FAQs
What is the difference between ‘low’ and ‘no’ alcohol?
By law, ‘low alcohol’ drinks are defined by having 1.2% ABV or less. ‘No alcohol’ is anything with up to 0.5% ABV. Our drinks either fall into one of those two categories, or are fully alcoholic with a double measure (50ml) of spirit and often additional alcoholic liqueurs.
I am avoiding alcohol, can I still enjoy your cocktails?
Our ‘0% alcohol’ cocktails contain no alcohol at all, so if you are avoiding alcohol completely for whatever reason then they are perfect for you.
What about the ‘low alcohol’ cocktails, 1.2% ABV seems quite high. Can I get drunk off them?
1.2% might seem a lot but our drinks average around 100ml in volume. In order to consume the equivalent alcohol that’s in just one pint of 4% ABV beer, you would have to drink around 25 low-alcohol cocktails. This is likely beyond what a reasonable person would consume and there are far easier and cheaper ways to get drunk if that’s your intention. Again, if you are pregnant, in recovery or have any other reason to cut out alcohol completely, stick to the ‘no alcohol’ cocktails.
Why do you use alcohol in your low ABV drinks at all?
The recent explosion in the non-alcoholic market has led to a lot of high-quality ingredients being available to us. However, there are times when a unique flavour profile is needed that is simply not available outside of an alcoholic product. Where this is the case, we have kept it minimal so as to remain 1.2% ABV or below. Going forward, we will be focusing on drinks that use entirely non-alcoholic ingredients where possible (alongside our full strength ABV options).
Can I drive after drinking your cocktails?
Not the alcoholic ones no! Again, with the low alcohol drinks you’d have to drink around 25 to have the equivalent of one pint of beer or a small glass of wine worth of alcohol. We trust our customers to exercise their own judgement as alcohol affects everyone differently.
How easy to make are the cocktails?
They are super easy! Each cocktail comes with a recipe card that tells you clearly how to make both the drink and the garnish. The cocktails come in two or three bottles, all of which are labelled with a number that corresponds to what's on the recipe card. All the garnishes are labelled too so you can't miss a thing, even after a few drinks!
There's sediment in one of my bottles. Is it safe to use?
It is perfectly normal for a level of separation to occur or sediment to form at the bottom of the bottle. All ingredients are freshly prepared to order and don't hang around before being dispatched. Just give the bottle a little shake to recombine and you're good to go.
Where’s my box?
Our system will force you to pick the date you want your box for and full tracking info is pushed out to you by our system. If your box hasn’t arrived on or before the desired date, please get in touch with us on: hello@penthousecocktails.co.uk.
There are things missing/wrong in my order.
We check and double check that an order is correct before it goes out, but mistakes happen! If so, please let us know and we’ll sort it out.
I want to order multiple boxes, any chance of a discount?
Absolutely. We are building discounts for big orders into the website but in the meantime if you want to make a large order, let us know before you buy and we’ll give you a fair discount.
Why would I bother ordering from you when I can make these drinks at home?
If you have the time, money and passion to replicate our cocktails at home then I imagine you are already doing so! Penthouse Cocktails is a great way to try new flavours that you’d otherwise have to buy multiple full bottles for. Of course, if you love The Ginger Mexican so much that you are drinking it every night, you might want to invest in the ingredients.
Are your cocktails vegan and vegetarian?
The majority are vegan and we have clearly indicated on the website where that is the case. We use oat milk instead of dairy in our cocktails, and we use aquafaba instead of egg white. If a cocktail involves a whole egg, this means it is integral to the recipe and unfortunately cannot be changed.
Do I need any special equipment to make my cocktails?
You will need the basics. A shaker, a strainer and a supply of ice. Some interesting glasses are great for that full cocktail experience but not essential. If you are into cocktails, you will likely have this already but if not, then this is a good excuse to invest in these items. We sell shakers postage-free to get you started.
Where does your name come from?
We created this business when we lived in a small penthouse in Devon. Beyond that, penthouses are an oasis of calm and elegance far above the world, which is where we hope to take you with our cocktails.
Why don’t you use the term ‘mocktail’ to describe your non-alcoholic drinks?
We believe that fantastic cocktails are for everyone regardless of whether they contain alcohol or not. Historically, ‘mocktails’ are mostly comprised of fruit juices and syrups, and don’t provide the same drinking experience as cocktails. The term ‘mocktails’ does not reflect the carefully balanced recipes and ingredients that make up our drinks selection and you will not see it used here.
Can minors drink your non-alcoholic cocktails?
Our drinks are designed for adult palates, mirroring the sophisticated flavour experience of full-strength cocktails. We don’t encourage anyone below the legal drinking age to consume our drinks and our software actively runs age checks after each order regardless of which drinks you have selected.
Why do you sell both non and fully alcoholic cocktails? Why not one or the other?
We want to give those who don’t drink and those who are thinking of cutting down the option to do so without compromising on the flavour, ritual and glamour of a well made cocktail. Our brand ethos reflects our own life - one of us drinks and the other doesn’t, and we aren’t about to exclude anyone who chooses to drink.
Why are the no and low alcohol cocktails priced the same as the fully alcoholic ones?
It is a huge misconception that just because there is no alcohol (and therefore no tax/duty) that the drinks should be cheaper. Zero-alcohol spirits go through as complex a process to manufacture as full-strength products. Therefore, the ingredients in a non-alcoholic cocktail are often the same, or sometimes even MORE expensive than their alcoholic counterparts. There are a million reasons to be more mindful about the way you drink but cost invariably isn’t one of them.
Do the low and no alcohol cocktails taste the same as the full-strength ones?
Some will taste very similar and some will be a bit different. Arguably, some of the non-alcohol ones taste better than their boozy counterparts and vice versa. In most cases, the base spirit has both boozy and clean versions and is only one of the many building blocks to create a variety of unique flavours.
How sustainable is Penthouse Cocktails?
We are working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and minimise waste.
- The boxes are fully recyclable
- The packing peanuts can be run under water until they dissolve
- All recipe cards are fully recyclable
- The PET plastic bottles, and PP tubs are recyclable where facilities exist
- Any straws that come with the recipes are fully biodegradable
- The outer blue bag and bubble wrap is recyclable
- Garnishes are supplied in paper pouches rather than plastic bags where possible.
We are working to increase our sustainability and reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste and while we are not 100% recyclable right now, we hope to be in the future.
I don’t want to drink my cocktails today, how long do they last?
We recommend consumption within no more than a few weeks, to enjoy them at their best.