Low ABV cocktails offer a smooth middle ground for celebrations, giving you the flavor, complexity, and experience of a crafted drink without the intensity of full strength spirits. They are perfect for long gatherings, slow sipping, or moments when you want something festive but lighter. With the right balance of ingredients, these drinks stay refreshing and bright while still delivering that celebratory feel.
In this lineup you will find five cocktails designed to keep things lively without going over the top. Each one highlights thoughtful flavors, gentle spirits, and easygoing builds that make them ideal for toasting, sharing, or simply enjoying at your own pace. They bring all the fun of a special occasion drink with a lighter touch that fits any moment worth celebrating.
➎ For Goodness' Sake
Bright, zesty, and incredibly easy to sip, this cocktail leans into citrus and gentle aromatics for a light refresher that still feels celebratory. The Lemon Lavender Cordial adds a soft floral lift, and the Joto Yuzu Sake brings a distinctive citrus pop that sets the tone without overwhelming the palate. Ginger ale rounds it out with a mellow sparkle, while a few dashes of orange bitters tie the flavors together with a subtle warmth.
Build it right in the glass, stir over ice, and finish with a lemon twist. Served as For Goodness' Sake, the name plays on its use of sake as the base, and the drink itself delivers an easygoing balance that is perfect for low abv sipping. Ideal for casual gatherings, slow afternoons, or anytime you want something bright and refreshing with a lighter touch.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Lemon Lavender Cordial
- 2 oz Joto Yuzu Sake
- 2-3 oz ginger ale
- 2-3 dashes orange bitters
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a glass with ice
- Stir for 10 seconds and garnish
➍ Spring Fling
Soft florals and bright citrus come together in a cocktail that feels tailor made for spring mornings and long brunch tables. The Lemon Lavender Cordial adds a gentle aromatic sweetness, while Italicus contributes its own elegant botanical notes. Orange bitters bring a touch of structure, and the prosecco finish adds sparkle without weighing the drink down.
Once stirred and topped, the result is a lively flute pour that looks as classy as it tastes. Served as Spring Fling, it steps into the spotlight as a brighter, more graceful alternative to the usual brunch standards, perfect for toasting new seasons or simply elevating a relaxed daytime gathering.
Ingredients:
- ¾ oz Lemon Lavender Cordial
- 1 oz Italicus
- 2-3 oz Prosecco
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Instructions:
- Add all minus the Prosecco to a mixing glass
- Add ice and stir for 15 seconds
- Strain into a chilled glass and top with Prosecco
➌ Sunny Day Real Estate
This drink leans into an easygoing mix of herbal notes, gentle bitterness, and fresh fruit brightness, creating a low abv aperitif that feels perfect for warm weather. Raspberry Gum Syrup softens the edges with a juicy touch, while dry vermouth and Aperol add depth without making the drink heavy. Lime juice sharpens everything, and the club soda finish keeps it crisp and lively.
Shake it hard, strain it cold, and let the soda lift the flavors in the glass. Known as Sunny Day Real Estate, it is the kind of cocktail that settles in smoothly on a hot afternoon, offering refreshment with just enough complexity to keep each sip interesting.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Raspberry Gum Syrup
- 2 oz dry vermouth
- ½ oz Aperol
- ½ oz lime juice
- 3 oz club soda
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake hard for 20 seconds
- Strain into a chilled highball glass and top with soda
➋ Suzie Pomelo
This cocktail plays with bright grapefruit and crisp bitterness, creating a refreshing low abv highball that feels both modern and relaxed. The Rio Red Grapefruit Cordial brings a clean citrus sweetness, while dry vermouth adds subtle floral depth. Suze steps in with its signature bitter gentian character, and just a touch of saline rounds the flavors so everything pops without becoming sharp.
After a firm shake and a long pour over ice, the club soda gives the drink its bubbly lift. Called Suzie Pomelo, it offers a playful riff on a Paloma, leaning into grapefruit and gentle bitterness for a sip that is refreshing, lightly complex, and perfect for easy drinking.
Ingredients:
- ¾ oz Rio Red Grapefruit Cordial
- 1 oz dry vermouth
- ¾ oz Suze
- 3 drops saline solution
- 3 oz club soda
Instructions:
- Add all but soda to a shaker tin
- Add ice and shake hard for 20 seconds
- Strain into a chilled a highball filled with ice
- Top with soda water
➊ Nine Lives Highball
Warm spice, deep fruit, and a gentle sparkle come together in this seasonal low abv sipper. Fiery Ginger Syrup brings heat and sweetness, red wine provides a rich backbone, and the St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur adds a soft orchard spice that ties everything into an autumn mood. The soda water lift keeps the drink from feeling heavy, making it easy to enjoy even with its cozy flavor profile.
Built right in the glass, it is simple to stir together and garnish with a piece of candied ginger for an extra pop of warmth. Served as the Nine Lives Highball, it offers an inviting balance of spice and fruit, perfect for cooler weather, relaxed evenings, or any time you want a lighter cocktail that still feels full of character.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Fiery Ginger Syrup
- 3 oz red wine
- ¼ oz St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur
- soda water
Instructions:
- Add ginger syrup, wine, and liqueur to a highball glass filled with ice
- Top with soda water and stir.
With these five cocktails, you have a set of low abv options that bring plenty of personality without leaning too strong. Each drink offers its own approach, whether it is bright and citrusy, floral and elegant, bitter and refreshing, or warm and spiced. They are all designed to feel celebratory while staying easy to sip, which makes them perfect for long gatherings, relaxed evenings, or any occasion where you want something festive with a lighter touch.
As you try them out, feel free to adjust flavors, swap garnishes, or play with proportions to match your style. Low abv cocktails are all about balance and enjoyment, and this collection gives you plenty of room to explore while keeping things approachable. Cheers to celebrating with drinks that feel fun, flavorful, and wonderfully easygoing!
