, simple syrup, and 1893 Citrus Cola. (See the recipes below for both mocktails!)
Get the Recipe!
Caroline Mocktail Recipe, 1893 Top Shelf Bartender Dorothy Elizabeth
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Fresh Lime
- 8 fresh Raspberries
- Handful mint
- 3-4 oz 1893 Ginger Cola
Directions:
- Muddle Mint & Raspberry.
- Add fresh Lime and shake vigorously.
- Double strain into Collins glass.
- Top with ice and 1893 Ginger Cola.
- Garnish with fresh mint and raspberry.
The No-Sin Fizz 1893 Top Shelf Bartender Dorothy Elizabeth
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Fresh Lemon
- 1/2 Lime
- 1 oz Heavy Cream
- 1 Egg White
- 1 Bar Spoon Tangerine Marmalade
- 2 dashes Rose Water
- 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
- 2-3 oz 1893 Citrus Cola
Directions:
- Shake all ingredients minus 1893 Citrus Cola without ice.
- Add ice and shake aggressively.
- Double strain into a Collins glass and top with Citrus Cola and straw.
- Shake all ingredients minus 1893 Citrus Cola without ice.
- Add ice and shake aggressively.
- Double strain into a Collins glass and top with Citrus Cola and straw.
Stay Tuned for Cocktail Recipes Featuring 1893, From the Makers of Pepsi-Cola!
Later this week I’m going to share the cocktails which were featured at 1893’s event along with their recipes. If you love a good cocktail, then you don’t want to miss this upcoming post! Enjoy your summer nights!
The Skip
The Belt, Detroit, MI 48226
Read more about 1893 here.
Special thanks to Pepsi-Cola for inviting us out to The Skip to try 1893 and the delicious mocktails by Dorothy Elizabeth!
[…] is an 1893-inspired mocktail recipe and four kosher wines you may […]
That Pulled barbecue looks so delicious it is making me so hungry! Can’t wait to try your cocktail recipe too 🙂
All of the food and drinks looked so good! I never thought of a nonalcoholic version of a cocktail to be called a mocktail, how creative! When I was pregnant we liked to take a little date nights out before the big day! Always remember to find time for yourselves! We’ll have to visit Thanks for sharing!
Always happy to see persons taking time out to spend quality time with each other. It does wonders for a relationship
The 1893 colas are sooo interesting! I would love to try the drink recipes made from 1893, they look good and refreshing. How I wished 1893 will be available in our place soon.
I’ve got to try the 1893 Cola. I bet it was a real treat to taste and now I want to make some mocktails. Congratulation BTW, motherhood is such a blessing.
Thank you, Terri! 🙂 Yes, I think 1893 is a good beverage. Love that it has real sugar.
I am seriously drooling over the pulled bbq … those drinks sound lovely, I love that there are so many virgin options for those who can’t or choose not to drink.
I love that there are more options for virgin drinks, too, and they taste really good! Thanks, Aimee!
Hope you had a great weekend too! I’ve wanted to visit Detroit for a long time, and this text and the nice photos really made ma want to visit the city this summer!
I hope you get to visit Detroit soon, Cecilia! There’s so much to explore and many things to do here!
[…] of my new favorite spots in Downtown Detroit is The Belt. I’ve mentioned The Belt before in my previous post about my date night with Travis (hubby). The Belt is this cool, hip alleyway situated right next to the Z Parking […]
Congratulations praying for your safe delivery. Glad to see you enjoying your pregnancy before the big day. Hope to see your baby’s pictures soon.
What a fun date! Looks like you had so much fun attending this event! Your mocktail looks so refreshing and yum!
The street art and the food here look amazing! Fantastic photos you have! I would love to visit!
Yum these photos are so awesome and the food is making my mouth water!
All that food and those drinks look amazing! I just wish our temps were more summer-like than fallish here in the Midwest at the moment!
All that food and those drinks look amazing! I just wish our temps were more summer-like here in the Midwest at the moment!
Oh I know! It seems like it just got really chilly all of a sudden. We had to wear jackets today.
The food looks amazing! Looks like you have lots of fun. Reminds me that I have to go on a date night with my man more often.
Those mocktails look yummy
Sounds like the perfect date night to me! Detroit looks like such a cool place to explore!
It’s a very cool place to explore! I love it!
I love the art work on the walls. I love a good mocktail as I cant handle the real stuff.
What an amazing sounding place to go to! I don’t drink alcohol at all so mocktails are right up my street.
It was really cool, Sarah! My husband doesn’t drink alcohol, either, so the mocktails were perfect!
Your food makes me hungry. I just had my breakfast and want to eat again.
Mmmm! I love me a good mocktail! This sounds like an awesome place for a date night.
Oh my! you have four kids and still able to get date nights with your man?!!
You are my HERO !!
Haha! Thank you, Nati. I have two teenagers, two toddlers, and a baby on the way! My oldest is 17 and he babysits from time to time. It’s a nice blend and really lovely to have older kids who are so helpful. 🙂
I’ve heard great things about the food scene in Detroit. These places look delicious!
Yep. Mocktails have been around for a long time. Think “Virgin Daiquiri.” That Caroline drink almost sounds like a Moscow Mule – without the vodka. After you have your baby, you should try one.
Congratulations on the bun in the oven! As a mother of four, I know the difficulty in finding time for date nights. I also know how important they are. It looks like you two had a splendid one! Quite inspirational to me. Thank you for sharing 🙂
We absolutely love mocktails , so glad you discovered them. And those look so yummy and creative!