Blackberry Paloma Mocktail

If you’re a fan of smoky spirits like mezcal, here’s a mocktail for you! Palomas are one of my very favorite cocktails to enjoy year round, and since being pregnant, I’ve been looking for ways to mimic the flavor of that classic agave and grapefruit cocktail.

I discovered that adding a few dashes of my Hella Bitters Smoked Chili Bitters gives the perfect smoky flavor, with the perk of adding a little heat as well. Yes, these bitters do contain alcohol, however, the alcohol content of a few dashes of bitters is negligible. That being said, this recipe isn’t for you if you can’t have any alcohol.

The smoky, chili flavor with fresh blackberries, lime, and grapefruit soda is a winning combination, and one I’d make again even when I’m back to making boozier mezcal Palomas.

I love the grapefruit soda from Q Drinks. It’s got a really intense sweet-sour grapefruit flavor that stands up to bold spirits like mezcal. For this mocktail, I’ve added an ounce of butterfly pea tea, which adds gorgeous color and also dilution.

I find that a touch of dilution is necessary with this grapefruit soda when I’m not mixing it with liquor, but feel free to skip the butterfly pea tea if you’re using a different soda, or if you don’t have any BFP on hand.

It’s a fun cocktail ingredient that adds significantly more color than flavor. You can find it on Amazon. I really like the ease of individual tea sachets (rather than loose dried flowers) from Wild Hibiscus Co.

This recipe may contain Amazon affiliate links. I occasionally recommend products I personally use and enjoy and if you make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.