Nighttime
Whether they stand in for dessert or help cap a long night, these drinks are meant to be enjoyed when it’s dark out and the stars are twinkling. Another hour, and you’ll be fast asleep—or on a dance floor somewhere.
Sea Salt Shakerato
Sahra Nguyen — Nguyen Coffee Supply, Brooklyn, New York
Sahra Nguyen is on a mission to turn people on to the dark, nutty flavor profile of robusta coffee, of which her parents’ native Vietnam is the largest producer. (In fact, you can buy some beans that she roasts herself, at nguyencoffeesupply.com.) Arabica beans would have a hard time standing up to the milks in this drink, which is a play on an Italian espresso shakerato. The sea salt is a nod to Sahra’s mother, who was born in a Vietnamese fishing village. I think the drink is a great post-dinner dessert coffee, but I’ve also been known to take it with my breakfast (!).
Commitment LEVEL 
Serves 1
2½ ounces Phin Coffee (recipe follows)
½ ounce whole milk
¾ ounce sweetened condensed milk
Small pinch of coarse sea salt
Combine the coffee, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and salt in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, seal the shaker, and shake for 10 to 15 seconds, until well chilled. Place a single large ice cube in a rocks glass and double-strain the shakerato into the glass.
Phin Coffee
Makes 2½ ounces, enough for 1 drink
2 tablespoons medium-fine ground coffee
3 ounces hot water
Spoon the ground coffee into the phin’s (see note below) main chamber and give it a little shake. (This will help the grounds settle evenly.)
Place the phin atop a small bowl or a mug, then screw in the press. (This will further level out the grounds and encourage even drainage.) Screw it until it’s snug, then back it off one turn.
Add half of the water into the phin and wait 20 seconds. (This will moisten the coffee, or “bloom” the grounds.) Add the remaining water and place the lid on top. It should take 3 to 4 minutes to brew; if the water drains more quickly than that, your grind is too coarse. Conversely, if the water hasn’t all passed through the filter after 4 minutes, then your grind is too fine.
Remove the phin from your mug and enjoy.
Note Using a phin may take a little practice, but once you get it, you get it. Sahra describes the method as the intersection between a French press and a pour-over. Buy a small one of these metal coffee filters, ubiquitous in Vietnam, for around five bucks online. It has three parts: the main piece, which includes the brewing chamber and a lip, to help it sit atop a mug (sometimes these come in two parts, the brewing chamber and a separate plate that it sits upon); a press; and the lid.
Digesteaf
Sara Kaufman — Steven Smith Teamaker, Portland, Oregon
In Portland, I fell in love with a tea. Steven Smith Teamaker’s Astoria’s Amaro is a bitter, sweet, floral, smooth herbal tea meant to mimic an Italian amaro. Turns out, it was a limited-edition product. But the people at Smith are extremely generous: They created a DIY version of the tea so that I (we!) could make it at home. The recipe requires sourcing various dried roots and such (try mountainroseherbs.com and remediesherbshop.com), but the end product is like nothing I’ve tasted in the nonalcoholic realm: With almost every sip, it morphs from bitter to sweet and then back again. I like sipping the Astoria’s Amaro concentrate chilled, just on its own, but if you need something tamer, try it in the Digesteaf cocktail.
Commitment Level 
Serves 4
1 cup tonic water
¾ cup Astoria’s Amaro Concentrate (recipe follows)
1½ ounces Simple Syrup (this page)
4 dashes of lavender bitters
2 lemon wedges
Divide the tonic water among 4 small whiskey glasses. Combine the concentrate, simple syrup, and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the mixture and add them to the shaker. Fill with ice, seal the shaker, and shake for 10 to 15 seconds, until well chilled. Strain, dividing evenly among the 4 glasses.
Astoria’s Amaro Concentrate
Makes ¾ cup, enough for 4 drinks
1 teaspoon chicory root
2 teaspoons ashwagandha root
2 tablespoons pink rose petals
2 teaspoons rooibos tea leaves
1 packed teaspoon dried artichoke leaves
1 teaspoon honeybush tea
½ teaspoon licorice root
1 packed tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 cup just-boiled water
In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the chicory root, ashwagandha root, rose petals, rooibos tea, artichoke leaves, honeybush tea, licorice root, and orange zest. Pour in the water and let steep, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Fine-strain, discard the solids, and let cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Note For a sweeter tea concentrate, increase the amount of licorice root. For a more bitter amaro tea, increase the amount of artichoke leaves.
Cold-Fashioned
Jonathan Echeverry — Paper Plane Coffee Co., Montclair, New Jersey
It looks like an old-fashioned, it sips slow like an old-fashioned, but it’s a Cold-Fashioned, made with cold-brew concentrate instead of rye or bourbon. Jonathan Echeverry’s family has been growing coffee in Colombia for about 150 years, and his flagship Dogma blend (paperplanecoffee.com), which is 60 percent Brazilian beans, 20 percent Colombian, and 20 percent Ethiopian, is as complex as a spirit. “Whiskey is usually a blend, too,” he says. “The chocolaty Brazilian gives it body, the citrusy Colombian brings out the orange, and the fruit-forward Ethiopian blends with the cherry.” Make your own cold-brew concentrate using his beans, or buy it pre-made (I used Grady’s brand). Jonathan recommends the Cold-Fashioned as a pick-me-up after dinner.
Commitment Level 
Serves 1
½ ounce turbinado simple syrup (use the same method for Simple Syrup, this page)
1 half-moon orange slice
1 maraschino cherry
3 dashes Angostura bitters
4 ounces cold-brew concentrate
1 orange twist, for garnish
Combine the syrup, orange slice, cherry, and bitters in a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add the cold brew, seal the shaker, and shake to combine, about 3 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with one large ice cube. Garnish with the orange twist.
Batch for 6 Muddle 3 ounces syrup, 3 orange slices, 6 cherries, and 2¼ teaspoons bitters in a pitcher. Add 3 cups cold-brew concentrate and stir to combine. Strain among 6 rocks glasses, each one filled with one large ice cube. Garnish each with an orange twist.
Golden Hour
Jon Palmer — Bachelor Farmer, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jon Palmer wanted to mimic a late-harvest wine with his Golden Hour, and I think he succeeded. To me, it tastes and feels like Sauternes, in terms of sweetness and viscosity, and the honey and simple syrups work in concert to achieve that. Speaking of sweet: It definitely is! This is meant to be like a dessert wine, so sip slowly.
Commitment Level
Serves 1
2 ounces white verjus
¾ ounce Rich Honey Syrup (this page)
¼ ounce Simple Syrup (this page)
½ teaspoon orange flower water
Combine the verjus, syrups, and orange flower water in a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir for 15 seconds, until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe.
Batch for 6 Combine 1½ cups white verjus, ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon honey syrup, 3 tablespoons simple syrup, and 1 tablespoon orange flower water in a pitcher and stir. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. To serve, divide among 6 chilled coupes.
Note Buy Fusion brand white verjus at chefshop.com.
Cherry & Smoke
Evan Zimmerman — Washington, D.C.
I first met Evan when I interviewed him about the drinks he concocted for a five-course dinner put on by an all-star lineup of sober chefs. He has since become a friend, doubling as a drinks tutor, and while he offered up a zillion ideas for this book, the simplicity and versatility of the Cherry & Smoke won me over. The campfire smokiness of the Lapsang Souchong, which he brews strong, so that the tannins intensify, is such a good counterpoint to the sweet, tart stone fruit. Speaking of the cherry juice: Use a clarified version, such as Lakewood brand. (I tested this recipe using Trader Joe’s cherry juice, which is cloudier, and it didn’t work as well.) You can serve this drink warm or chilled, and while Evan (and I!) prefer it as a nightcap, it would suit barbecue, too.
Commitment Level
Serves 1
½ teaspoon loose-leaf Lapsang Souchong tea
3 ounces just-boiled water
3 ounces tart cherry juice
1 lemon twist, for garnish
In a small heatproof bowl, combine the tea and the water, then cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the cherry juice, then immediately fine-strain into a snifter. Squeeze the lemon twist over the drink to express its oils, then discard. Serve warm.
Batch for 6 In a medium heatproof bowl, combine 1 tablespoon tea and 2¼ cups water, then cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in 2¼ cups cherry juice and immediately fine-strain into 6 snifters (or, honestly, whatever glasses you have). Squeeze lemon twists over each drink (2 will do you), then discard. Serve warm.
Fuyu
Olivia Noren and Jonathan Macahon — Yūgen, Chicago, Illinois
I allowed only one egg cocktail into this book. There’s no explanation other than that I’m just not a huge fan of eggs in drinks, but my research associate, Coral Lee, committed to testing this recipe five times to get it right (and to prove me wrong). Coral is more than ten years my junior, is an exponentially better cook, and will hopefully one day be my boss, so I’ll let her explain what she loves about the Fuyu: “This is everything eggnog should be but isn’t: toasty and insanely creamy with a kick from the fresh ginger juice. Yes, it requires effort, but taste it and then tell me if it was too much. You—ahem, Julia—won’t.” I submit! That said, I did test this drink without the egg, and it still works. Coral approves of the “optional” note.
Commitment Level 
Serves 1
2 ounces Seedlip Spice 94 (see this page)
1 ounce Black Sesame Cream (recipe follows)
1½ ounces Hōjicha-Ginger Syrup (recipe follows)
1 large egg (optional)
Black sesame seeds, either whole or crushed between your fingers, for garnish
Combine the Seedlip, cream, syrup, and egg, if using, in a cocktail shaker. Seal and shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Open the shaker, add ice, seal again, and shake for 10 to 15 seconds, until well chilled. (If you’re not using the egg, you can skip the first step, called a “dry shake,” and simply shake with ice from the get-go.) Double-strain into a coupe and finish with the sesame seeds.
Black Sesame Cream
Makes ¾ cup, enough for 6 drinks
¼ cup black sesame seeds
1 cup heavy cream
In a small saucepan, combine the sesame seeds and cream and, over medium-low heat, bring just to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, then strain and discard the solids. Store the cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Hōjicha-Ginger Syrup
Makes 1½ cups, enough for 8 drinks
1 cup dark muscovado sugar
⅓ cup loose-leaf hōjicha tea
½ cup fresh ginger juice
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water, the sugar, and the tea. Bring to a simmer, stirring to combine, then remove from the heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Stir in the ginger juice and then fine-strain, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Note Find hōjicha, a Japanese roasted green tea, at Harney & Sons (harney.com). If you enjoy it in this drink, try the Earth & Leaf (this page).
Rose & Kumquat
Hansuk Cho — Dialogue, Santa Monica, California
Hansuk Cho is like the nonalcoholic drinks whisperer of California. She’s worked at fine-dining restaurants SingleThread in Sonoma (try the Pear Cider on this page), Dialogue in Santa Monica, and she has plans to teach other bartenders some of her tricks. But we got to her first! Hansuk recommends pairing this drink with lychees, peaches, pumpkin, or squash, and while all of that makes perfect sense to me, I also like it on its own. The lean mouthfeel, the floral notes, the gravity that the tea brings—it’s an elegant finish to a very long day.
Commitment Level
Serves 3
1 teaspoon loose-leaf black tea, such as Assam or English Breakfast
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh lemongrass
1 cup just-boiled water
Dash of rose water
1 ounce Kumquat Syrup (recipe follows)
In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the tea, lemongrass, and the water and let sit for 2 minutes. Fine-strain and discard the solids, add the rose water, and let the liquid cool.
Combine the tea and syrup in a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir for 15 seconds, until well chilled. Strain into 3 chilled coupes.
Kumquat Syrup
Makes ¾ cup, enough for 6 drinks
1 cup kumquats, halved crosswise
¼ cup honey
¾ cup sugar
Combine the kumquats, honey, and sugar in a bowl and mash the kumquats with the back of a wooden spoon. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours, stirring every so often, until the sugar has dissolved completely. Strain, discarding the fruit, and store the syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Batch for 6 In a medium heatproof bowl, combine 2 teaspoons black tea, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lemongrass, and 2 cups water and let sit for 2 minutes. Strain, discarding the solids; add 2 dashes of rose water; and let the liquid cool. Combine the tea and syrup in a pitcher. Fill with ice and stir for 15 seconds, until well chilled. Strain into 6 coupes.
Rhapsody in Blue
Robert Murphy — Existing Conditions, New York, New York
How cared-for would you feel if you went to a dinner party and, after dessert, your host poured a round of chilled juice that he or she had infused with spices in advance? What an extra little treat; what a gesture. Robert Murphy had vermouth in mind when he developed this recipe; the drink should be served in small glasses, just 2 ounces per person. I used the R.W. Knudsen brand of blueberry juice, which can be found at most grocery stores, but whatever you buy, make sure it’s unsweetened and without preservatives. You want the body and acidity that only all-natural juice can bring.
Commitment Level
Serves 6
8 cardamom pods
3 star anise pods
2½ cups blueberry juice
2 strips of orange peel (no white pith), 2 to 3 inches long
In a medium saucepan, combine the spices and toast them over medium-high heat, occasionally shaking the pan back and forth to prevent burning, until they’re fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely, 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer the toasted spices to a spice grinder and blend into a fine powder.
Using the same saucepan, combine the powdered spices with the blueberry juice and orange peels. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then decrease to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Fine-strain the liquid, discard the solids, and let it cool. Refrigerate to chill thoroughly, about 2 hours. To serve, divide among 6 cordial glasses.
The Rockefeller
Jermaine Whitehead — Deep Dive, Seattle, Washington
Here’s an example of when replicating a classic cocktail works. As I mentioned in the introduction, I resisted that approach at first, but Jermaine (who has moved on to Il Nido in Seattle) captures what is so beloved about the Manhattan—the weight on the palate, the warming aromatics, the throat tickle (it comes from Urfa biber, a Turkish chile pepper, in this case)—and turns it into an after-dinner cocktail. I wouldn’t recommend drinking the extra-bitter citrus water on its own, but balanced by the sweetness of the vermouth, this is a solid stirred drink, a rarity in the nonalcoholic realm. Speaking of the vermouth, if you make it in advance and chill it, bring it up to room-ish temperature before preparing the drink. Otherwise, it’s too thick. The citrus water intensifies as it sits in the fridge, so you may want to recalibrate the ratios as you near the end of your bottle; by week three, I preferred a one-to-one mix.
Commitment Level
Serves 1
¾ ounce Vermouth (recipe follows)
3 ounces Citrus Water (recipe follows)
1 Luxardo cherry, for garnish
Combine the vermouth and citrus water in a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir for 15 seconds, until well chilled. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass and garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
Vermouth
Makes about 1 cup, enough for 8 drinks
2¼ teaspoons whole dried juniper berries
¾ teaspoon whole cloves
¾ teaspoon whole fennel seeds
¾ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1½ teaspoons dried and crushed Urfa biber
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon citric acid
2 cinnamon sticks
1½ cups red verjus
¾ cup sugar
In a nonreactive 4-quart saucepan, combine the juniper berries, cloves, fennel seeds, peppercorns, Urfa biber, vanilla, citric acid, cinnamon, verjus, and sugar. Over medium-high heat, bring just to a boil, then decrease to a bare simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, fine-strain and discard the solids, and cool. Store the vermouth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Note Jermaine likes using citric acid in the vermouth for its direct, clean tartness and consistency. Buy it at modernistpantry.com.
Citrus Water
Makes 3 cups, enough for 10 drinks
8 oranges
8 lemons
4 grapefruits
1 whole nutmeg
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Remove the peels from the oranges, lemons, and grapefruits in long strips, avoiding the white pith. Reserve the meat for another use.
In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the citrus peels with the nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla, and 4 cups water. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat; decrease the heat to the lowest setting and cook at a bare simmer (bubbles should be just barely breaking the surface) until reduced to 3 cups, about 45 minutes. Fine-strain the liquid into a bowl, discard the solids, and let cool. Store the citrus water in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Batch for 6 Combine ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon vermouth and 2¼ cups citrus water in a pitcher filled with ice, and stir until thoroughly chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain, dividing among 6 Nick & Nora glasses (or whatever else you want to use). Garnish each with a Luxardo cherry.
The Umstead
Zack Thomas — Crawford and Son, Raleigh, North Carolina
Around the end of July, both mushrooms and blackberries can be found growing in Raleigh’s William B. Umstead State Park. That’s why, even though those two ingredients may sound strange paired together, Zack Thomas decided to try. “If it grows together, it goes together,” he says. Turns out, it does: the blackberries are sweet and tart, and the mushrooms have an earthy, nutty quality that balances out the drink. Because it’s slightly creamy from the yogurt, Zack likes the Umstead—yes, named for the park—after dinner, but it could go with brunch, too.
Commitment Level
Serves 1
1½ ounces Blackberry Syrup (recipe follows)
1½ ounces Maitake Mushroom Tea (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon Greek yogurt
Small pinch of sea salt
3–4 ounces soda water
Combine the syrup, tea, yogurt, and salt in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, seal the shaker, and shake for 10 to 15 seconds, until well chilled. Double-strain into a collins glass and top with soda water.
Blackberry Syrup
Makes 1¾ cups, enough for 9 drinks
1 cup blackberries
1 cup sugar
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blackberries, sugar, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar and using the back of a wooden spoon to break up the berries. Remove from the heat and let cool, then fine-strain and discard the solids. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Maitake Mushroom Tea
Makes ⅔ cup, enough for 3 drinks
1 cup dehydrated maitake mushrooms
1 cup just-boiled water
In a medium, heatproof bowl, add the mushrooms and pour the water over them; press the mushrooms to submerge. Let steep for 15 minutes, then strain and discard the solids. Store the tea in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.