Author: Nik Popkow

Let’s celebrate Sober St. Patrick’s Day! Check out this throwback from Tonix Mocktails circa 2021, powering up an oh-so-creative mocktail called “We are the Luckiest” to celebrate our love of #QUITLIT, Sober St. Patrick’s Day, and the Reading Rainbow Theme Song. 🤣 We love, love, love the book “We Are the Luckiest” by Laura McKowen. This one’s an ode to you, Laura! What’s in the mix with the “We are the Luckiest” Inspired Lucky Lemonade Mocktail by Nik Popkow @Tonix.Mocktails this week? Ingredients: “This is the singular, hard truth I come up against every day: I am the only one responsible for my experience.” — Laura McKowen, We…

Here’s another throwback out of our sober archives by Tonix Mocktails. Nik Popkow is serving up a very creative, DIY, zero-proof mocktail recipe you can make at home called “The Wednesday”. Inspired by Christina Ricci from the Addams Family circa 1991, this drink will dazzle and delight. I guess one could consider this a wellness drink of sorts! What’s in the Mix with Tonix Mocktails? Ingredients: Check out additional posts from Tonix Mocktails:

Were you looking for a fun way to jazz up your festive DryBations this Holiday season? How about a Peppermint Bark-inspired rim!?! On this Just A Merry Mocktail Monday, Let’s rim some glasses! What you will need: How to: To operate a double boiler, fill the bottom vessel with about an inch or two of water. Do not fill all the way. Turn on the heat and let the steam from the boiling water melt your chocolate. Enjoy Safely! Remember, if you give this a go, tag @thesobercurator and me in your photos!!! Until Next Week! To Your Health! Xoxo -Nik…

Adding different flavor elements to your DryBations is a great way to elevate your garnish game!On this week’s, Just a Merry Mocktail Monday, let’s make some tasty flavored foam! What you will need to make flavored foam: It’s as easy as adding a pinch of Versawhip to a small amount of your liquid and letting the milk frother do its thaaaaang! This lovely way to add dense foam that won’t deflate and adds an additional flavor element. How about a Lemonade with a Lavender Foam?Or a Mint Bevy with a Chocolate Foam!?Let your creativity take flight and tag me and…

Are you a hands-on shopper?Looking for a curated selection of NonAlc beverages? Well, I’m taking you virtual shopping, On This – Just a Merry Mocktail Monday!!! On the Eastside of Los Angeles… in the Indie/Hip part of town, in a city called Silverlake, a beautiful Non-Alcoholic Bottle Shop has opened its doors! Let me introduce you to Soft Spirits! This bottle shop is a great introduction to NonAlc bevies!  Are you looking to try options but don’t want to commit to large quantities from Online Retailers for free shipping?  Or would you like to skip shipping in general? In-person shopping…

Is it getting cold outside? Wanting to heat things up? Grab your crock pot and let’s get to the kitchen! On this, Just A Merry Mocktail Monday, let’s make a Hot Cider!!! What you’ll need: Directions: Cube your fruit and remove all rind and pith from your citrus and combine in your crock pot with spices and 7 cups of water.Cook on low for 8 hoursORCook on high for 4 hoursWith the last 30 minutes to and hour, smoosh your fruit in the crock pot.After carefully straining, add in your maple syrup and ENJOY!! This is a wonderful drink to…

As fall festivities approach, and we attend our Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving feasts, how will we toast with flavorful DryBations? Let’s get inspired with flavors of the season, on this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday! Today, we will focus on one of my favorite fall fruits, pomegranate! The beauty about putting the focus on the pomegranate is there are so many products to incorporate for your non-alcoholic beverages!The Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants and vitamins with a tart and sweet flavor which supports so many amazing recipes! You can get already peeled fruit for garnishes, you can use the juice as a tart…

What are bitters?
What do bitters do?
Are they Non-Alcoholic?
Are they Alcohol-Free?

Inspiration is, quite literally, everywhere! We are going to the Candy Shop, @lolliandpops on this JUST A MERRY MOCKTAIL MONDAY! Don’t have a cotton candy maker at home? NBD, look at all these lovely options!! A variety in so many flavors … the possibilities to create something unique is nearly effortless!! If you’re looking for a simpler Garnish… they also carry gummy candy. Such a lovely treat on a Mocktail Pick. Makin’ a NonAlc Penicillin? Add some candied ginger! It’s a lovely treat for any festivity! Bonus, their packaging makes storage clean with a lovely aesthetic! Lolli and Pop have…

I’ve got some sweet little TRICKs for you (that are a real TREAT) on this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday! Wanna turn any DryBation into a spooky elixir!?! Just add a bit of activated charcoal!! Not only does it look WICKED but activated charcoal has some benefits as well! It helps detoxify the body and supports kidney function! Wanna level it up a little!? Add a pinch of edible glitter for a swirly, enchanted potion… How about a little over-the-top garnish!?! Let’s add Cotton Candy and Plastic Spiders!!! Now you have a decadent (and somewhat elaborate) Mocktail! Can we take…

Are you looking to add some creepy Halloween and easy to create garnishes to your alcohol-free beverages? We’ve got you covered!

Halloween meets Mocktail Monday with a #boozefreetiki twist!! Let’s have a little DryBation mixing fun, on this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday!! Let’s make a twist on a classic Piña Colada with a little Spooky drizzle…

Is festive glassware necessary for a good holiday time? Nooooo… but it sure helps!! 

Throwback to the Sober Pop Mock(tail) recipe that was created by @Tonix.Mocktails in the Spring of 2021. Nik created this clever beverage for the Sober Pop Club TV-themed night, where we discussed our favorite TV series that had addiction as an underlying storyline. We thought Sober October was the perfect time to bring this one back out of our sober archives. Sober Pop Mock of the Week: True Blood Ingredients You’ll Need: Movie Night with The Sober Curator Need some recommendations on what to watch? We’ve got you covered! Because it’s movie night and the feelings right, it’s movie night!…

Mocktail Monday is BACK and complete with a simple yet dramatic garnish that will level up your presentation!

Here’s a fun Orange Garnish for you on this, Just a Merry Mocktail Monday! As long as you have a Cutting Board, Paring Knife, Y-Peeler, and a Large Orange, you are all set! How to Create This Clever Orange Garnish: Full transparency, I am just getting home from Tiki Oasis 2021 where I was the Presenter of the 90 Minute Mocktails & Garnishes Class and I am very very sleeeepy! Thank you for keeping up with me and thank you for understanding! Stay tuned for more awesome Tiki Oasis content! Until Next Week,To Your Health,Xoxo,-Nik Sober Curator Pro Tip: Curious…

Crushin’ it on this JUST A MERRY MOCKTAIL MONDAY! Have you ever received a drink and immediately think… “Ooooo, they got that Good Ice…” or you’re looking to make a #boozefreetiki alternative to some classic Tiki Cocktails and notice it calls for Crushed Ice?? Maybe you’re like me and the mercy of the Grocery Store for your ice (with the exception of all the glorious ice cube trays…) Well, grabbing a Lewis Bag and a Mallet will make your crushed ice dreams come true as little as ONE, TWO, IT’S HAMMER TIME! There are a few other methods for achieving…

Honey, You’re the bee’s knees… Simple syrups are fun and easy to make. You can have a variety of different flavors and combinations. Switch up the sweetener used to make your syrups and sometimes you may want to use Honey! On this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday, let’s have some fun making a fresh Ginger Honey Syrup!! Using a 1:1:1 ratio combine water, freshly grated organic ginger, and organic honey into a saucepan and turn on low heat. After about 10 to 15 minutes on a super low temp, remove from heat and let the ginger steep with the honey…

Mocktails Out In The Wild!!Let’s chat about going out and having Alcohol Free experiences!! The non-alcoholic industry is booming and that wouldn’t be happening if there was no demand for it. Companies make products people want. And we, people, want nonalcoholic drinks! Of course, making Mocktails at home is fun and creative but sometimes going out for celebratory or social purposes is a blast! Fortunately, there are places like Kindred Spirit and Ocean Beach Café that are designed and dedicated to non-alcoholic experiences! The world is catching on but it will only catch on if we ask them for it!…

Rhubarb Ribbons!!
Let’s play around with some Rhubarb Stalks, on this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday!!

Are you looking to level up on your DIY at-home mocktail making skills? I’ve said before and I will say it again…garnishes will take your Mocktail experience up a notch. You taste with your eyes first….After that, comes smell. Garnishes help in both of these areas. As pretty and intricate as some garnishes may be, sometimes just a little added fruit can make it feel just a little bit more special. Maybe you have a brunch to host? Maybe a friend you haven’t seen in awhile is coming over? There are lots of reasons why you’d want to serve several…

On this Just A Merry Mocktail Monday, I’d like to walk you through my at-home zero proof mocktail recipe book library and share some tips on how to ensure your DIY mocktail making game is strong.

On this Just A Merry Mocktail Monday, I’d like to walk you through a new method of making a home floral syrups! Do you like floral syrup?Did you like Rose Syrup?Would you like to try something new!? Before, we used a ready to go, organic, edible flower situation…. but since these lilacs were foraged from my Grandma Rosa’s backyard, the safe thing is to boil the flowers and make a tea first so the petals don’t sit in with the sugar causing possible bacteria growth. The ratio is still the same when making the syrup. You will use one part…

On this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday, you can learn how to care for your at-home alcohol-free goods. With the Non-Alc world growing exponentially, it’s easy to pile up all the good stuff. In order to keep your goods nice and fresh, always make sure to check the label (or the brand’s website) for optimal storage. Some ingredients are super fresh or contain elements that are not shelf-stable at room temperature. So, be careful after opening it and handle it with care! Also, you may want to use a pour spout for effortless pours, accuracy, or esthetic, but (especially with…

On this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday, you can learn how to make an alcohol-free Mojito. Or perhaps you’ll want to call it a No-jito!

On this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday, let’s chat about juice! Is it worth the squeeze? What if I told you that you don’t need a juicer to get fresh and amazing juice!

On this Just a Merry Mocktail Monday, let’s chat about dehydrated fruit! How about a little garnish prep that, if stored properly, will last you a super long time? There are two methods you can do. First, being the obvious and using a food dehydrator. However, if you don’t have one, you’re not lucked out! You can use your oven! Just be sure to prop it open just a bit . I just wedge a wooden mixing spoon in the door and it works just fine! Although it may seem time consuming, having garnishes already prepped makes not having fresh…

Mocktail Monday FOR ALL! Sure mixing up Mocktails is a lot of fun but regardless of the WHY (not a lot of extra time, ran out of an ingredient, or just wanna keep it simple), the ready to drink options in the NonAlc World are Mind-Blowingly Amazing!- The only problem you may run into is selecting which one!!! (Or maybe selecting them all and having to get a separate Non-Alc Fridge to fit it all!) 🏻‍♀️)If you’re looking for Alcohol-Free, Low/No Sugar, PreMixed, Packaged with Flavor, Good for the Gut, Spiked with adaptogens … there’s something out there for you!…

On this Just A Merry Mocktail Monday, we’ll go over sustainability tips that are oh-so-tasty. Have you made your own floral simple syrup? After you strain your flowers/herbs from your syrup liquid don’t throw away anything just yet!

#JUST424 is a virtual event and viral social media campaign to show your support for the recovery community. Nik Popkow, Founder of Tonix Mocktails and Sober Curator, is mixing up the berry best that you can easily DIY at home.