Unveiling the Sparkling Legacy of the Shirley Temple Mocktail: A Toast to Dry January

The Shirley Temple has been a non-alcoholic favorite for nearly a century. 

Often referred to as the “original mocktail,” its real history – and ingredients – remain a topic of discussion. 

“The history of beverages is often unclear,” Jennifer Brian, co-founder and owner of the craft cocktail firm Make & Muddle and a self-described “cocktail evangelist,” told Fox News Digital. “Whenever alcohol is involved, origin tales tend to be at least two parts mythology to one part fact.” 

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The Shirley Temple, although devoid of alcohol, “is no exception,” remarked Brian, who operates out of Louisville, Kentucky. 

According to legend, “the Shirley Temple drink was developed and named in honor of the young actress in the 1930s after she expressed dissatisfaction that her parents were enjoying their own cocktails at dinner while she didn’t have anything enjoyable to sip,” commented Brian. 

However, the precise origin of the drink is somewhat contentious, with a number of famous restaurants claiming to be its source. 

“Chasen’s in Hollywood professed to have invented it, but the Brown Derby restaurant and the Royal Hawaiian also assert they are the home of the original,” stated Brian. 

The initial recipe for the Shirley Temple typically includes ginger ale, grenadine, and cherries – yet even that has evolved over time. 

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“People from the Midwest usually prefer it made with Sprite or 7 Up, while those on the West Coast tend to prepare it using classic ginger ale,” noted Brian. 

Others might incorporate ingredients like “orange juice or other citrus” in an attempt to enhance the drink’s flavors, she explained.

The specific quantity of grenadine — the crimson bar syrup that imparts the Shirley Temple its unique hue — is also governed by personal preference. 

The proportion of grenadine to soda can vary based on your sweetness preference.

“The proportion of grenadine to soda can vary based on your sweetness preference,” remarked Brian. 

The more grenadine added, the sweeter the beverage becomes, she explained. 

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One element of the Shirley Temple, however, is not questionable: the garnish.

“Everyone agrees that there should be as many cherries included as possible,” asserted Brian.

The Shirley Temple initiated a trend of celebrity-named “mocktails,” Brian told Fox News Digital.

“In addition to the Shirley Temple, the Roy Rogers was another wildly popular mocktail that emerged in the 1940s, using grenadine and cola instead of ginger ale,” she mentioned. 

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“The Arnold Palmer is also a renowned mocktail that combines iced tea and lemonade.”

In contemporary times, “mocktails are appearing on more and more menus every day, and rightly so,” stated Brian – and they are not solely for children anymore.

“People choose not to drink for various reasons.”

“People choose not to drink for various reasons — some related to health, others personal. Regardless of their reasons, everyone deserves a place at the table,” she asserted.

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Although the Shirley Temple has been a staple on bar menus since its inception, one individual was definitely not fond of the drink: Shirley Temple Black herself. 

“I hate them,” Temple Black expressed to National Public Radio’s Scott Simon during a 1986 interview.

She claimed the beverages were “too sugary” for her taste, labeling them “icky” and “saccharine.” 

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The former child star who later became a diplomat told Simon that the drink was “invented in the 1930s by the Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood, and I had no involvement in it.” 

The beverages were “too sugary” for her taste.

She frequently received the drink without having ordered one, which added to her displeasure, she mentioned to the same source.

Temple Black passed away on Feb. 10, 2014.

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As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the trend of alcohol-free cocktails has spread to travel.

Sober travel, also known as “dry tripping,” was highlighted as one of 2024’s trending vacation concepts, according to Hotels.com — with more than 40% of travelers indicating they were likely to book a detox vacation in the upcoming year.

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A representative informed Fox News Digital that mentions of “mocktails” increased by 50% year over year, “with patrons praising the inventive nonalcoholic options at top hotels globally.”

Ashley DiMella of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.