CAnE Collective: Creative Drink Mixes for Dry January (and Beyond!)

Raise your hand if you’re doing Dry January (or Damp)? As we head into Weekend #2 of January, some of us might be getting a little antsy for a liquid treat during Happy Hour. It’s understandable, but it doesn’t mean you have to break your alcohol fast. Mocktails, especially those made with CAnE collective mixes, are a great alternative.

The concept of making a complex mocktail (beyond soda+juice) is similar to making a cocktail. You will have a base, something sour, something sweet, and perhaps a garnish, if you’re feeling fancy.

According to Wine Enthusiast, a good rule of thumb is to use 4 parts base, 1 part sour/acid, and .5 part sweet. In home-bartender speak, you could use 3 shots base (4.5 oz.), 1 shot sour (1.5 oz.), and a half shot sweet (.75 ounce), and of course, feel free to adjust for personal taste preferences. For a base, think soda water, tonic, ginger ale, fruit juice, coconut water, tea, etc. Some ideas for the sour note are citrus (lemon, lime, grapefruit juice), cranberry, ginger beer, or a shrub. The sweet component could be a simple syrup (try adding vanilla, an herb, fruit peel, or other flavoring to heighten your simple syrup), honey, agave, maple syrup, or fruit juice.

CAnE Collective has taken the guesswork out of home cocktail crafting and offers a line of handcrafted mixes, including seasonal favorites like the wintry Spiced Pear Punch and Cinnamon Cider Punch. These mixers focus on fresh ingredients, diverse flavors, and are 100% non-alcoholic.

Three years ago, Clinton Jackson (CJ) Alexander, Aaron Joseph, and Ezra Allen started the CAnE Collective because they believed that there was something missing in the spirits industry.

They noticed that there was a lack of understanding and education around one of their favorite spirits – Rum. They set off on a mission to clarify the mysteries surrounding rum and utilizing their combined 46 years in the bar and hospitality industries, they began to do just that through their creation of craft cocktails.

CAnE mixes are available to order via shipping, or you can find them at local markets and events like Honey’s Harvest Farm, Wildberry Farm + Market, and Fell’s Point Farmers Market.

Thanks to CAnE Collective for sharing these 3 recipes for some sophisticated mocktails:

Blood Orange Paloma

2 oz. Cane’s Blood Orange Southside Mixer

5 oz. Fever-Tree Grapefruit Soda

Serve with ice in a highball glass, garnished with mint and orange slices.

Pom Pom Mule

2 oz. Pomegranate-Pear Punch

5 oz. Fever-Tree Ginger Beer

Serve with ice in a highball glass, garnished with lime slices and candied ginger.

Chai Spirtz

2 oz. Cane Chai Toddy