Maybe this is just the Aldi super-fan in me saying this, but the grocer truly has something for everyone. If you like looking for cheap home goods, dog toys, or occasionally clothing, take a stroll down the Aldi Finds aisle. If you're an entertainer and host your fair share of gatherings, you're probably more than familiar with the store's impressive dip selection, as well as its ample selection of cured meats, cheeses, and crackers. It turns out that the grocery store known for its low prices and high-quality foods. It also carries some affordably priced, must-have bar essentials, too.
It's important to note that, while some Aldi stores do carry alcohol, this does not apply to all of its locations -- including in my home state of Rhode Island. I wanted to instead highlight everything-besides-the-booze, including the items that you need to whip up tasty craft cocktails, tiki drinks, ABV-free beverages, and more. This selection of garnishes, mixers, and more has all been tested or purchased by yours truly, meaning I can attest to each product's taste, quality, and utility. Each item on this list boasts excellent value and is worthy of a spot on your bar cart or your beverage fridge.
Read more: 13 Best Kitchen Products To Buy At Aldi
I'll admit that I was a little apprehensive when I saw this bottled peach Bellini mocktail in the Aldi Finds. Each package comes with four small glass bottles, and I figure that if you grabbed one out of a cooler, everyone would just assume you were drinking a cocktail -- they're that sleek and attractive-looking. As the name implies, these bottles are mocktails -- made with sparkling water, cane sugar, peach puree, peach juice, and some other fruit juices. I expected it would taste like a soda, but I found that this drink actually isn't very sweet at all. The carbonation is gentle, and I pulled out strong peachy notes easily. There is actual peach puree floating around inside of it, which gives you the feeling that you're drinking a Bellini -- just without the booze. However, I think that the use of the puree gives it a slightly fermented mouthfeel and tangy flavor, which is not only different than the soda I was expecting, but better.
Given that this drink isn't super sweet, I could foresee drinking it as an ABV-free selection straight from the bottle. However, I think it has tons of utility for bartenders, too. You could add a splash of your favorite white wine to give it more of a fermented flavor, or even go for a splash of vodka. Don't let the "mocktail" label discourage you from adding it to your cart. It's a unique and versatile mixer that I haven't found at other grocers besides Aldi.
I honestly wasn't expecting to see a margarita "mix" in my Aldi, but the grocer is always full of surprises. The grocer sells two refrigerated mocktail products: lime margarita and strawberry guava mojito mix (both of which sounded excellent, though I only tried the former). I'll admit that store-bought margarita mixes usually aren't my cup of tea, and I was especially surprised to find a bottle of it refrigerated at my local store.
The lime margarita mocktail mix tastes like a melted Outshine lime fruit pop. It's sweet -- some margarita mix purists may say too sweet -- but I think this flavor, specifically, makes it a compelling addition to your favorite mezcal or tequila cocktail. As I sipped it, my mouth was coated in the puckery lime and sugary sweetness, and I couldn't help but think that it would have been even tastier with a shot of tequila or blended into a frozen margarita with ice. I prepared a quick ABV-free drink to finish my workday using equal parts of the lime margarita mixer and Summit ginger beer (more on that later). It was super refreshing -- not too sweet and not too sour. It would be even tastier with a twist of lime or some muddled mint in the glass. Like the peach Bellini mocktail, I don't think bartenders should scoff at this refrigerated beverage based on its "mocktail" label alone. Its flavor and tartness make it a versatile addition to any cocktail enthusiast's arsenal.
There are numerous egg white cocktails worth experimenting with, including whiskey sours, pisco sours, and coveted amaretto sours. While you could separate yolks and whites by hand, if you're bartending for a crowd, this may not always be practical. Luckily, Aldi has you covered with its bottled egg whites.
Cocktail purists may have some things to say about using bottled egg whites instead of fresh ones for cocktails. It usually takes longer to shake pasteurized egg whites than it would fresh ones, and the result may not be as silky. However, there are important safety benefits of using cartons of egg whites, like this Goldhen-branded product. The egg whites are pasteurized, meaning that they are treated with heat to kill off bacteria, like salmonella. Salmonella lives on the eggshells, and while contracting it is rare (considering the number of eggs sold), it is possible -- especially when you're not heat-treating the egg whites before using them in cocktails.
Aldi's egg whites are reasonably priced, especially compared to some of the other brands I've seen in my local grocery store, and the carton is rather large -- perfect for when you're making a big batch of cocktails for a party or an event. Buying bottled egg whites over cracking your own eggs will save you time, and if you're shopping at Aldi, it may save you some money, too.
I am a big sparkling water girlie, and I can appreciate Aldi's selection of bubbly flavors. If you take a spin through its Aldi Finds section, you might get lucky and stumble upon its mocktail sparkling waters, which come in two flavors: mojito (which I purchased to satisfy my own curiosity) and strawberry margarita. I haven't had too many mojitos in my lifetime, so I didn't really know what to expect from this ABV-free sparkling water. Regardless, it was a purchase that I was glad to have made.
Aldi's seltzer is perfectly crisp and bubbly, and this Pur Aqua-branded product was no different. Instead of taking on a fruity profile like most seltzers do, it has a flavor that's mildly piney with some minty undertones. It was by no means sweet, and after sipping on the ginger beer, margarita mix, and Bellini mocktail, I was happy to have a little reprieve from the comparative cloyness. As expected with a seltzer, its mouthfeel was rather dry -- though never stale. I liked sipping it straight from the can, though you could also use it as a mixer for both ABV-free and classic cocktails. It would be excellent used as a base for homemade ranch water; just add a splash of blanco tequila and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and enjoy a crisp, refreshing summer sipper.
Ginger beer is something that I take very seriously. I'm not a big soda drinker, but I love the zesty and bright taste of ginger beer and what it can offer to a ho-hum cocktail or mocktail. If you're looking to step up your Moscow mule game, consider adding a pack of Summit ginger beer to your cart. While you could make your Moscow mule sweeter by adding ginger ale instead of the classic ginger beer, the spice level of this soda is compelling. It adds to the mouthfeel of the beverage, making it a great pick. Fellow ginger beer enthusiasts know that not all ginger beer is created equal; some flavors are zestier or sweeter than others. This one is certainly loaded up with sugar, but the predominant flavor is spice. It burns your palate just enough, though it might not be a drink that ginger beer newbies gravitate toward.
Besides having a great flavor, this ginger beer is a versatile mixer that can be enjoyed straight from the bottle or in your favorite alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks. Since it is spicy, it pairs well with ingredients that can cool the mouthfeel, like mint, seltzer, soda water, and the like. Even if you don't drink soda or make cocktails regularly, it's a relatively inexpensive selection to keep on hand and pop into your fridge or cooler as needed.
For being such a small grocer, Aldi carries an astonishing selection of orange juice. Not only will you find Nature's Nectar high-pulp juice, but also light, pulp-free, and calcium and vitamin D-fortified varieties. While OJ might seem like an item you add to your shopping cart anyway, it's an especially important addition if you plan on whipping up a batch of mimosas: the go-to brunch cocktail. After you make a trip to your local Aldi to grab a container, stop by the packy and grab a bottle or two of your favorite bubbly for a simple and refreshing cocktail to start your morning. You can also use Aldi's orange juice for margaritas, a fun twist on a whiskey sour, or the timeless tropical Painkiller cocktail.
Now, I won't say that all of Aldi's OJ is created equal. I personally get the high-pulp variety often, as I like its mouthfeel and strong fruity flavor. However, I could understand the appeal of its lighter option -- especially if you're going to blend it into a frozen cocktail and won't taste much of that orange flavor. Regardless, all of Aldi's OJs are affordable staples worth adding to your cart.
Aldi helps you cover all your bases when it comes to cocktails. Not only does it sell mixers, but you can also find your essential garnishes available in your local store, including these stuffed, plump manzanilla olives. Sold under the Tuscan Garden label, these olives are an essential fit for your martinis. The glass jar contains 10 ounces of pimento-stuffed olives, and all you need to do to use them is crack open the jar, grab your toothpick, and prepare the dirtiest martini you can muster. Other cocktails that can benefit from this garnish include a Bloody Mary, Little Tokyo, and Martinez Bianco. The salty, briny bite of the olives make for an excellent complement to your spirit of choice. You'll love that you don't have to fork over a ton of cash to stock up on this cocktail staple.
Aldi also sells several other types of olives, including canned black and jarred Kalamatas, but green olives make a far better choice for your cocktail. They have more flavor nuances and tend to express more bitter, salty notes than other varieties.
Fresh citrus is a home or professional bartender's best friend, and the grocer can more than meet your needs in this department. In all of the years I've been shopping at Aldi, I've never gotten a bad batch of limes or lemons from it -- the same can't be said for its berries, which have a 50/50 chance of containing at least one moldy piece of fruit in every container. I also love that Aldi sells both regular lemons and seedless ones; the latter are my go-to pick for making fresh lemonade because I don't have to worry about removing the seeds. Not only can you use the juice from these fruits for your cocktails, but you can also slice up a twist to use as a garnish.
Overall, the citrus I've purchased from Aldi tends to be very juicy and high-quality. If, by chance, you do get a fruit that is lacking that juicy quality, you can always roll it out with your palm on the counter before slicing it and using it as you see fit. The downside to buying your citrus from Aldi is that the brand only sells bags of the fruit; you can't get a single lemon or lime. However, just think of this as an excuse to whip up as many cocktails as you can with your leftover fruit -- or save the rest for lemonade.
More often than not, our cocktail or mocktail recipes call for a very small amount of soda. Whether you're making a rum and Coke or a dirty Diet Coke (yes, it's a thing), it can seem wasteful to crack open a can of soda and only use a little bit of it for your drink. Aldi has the perfect solution: mini cans of Sprite, Diet Coke, and Coca-Cola. Sure, the selection isn't as broad as it could be -- especially compared to the seemingly endless soda aisles of stores like Walmart -- but Aldi covers most of the bases with these three brands alone. The assorted mini cans are priced affordably and were even on sale when I stopped by my local store. I found them on the end-cap with the other Aldi-branded sodas.
I generally prefer name-brand soda to some of the generic options. For example, Aldi's version of Diet Coke, sold under the Summit brand, tasted really weird and off to me, whereas Coca-Cola seems to have better quality control with its cans. You don't even have to use the tiny sodas as mixers in the conventional sense. For one, try serving your cocktail in one of these soda cans for a pint-sized sipper.
Trying to make it through your shopping list at Aldi is like going on a scavenger hunt -- a scavenger hunt where you say, "Come on, they have to have it!" at least twice. Indeed, if you scan the tallest shelf in the produce section at your local Aldi (I've found this to be the case with nearly every one I've visited), you will come across a selection of herbs, including rosemary and mint. Anyone who likes to cook with fresh herbs knows that herbs aren't cheap. At Aldi, however, you can get a pretty sizable container of herbs for a decent price.
Not only are herbs essential for cooking, but there are also tons of ways to experiment with them in cocktails. For one, you can make a mint-infused simple syrup for your gimlet and watch as the bright herbs meld with the herbaceous gin and bright, bold lime. I also love the contrast of texture between fresh herbs and egg whites in some cocktails. The herbs help mask any subtle sulfuric undertones and can provide a depth of flavor that you can't get from other ingredients.
Word to the wise on this one: flip your container of herbs over and check it before you add it to your cart. While Aldi has a great return policy if you do find that your fragile herbs are covered in splotchy white mold, it's easier to pick the ones that look the best in the first place. Your cocktails (and mocktails) deserve it!