By Rick Turner

Designated Drivers, you can relax. The best New Year’s Eve drink doesn’t have a lick of alcohol.

One of my favorite drinks to serve on NYE harkens back to one of America’s first true “soft drinks.” It’s called a Horse’s Neck, and it couldn’t be simpler to make or more surprisingly delicious.

To create this favorite of the Temperance Movement, use a vegetable peeler to remove the whole peel of a lemon in a spiral motion so you end up with a long ribbon of peel.  Next, line the inside of a Collins glass with that spiral-shaped peel. Squeeze a half-ounce of lemon juice into the glass, then add a splash of bitters and enough good quality ginger beer or ginger ale to fill the glass. (Ginger beer is non-alcoholic.)

You’ll find good quality ginger beer like Gosling’s, Cock & Bull, Reed’s or Fever Tree at many upscale grocery stores and at most liquor stores. The search will be worth your effort.

Remember your job is the most important of all on this Bacchus-inspired evening. Stay strong. Do not waiver.

Here’s to a NYE that’s full of flavor and free of hangovers.

Rick Turner is a Certified Specialist in Spirits  (Society of Wine Educators) and a Certified Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers). He is the general manager of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Dallas and writes about cocktails for EscapeHatchDallas.