The Winter Cup

The Winter Cup is a spice-driven, long-format cocktail that builds on the structure of a classic Fruit Cup, while shifting the focus toward citrus, ginger, and layered botanicals. Fresh ginger and lime bring brightness and bite, while lemon juice and Warm Spice Syrup round the mid-palate with gentle heat and depth.

The Spirit of Aperitivo Milano contributes bitterness and weight, while The Spirit of Gin sharpens the profile with juniper and citrus lift. Finished with sparkling mineral water, the drink remains light and aromatic, with an assertive garnish of herbs and fruit that reinforces its spiced, botanical core.

The Winter Cup (Non-Alocholic)

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Ingredients

1 ½ oz The Spirit of Milano
1 ½ oz The Spirit of Gin
½ oz Warm Spice Syrup
½ oz lemon juice
3 slices of fresh ginger and 3 lime wheels.
Topo Chico
Garnish with rosemary, sage, an orange slice and cranberries on a pick.

Method

Muddle the fruit and ginger in a cocktail shaker
Add The Spirit of Milano, The Spirit of Gin, lemon juice, and Warm Spice Syrup
Shake over ice and strain into an iced tall stemmed glass
Add topo chico and garnish with rosemary, sage, an orange slice and cranberries on a pick.

*For warm spice syrup

In a saucepan add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water and 1 tbsp pumpkin spice mix.
Heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Allow to cool before use.

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Why This Works

The drink succeeds through balance and contrast. Fresh ginger and lime provide heat and acidity that keep the profile lively, while Warm Spice Syrup adds depth without tipping into sweetness. The Spirit of Aperitivo Milano supplies bitterness and body, giving the cocktail its structure, and The Spirit of Gin lifts the finish with citrus and juniper. Sparkling mineral water keeps the build light and aromatic, allowing spice and herbs to register clearly without overwhelming the base.

About Free Spirits: The Spirit of Aperitivo Milano

The Spirit of Aperitivo Milano is built on the bittersweet, bitter-bright profile of northern Italian aperitivos, using citrus peel, gentian, bitter orange, and spice botanicals to deliver a pronounced bitter front, lifted citrus, and a rounded herbal core without drifting syrupy or artificial. Its structure gives spritzes real authority, with enough bite to cut through bubbles and enough depth to stay defined when lengthened with soda or tonic. The finish is clean, long, and lingering, the kind of bitterness that resets the palate rather than coating it. Exceptional in Spritzes, Americanos, Negroni variations, and any cocktail that calls for an aperitivo with balance, vibrancy, and disciplined bitterness.

The Fruit Cup, Reworked

Fruit cups sit at the intersection of punch and highball, defined by citrus, restrained sweetness, and a lightly bitter backbone. The format is intentionally flexible, allowing spice, aromatics, and garnish to shape the drink without changing its essential structure. By emphasizing ginger, warm spice, and herbal garnish, this version maintains the refreshing logic of the style while pushing aroma and bitterness to the foreground.

Zero-Proof Cocktail Basics

What is a zero-proof cocktail?

A zero-proof cocktail is a fully built drink that follows the same principles as any classic: acid, sweetness, aromatics, dilution, and a defined base spirit. The difference is the base is non-alcoholic. When that spirit has enough structure and character, like the ones we make, you get a cocktail that drinks like a cocktail, not a compromise.

How do non-alcoholic spirits work in classic cocktail recipes?

Non-alcoholic spirits step into the role of the base spirit. They carry citrus, sugar, bitters, and dilution the same way their alcoholic counterparts do. Some recipes need small ratio adjustments, but the technique stays the same: build the drink, balance the elements, and let the base spirit define the profile.

Do zero-proof cocktails taste like the originals?

They taste like cocktails: recognizable, structured, and intentional. The goal isn't imitation; it's integrity. When the build is balanced and the spirit has presence, you get the character of the drink without relying on alcohol to do the work.

Can zero-proof cocktails have real complexity?

Yes. Complexity comes from design, not ethanol. A well-built zero-proof cocktail shows layers: aromatics, texture, finish. The craft sits in the composition, not the ABV. The right non-alcoholic spirit brings the structure; the ingredients do the rest.

What is the difference between zero-proof and low-proof cocktails?

Zero-proof cocktails contain no alcohol. Low-proof cocktails blend traditional spirits with non-alcoholic spirits to dial down the ABV while keeping the drink's identity intact. It's the easiest way to keep the ritual, cut the intensity, and stay in full control of the experience.

Why does Free Spirits work so well in both zero-proof and low-proof cocktails?

The Spirit of Aperitivo Milano has the bittersweet complexity and structural bitterness/brightness that aperitivo cocktails depend on. It brings enough intensity to stand alone in zero-proof Negronis, Spritzes, and Americanos, yet it also integrates cleanly when split with traditional aperitivos in low-proof builds. Whether used as the full base or in a half-and-half approach, it behaves like a true aperitivo, keeping the drink bright, balanced, and instantly familiar.