12 Barnes & Brown Cocktail Recipes to Make at Home
Plus: How to Make Your Own Alcohol-Free Bitters • islifearecipe.net
Zero proof, full ritual. Twelve Barnes & Brown cocktails and two DIY bitters recipes so your home bar can finally take non‑alcoholic drinks seriously.
Taking the Mock Out of Mocktail
Let me be honest with you. For years, ordering a non-alcoholic drink at a bar in Singapore meant one of two things: a glass of lime juice or an awkward conversation with a bartender who clearly hadn't thought about this category very hard. Things have changed.
Barnes & Brown is a premium non-alcoholic spirits brand that takes the craft of distillation seriously. Each expression is built around real botanicals, genuine complexity, and a flavour architecture that can hold up to the scrutiny of a proper cocktail. Whether you're sober curious, cutting back on alcohol, pregnant, driving, or simply after something delicious that isn't a soft drink, these bottles deserve a place on your home bar shelf.
I've been putting together this recipe guide using the full Barnes & Brown range, and I have to say, some of these cocktails surprised even me. The Countess Negroni stopped a dinner guest mid-sip. The Southern Belle Old Fashioned holds up beautifully on a slow Friday evening. And the Citrus Marmalade Margarita has become a firm weekend favourite in my household.
Below you'll find twelve signature zero-proof cocktails — one for every spirit in the range — plus two bonus recipes to make your own alcohol-free bitters at home. Yes, bitters too. We're going all the way.
Meet the Range
Barnes & Brown produces seven core expressions, each designed to mirror a classic spirit category while standing on its own as a flavourful, complex non-alcoholic alternative.
- Southern Belle — a whisky alternative with oak, vanilla, and warming spice.
- Lady Juniper — a gin alternative built on classic botanicals and bright citrus.
- Signorina Valentina — an aperitif alternative with bittersweet Italian flair.
- Countess Cora — a vermouth alternative, herbal and lightly sweet.
- Miss Agave — a tequila alternative with genuine agave depth.
- Señorita Bianco — a white rum alternative, clean, tropical, and versatile.
- Lady Marmalade Triple Sec — an orange-led triple sec alternative with bright citrus and gentle sweetness.
One thing worth noting for home bar enthusiasts: Barnes & Brown has an 18‑month unopened shelf life — well above the 12‑month industry standard — and a three‑month refrigerated shelf life once opened. That makes it genuinely practical to stock up and use across multiple occasions.
The Recipes
A note on equipment: you'll want a cocktail shaker, a mixing glass, a bar spoon, a fine strainer, and your choice of rocks glasses, coupes, highballs, and wine glasses. A large silicone ice mould for big cubes is also worth the investment — it makes a real difference with spirit-forward drinks like the Old Fashioned.
1. Southern Belle Old Fashioned
Spirit: Barnes & Brown Southern Belle
Ingredients
- 60 ml Southern Belle
- 5 ml maple syrup
- 2 dashes Non-Alcoholic Aromatic Bitters
- Orange peel
- Large ice cube
Method
Stir Southern Belle, maple syrup, and bitters together in a mixing glass with plenty of ice. Strain over a large cube into a rocks glass. Take the orange peel and express the oils over the surface of the drink before resting it on the rim.
Tasting Notes: Oak, caramel, and warming spice. This is the gateway cocktail for anyone skeptical about zero proof.
2. Zero-Proof Manhattan
Spirit: Southern Belle + Countess Cora
Ingredients
- 40 ml Southern Belle
- 30 ml Countess Cora Vermouth Alternative
- 5 ml date syrup
- 2 dashes Non-Alcoholic Aromatic Bitters
- Alcohol-free cocktail cherry
Method
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir for a full thirty seconds — this is a stirred cocktail, so patience matters. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with the cocktail cherry.
Tasting Notes: Spiced, herbal, and slightly sweet. The date syrup rounds out the vermouth beautifully.
3. Lady Juniper & Tonic
Spirit: Lady Juniper Gin Alternative
Ingredients
- 60 ml Lady Juniper
- 120 ml premium tonic water
- 1 dash Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters
- Lime wedge
Method
Build directly in a highball glass over ice. Add Lady Juniper first, followed by the tonic. Add one dash of orange bitters and gently stir once. Garnish with a wedge of lime.
Tasting Notes: Bright botanicals and citrus. The simplest recipe on this list and one of the best.
4. Garden Gimlet
Spirit: Lady Juniper
Ingredients
- 60 ml Lady Juniper
- 25 ml fresh lime juice
- 15 ml simple syrup
- 1 dash Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters
- Cucumber slice
Method
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a thin cucumber slice laid across the top of the glass.
Tasting Notes: Fresh lime and botanical aromatics. Elegant and surprisingly refreshing.
5. Signorina Spritz
Spirit: Signorina Valentina Aperitif Alternative
Ingredients
- 60 ml Signorina Valentina
- 90 ml soda water
- 30 ml alcohol-free sparkling grape juice
- 1 dash Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters
- Orange slice
Method
Build directly in a large wine glass over ice. Add Signorina Valentina, then the soda, then the grape juice. Add one dash of orange bitters and garnish with an orange slice.
Tasting Notes: Bright bitter citrus and bubbles. Your Aperol Spritz just got a zero-proof upgrade.
6. Italian Sunset
Spirit: Signorina Valentina
Ingredients
- 50 ml Signorina Valentina
- 40 ml grapefruit juice
- 10 ml agave syrup
- 1 dash Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters
- Soda water to top
Method
Shake Signorina Valentina, grapefruit juice, agave syrup, and bitters with ice. Strain over fresh ice in a rocks or highball glass. Top with a splash of soda water.
Tasting Notes: Bittersweet grapefruit and citrus. The colour alone will make your Instagram followers ask questions.
7. Countess Negroni
Spirit: Lady Juniper + Countess Cora + Signorina Valentina
Ingredients
- 30 ml Lady Juniper
- 30 ml Countess Cora
- 30 ml Signorina Valentina
- 2 dashes Non-Alcoholic Aromatic Bitters
- Orange peel
Method
Combine all three spirits and bitters in a mixing glass with ice. Stir well and strain over a large cube in a rocks glass. Express orange peel over the surface.
Tasting Notes: Herbal, bitter, and aromatic. This is the one that converts people. Every single time.
8. Citrus Marmalade Margarita
Spirit: Miss Agave + Lady Marmalade
Ingredients
- 40 ml Miss Agave
- 20 ml Lady Marmalade
- 25 ml lime juice
- 10 ml agave syrup
- 1 dash Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters
- Salt rim
Method
Run a lime wedge around the rim of a coupe or rocks glass and dip in fine salt. Shake all ingredients hard with ice and strain into the prepared glass.
Tasting Notes: Bright citrus with agave depth. The salt rim is non-negotiable.
9. Agave Paloma
Spirit: Miss Agave
Ingredients
- 60 ml Miss Agave
- 60 ml grapefruit juice
- 15 ml lime juice
- 1 dash Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters
- Soda water to top
Method
Build in a tall glass over ice. Add Miss Agave, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and bitters. Top with soda water and stir once gently.
Tasting Notes: Fresh grapefruit and agave. Mexico's most underrated cocktail, reimagined.
10. Señorita Daiquiri
Spirit: Señorita Bianco
Ingredients
- 60 ml Señorita Bianco
- 25 ml lime juice
- 15 ml simple syrup
- 1 dash Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters
Method
Shake all ingredients hard with ice. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. No garnish needed — let the clarity of the cocktail speak for itself.
Tasting Notes: Clean citrus and tropical notes. Proof that simple and perfect are not mutually exclusive.
11. Tropical Rum Cooler
Spirit: Señorita Bianco
Ingredients
- 50 ml Señorita Bianco
- 40 ml pineapple juice
- 20 ml lime juice
- 10 ml coconut syrup
- 1 dash Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters
Method
Shake all ingredients with ice. Serve over crushed ice in a rocks or tiki glass.
Tasting Notes: Light tropical fruit and citrus. Close your eyes. You're basically there.
12. Southern Belle Nightcap
Spirit: Southern Belle
Ingredients
- 60 ml Southern Belle
- 10 ml vanilla syrup
- 2 dashes Non-Alcoholic Aromatic Bitters
- Orange peel
Method
Stir with ice and strain over a large cube in a rocks glass. Express orange peel over the surface before serving.
Tasting Notes: Vanilla, caramel, and spice. The one you reach for when the night is winding down nicely.
Bonus: Make Your Own Alcohol-Free Bitters
Traditional cocktail bitters use alcohol as the solvent that extracts flavour from botanicals and also preserves the finished product. Creating a zero-proof version requires a different approach: water extraction through simmering and steeping, with vegetable glycerol providing both preservation and body.
These homemade bitters work beautifully across the entire recipe list above. The aromatic version pairs with whisky and vermouth-style cocktails; the orange version lifts gin, aperitif, and citrus-forward drinks. Both are simple to make, keep well in the fridge, and frankly make any zero-proof cocktail taste considerably more sophisticated.
Non-Alcoholic Aromatic Bitters
Ingredients
- 15 g cloves
- 20 g Ceylon cinnamon
- 5.5 g star anise
- 7 g dried orange peel
- 3 g nutmeg
- 6 g green cardamom pods
- 4 g ground ginger
- 4 g allspice berries
- 1.5 g black pepper
- 1.2 g vanilla bean
- 4 g tonka bean
- 10 g cinchona bark
- 10 g gentian root
- 500 ml water
- 50 g glycerol (or 20 g caramelised sugar)
- 7 drops caramel colouring per 100 ml (optional)
Method
- Lightly crush all whole spices in a mortar and pestle to expose their surface area.
- Add all botanicals to a saucepan with 500 ml cold water.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to steep overnight, approximately 12 hours.
- Filter through cheesecloth or a coffee filter to remove all solids.
- Add glycerol or caramelised sugar to provide body and preservation.
- Add caramel colouring if desired to achieve the traditional amber bitters colour.
- Bottle in dropper bottles or dasher bottles. Shelf life: 3 to 6 months refrigerated.
Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters
Ingredients
- 15 g coriander
- 40 g sweet orange peel
- 4 g star anise
- 2 g cloves
- 5 g cardamom
- 1.5 g caraway
- 4 g cinchona bark
- 25 g gentian root
- 500 ml water
- 50 g glycerol (or 30 g honey)
Method
- Lightly crush coriander, cardamom, and star anise to open the seeds.
- Combine all ingredients with 500 ml water in a saucepan.
- Simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- Cover and allow botanicals to steep for 12 to 18 hours.
- Strain carefully through cheesecloth or a fine filter.
- Add glycerol or honey to round out the bitterness and preserve the liquid.
- Bottle in amber dasher bottles. Shelf life: 3 to 4 months refrigerated.
Where to Try Barnes & Brown Cocktails
If you want to taste Barnes & Brown in the wild before you start shaking at home, Huevos is already pouring with the range. They’re serving Barnes & Brown tequila and triple sec alternatives in a run of zero‑proof cocktails that deliver full agave character without the alcohol.
For even more inspiration, the Barnes & Brown team share additional recipes and serving ideas on their own site — dive into their latest creations over at barnesandbrown.co.
And if you’re in Southeast Asia and looking to stock these bottles for your bar, restaurant, or event, reach out to Zero Proof Collective. They’re the exclusive regional distributor for Barnes & Brown and are on a mission to “take the mock out of mocktails” with a serious zero‑proof programme across the region.
Where to Get Barnes & Brown in Singapore
Barnes & Brown is distributed in Singapore by Zero Proof Collective Pte Ltd. The full range is available on Lazada, and the team is actively working with hospitality partners across the island to bring these spirits to bars, restaurants, and events.
If you're a bar manager, events professional, or venue looking to add a credible zero-proof spirits programme, Zero Proof Collective would love to hear from you. Reach out at info@zeroproof.com.sg or visit zeroproof.com.sg for more information.