Smoked Winter Citrus & Alpine Collins Mocktail

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Step 1

Smoked Syrup Note: Steep 1 heaping tablespoon of loose-leaf tea in ½ cup of boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain out the leaves, stir in ½ cup of granulated sugar while still hot until fully dissolved, and chill before using. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Step 2

1. Prep the shaker: Add the non-alcoholic botanical spirit, fresh Meyer lemon juice, smoked tea syrup, and 2–3 dashes of Alpino bitters into a cocktail shaker. Fill with cubed ice. 2. Shake: Seal and shake hard for 8–10 seconds to chill and aerate the citrus without over-diluting. 3. Strain: Pack a chilled Collins glass with fresh ice (a clear spear works best). Double-strain the mixture through a fine-mesh Hawthorne strainer into the glass. 4. Top and lift: Pour in the chilled club soda. Gently slide a bar spoon down the inside of the glass and pull up once to incorporate the base without knocking out the carbonation. 5. Garnish: Express the oils from the Meyer lemon peel over the top, brush the rim with the peel, and discard or drop it into the glass. Slap the fresh thyme sprig between your palms to release the aromatics, then tuck it next to the ice alongside a final surface dash of Alpino bitters if an intense pine aroma is desired.