How to Make Flaming Cocktails without Alcohol
What better way to celebrate bonfire night than with a flaming alcohol-free cocktail? But surely you need alcohol to make a flaming cocktail! How would it burn otherwise?
Well, we are letting you into a top secret here! You do not need alcohol to set food on fire. Just because you don’t drink alcohol doesn’t mean you should miss out on firey beverages! So, keep reading to learn how you can make fantastic flaming cocktails without touching a drop of alcohol.
Why Make a Flaming Cocktail
Since the Middle Ages, flaming cocktails and shots have been part of drinking culture. Drinks vendors used to sell flaming drinks to disguise the low quality of the alcohol.
Since then, there have been many famous flaming drinks, for example, the well-known Blue Blazer. This involves moving a flaming drink from cup to cup. Or think about the Flaming Mai-Thai, Flaming Dr Pepper and Flaming Sambuca shots. We love mixing drinks and fire!
So why bother with a flaming cocktail? Well, setting parts of a cocktail on fire can affect the flavour. The fire can bring out certain flavours, such as a vanilla or smokey flavour. Flaming the peel on citrus fruits helps to release aromatic oils that enhance the flavour of a cocktail. And you can add a nice caramelised flavour by flaming sugar.
But let's be real, the main reason to set cocktails on fire is the drama. The theatrical thrill of drinking something on fire really adds a layer to the drinking experience!
How to Make a Flame Without Alcohol
Traditionally, flaming cocktails use alcohol to create the flames. So how can you make non-alcoholic flaming cocktails? Well, there are three main ways to do this.
Firstly, you can use a small amount of strong alcohol and let it fully burn off. This way you are not drinking the alcohol, but you do get the flaming effect. You might still get small amounts of alcohol in your drink using this method.
Alternatively, you can use alcohol to create the flame but avoid getting it into the drink. For example, you could float a strong alcohol in an empty fruit peel. This way it still looks like a floating flame, but the alcohol doesn't actually go near the drink. This method, however, still uses alcohol.
Never fear! If you really want to avoid alcohol, there is a third way. That is to use citrus oil. The oil in the skin of lemons, limes, oranges and other citrus fruits is very flammable. So you can use citrus oils to make a theatrical flaming alcohol-free cocktail. And, better still, the flame from citrus oil is bigger, smells better and lasts longer!
Tips For the Best Flames
Bars and restaurants use many methods to create safe, dramatic and beautiful flames on their cocktails. So here are some of the common methods used to make badass alcohol-free flaming cocktails.
Sugar Cubes
If you douse a sugar cube in lemon oil, it will be highly flammable and create a delicious taste in the drink. The flame will caramelise the sugar to create a sweet vanilla and somewhat smokey flavour in your drink.
Other benefits of using a sugar cube include the fact that it is easy to float on top of a drink and it is fire-safe. You can blow this fire out in much the same way as a birthday candle. So there is no need to worry about setting the house on fire with your burning alcohol-free cocktail.
Croutons
For a larger and bluer flame, you can use croutons or toasted bread doused in citrus oils. This works in much the same way as a sugar cube but makes a more impressive flame. That said, soggy croutons are less enjoyable to drink, so you may need to fish these out before actually enjoying the alcohol-free cocktail.
Cinnamon Powder
To make your flame sparkle or make a transparent flame visible, sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg powder over the cocktail. When you do this, the powder will burn while it travels through the air and create a mesmerising, star-like effect. It almost looks like fireworks are going off in your drink.
Stay Safe
If you choose to create fiery flamed mocktails this bonfire night, stay safe and take precautions. Some simple precautions include:
keeping a bucket of water on hand
tying up hair and loose ends that might accidentally catch on fire
keeping flammable liquids out of the way
Keeping the flames out of the reach of children.
Alcohol-free flaming cocktails can really add drama and theatrics to wow any dinner party or bonfire night gathering. So, keep it safe and let everyone see how bad-ass sober curiosity can be!
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