Recipe of the Month: "Spiked" Hot Chocolate 🍫

You're never too old to drink hot chocolate (especially with a non-alcoholic agave spirt).

Photo by Rachael Gorjestani on Unsplash

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Editor’s Note: This week, The Weekend Pour is on hold due to the additional essay sent out Monday. Instead, we’ll feature our Recipe of the Month. Because of the switch, the usually paywalled Recipe of the Month will be made available free for all. But we also hope you sign up to support Positive Damage’s ongoing work.

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At Halloween, I’ve never understood the sour-candy folks. Why on earth would anyone choose sour candy over chocolate?! In my Halloween loot, sour candy was always saved for last (right before the Twizzlers and raisins), while the chocolate bars were, of course, devoured first.

Maybe some people go for sour because there are anecdotal reports that it eases anxiety. Fair enough. But chocolate has actual studies behind it—supporting its benefits for heart health and brain function. Sure, the studies are small and candy bars probably don’t count, but I’m sticking to my guns: Chocolate rules, sour candy drools.

I never promised this Substack would be free from childhood taunts.

But we’re adults here, so let’s act like it. Usually, that means spiking your favorite childhood drinks. But when you want something grown-up without the alcohol, there are now fantastic options. One of the best? Non-alcoholic agave spirits. They’re among the top new trends in non-alcoholic beverages, part of a growing category focused on authenticity and taste. I’ll dive deeper into that soon, but for now, let’s talk about using agave spirits in hot cocktails.

The Weekend Pour: Agave Edition

Hot chocolate doesn’t have to be sweet; it can be bold, spicy, and rich. That’s what “Mexican hot chocolate” promises, but lets make that promise deliver. Below is a recipe I cribbed from my book, Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails. It was originally a cold cocktail with hot sauce called “On Your Mark,” but I rescued the spiced cacao for a new iteration. I kept the oat milk because I’m not someone who loves dairy. However, you could easily replace oat milk with whatever milk you want, dairy or nut.

Any additional sweetener is optional. However, please remember that oat milk is a touch sweet and this isn’t meant to be candy, chocolate, sour, or otherwise.

Thank you to Oar Health for sponsoring Positive Damage.

On Your Mark. Photo by Nole Garey.

“Spiked” Hot Chocolate

Makes one serving

8 oz. Mug

• 1 oz. Non-Alcoholic Distilled Agave Spirit

• 2 oz. Spiced Cacao* (make recipe below or use high-grade spiced cacao like Ora)

• 4 oz. Oat Milk

• 1/4 oz. Agave Syrup (optional)

• Pinch of Cayenne

Combine spiced cacao and other ingredients in medium sauce pan and heat for 5 minutes. Use a hand blender or blender to combine and foam.

*Spiced Cacao

• 4 tsp. Unsweetened Cacao

• .5 tsp. Whole Cloves

• .5 tsp. Ground Cardamom

• .5 tsp. Orange Peel

• 2 Cinnamon Sticks

• 2 cups Water

Combine ingredients in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Strain liquid through colander lined with cheesecloth into a heatproof container. Liquid can be cooled and stored for up to 48 hours.

When you order non-alcoholic spirits for your “Spiked” Hot Chocolate from my friends at The Zero Proof, use promo code POSITIVEDAMAGE15 for 15% off your order.

What’s happening and what’s next….

1. John deBary shares “What It Takes to Run a World-Class Non-Alcoholic Beverage Program” in VinePair. Not only does he quote some of the top NA minds, but he quotes me, too, as saying something I personally know to be true: “‘Bartenders do f*ck things up,’ says Derek Brown, Washington, D.C.-based founder of Positive Damage, a drinks consulting company focusing on mindful drinking.” 🌎

2. I agree with writer Daisy Jones in her Vogue India article, “Vibes-based drinking is the only kind of drinking you should be doing.” In it she mentions my “four C’s” for drinking occasions: “mindful drinking expert Derek Brown swears by ‘the four Cs’ when it comes to reasonable drinking: celebration, conviviality, consecration and connoisseurship.” 🥳

3. Last year, I wrote this article for Liquor.com on, “What Should We Call Non-Alcoholic Spirits?” I discuss who has the right to use the term “mezcal” or “vermouth?” It’s a complicated question. 🌹

4. Sarah Callahan in “Happy Halloween! And, Some Real Life Reminders About Holidays and Candy!” of The Nutrition for Life Project Blog mirrors the message of mindful drinking for the spookiest of holidays (both for the ghouls and calorie count): Eat your candy mindfully. 🍬

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Thank you to Oar Health for your important work and sponsorship of Positive Damage! Learn more about how Oar Health can help you drink less or quit here.