What hot beverage can I drink apart from tea, coffee, hot chocolate and milk?

September 12, 2005 4:46 AM

What can I have as a hot, sweet drink that isn't tea or coffee, herbal tea, milk or hot chocolate?

I know this sounds like a fussy question, it's just that I've given up caffeine (hence no coffee/tea/chocolate) and I DO NOT want to drink de-caf either. However, I don't want hot milk or herbal teas either, but in the evenings especially when it's cold, I want something hot and comforting to drink. Can anybody think of any drink available to buy or something I can make myself that is relatively healthy and definitely low fat, not too expensive and most importantly, available in Britain!! Please don't suggest American beverages unless you know they are easily available in the UK - I don't feel like going to all the trouble of flying overseas for this =P

posted by angryjellybean to Food & Drink (58 answers total)

Hot Ginger Lemonade- 2 tbs fresh lemon juice, honey to taste, one piece fresh gingerroot cut into 4 big pieces, 2 cups water. Put all ingredients in pan, boil, remove gingerroot, and serve.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:52 AM on September 12, 2005 [1 favorite]

Hot apple cider? I don't know if that's available commercially in the UK, but I bet you could google for some recipes to make some.
posted by cajo at 4:52 AM on September 12, 2005

Second on the apple cider.

I don't know if Tang is available in the UK, but it's also surprisingly good when heated.
posted by neckro23 at 4:58 AM on September 12, 2005

I second hot apple cider. You can make it spiced, but even if you just warm up some regular cider and sprinkle with cinnamon it is pretty fabulous.
posted by tastybrains at 4:58 AM on September 12, 2005

Hot Ribena. In fact, take any cordial (squash) and make it with hot water instead of cold. For extra thrills, mix your squash flavours. Squash is very cheap, and available in a number of low sugar varieties.
posted by nylon at 4:58 AM on September 12, 2005

7Up is lovely warmed up. Not any old lemonade, it has to be 7Up (for the lemon/lime flavour, although I suppose Sprite is pretty similar). Just bung it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.

Good for colds, too.
posted by corvine at 5:01 AM on September 12, 2005

Horlicks? Malty and very comforting. And I second hot Ribena - soothing on the throat and soul. Makes me think of being a kid.
posted by pollystark at 5:05 AM on September 12, 2005

Response by poster: Do the people who suggested 'apple cider' mean alcoholic cider? O.o I might be wrong but 'cider' in the UK is alcohol. (And absolutely awful, I might add) Unless you just mean some fizzy apple drink like appletise?
posted by angryjellybean at 5:08 AM on September 12, 2005

Second the hot Ribena! It's simply scrummy and comforting (but then that maybe my childhood memories of visiting grandparents who used to dish it out). Other squashes are not quite the same but do the job.
posted by floanna at 5:09 AM on September 12, 2005

Bovril (very UK specific). Gorgeous :)

In the US, Starbucks sell this hot apple cider. However, it is non-alcoholic, as 'cider' has slightly different implications in the US.

It's easy to get the same effect here. I love it but UK Starbucks do not sell it (much to my disgust)! Just get some cloudy apple juice from Tesco or wherever, add some cinnamon from the spice jar, stir, put in microwave for a couple of minutes. Scrummy!

Also, anyone.. what's hot coke like? I should try it sometime, perhaps later today.. :)
posted by wackybrit at 5:14 AM on September 12, 2005

My parents grew up drinking hot liquid jello and loved it. Plus, the gelatin is great for your hair and nails.
posted by wallaby at 5:22 AM on September 12, 2005

Yerba Mate
posted by the cuban at 5:26 AM on September 12, 2005

Mate. Previously discussed here.
posted by Dagobert at 5:27 AM on September 12, 2005

Redbush tea or Rooibos is nice - it's satisfying like a cup of tea, with no caffeine.

You can get it from Sainsbury's.
posted by lunkfish at 5:30 AM on September 12, 2005

A bar round here makes lemon and ginger tea by pouring boiling water on to a couple of big hunks of ginger and a couple of slices of lemon in a tall glass mug. Surprisingly tasty and easy to make at home.
posted by handee at 5:30 AM on September 12, 2005

Hot Ribena thirded!
posted by skylar at 5:34 AM on September 12, 2005

Mulled wine?
posted by pompomtom at 5:36 AM on September 12, 2005

The mate might not be what you're looking for. I'm a great fan of hot spiced apple cider, though.
posted by musicinmybrain at 5:37 AM on September 12, 2005

Hot Ribena!
Come on, give in to the berries!
posted by NinjaPirate at 5:45 AM on September 12, 2005

Apple cider in the U.S. is the unclarified liquid result of pressing the whole, unpeeled apple. It's richer in flavor than commercial apple juice and isn't the translucent, light orangish-tan color, but a rich, opaque brown. It's usually only available beginning around this time of year through December, in the peak of apple season.
posted by Dreama at 5:47 AM on September 12, 2005

Lemonade in the US is what Brits call squash. UK lemonade is lemon soda (fizzy drink).
posted by brujita at 5:55 AM on September 12, 2005

Clear minestrone soup or hot, sugar-sweetened, blackcurrant juice.
posted by springload at 5:58 AM on September 12, 2005

Hot elderberry juice is yummy and is especially good if you've got a cold - and it contains a lot of vitamin C. Mix elderberry juice with water (because the flavour is too strong otherwise) and add sugar if you like. Heat it (it doesn't have to boil) and enjoy!
posted by amf at 6:05 AM on September 12, 2005

Even simpler than handee's lemon and ginger suggestion is just hot lemon. Boiling water over slices of lemon; add sugar if you'd like.

Very cheap, and it got me through a cold rainy foggy poverty-stricken Venice winter.
posted by occhiblu at 6:17 AM on September 12, 2005

I'm surprised that nobody's yet mentioned a hot malty drink such as Postum or Roma. These are somewhat similar to Ovaltine but not gross. They are fairly sweet on their own (just add the instant crystals to hot water) but you can certainly add sugar and/or dairy.
posted by rxrfrx at 6:21 AM on September 12, 2005

Horlicks. Funny name, yummy sweet barley drink.

Also available in the US.
posted by softlord at 6:38 AM on September 12, 2005

Some people have sort of already said this, but if you make hot ginger with crystalized ginger instead of fresh it has a fairly different flavor and is sweet to boot. This is one of my favorite drinks.
posted by ohio at 6:45 AM on September 12, 2005

I love Hot Tang.
posted by mkultra at 6:45 AM on September 12, 2005

We drink Inka: 45% Roasted Barley, 27% Rye, 25% Chicory, and 3% Beet Roots.
posted by pracowity at 6:49 AM on September 12, 2005

Boullion makes a nice hot drink which is savory as opposed to sweet.
posted by iconomy at 6:49 AM on September 12, 2005

To those recommending mate, you should know that it does in fact contain caffeine, which angryjellybean says she's given up. Read the Wikipedia entry carefully and you'll see.
posted by cerebus19 at 6:55 AM on September 12, 2005

Concerning apple cider, Uncle Cecil seems to think there's no real difference between that and apple juice.
posted by zardoz at 7:11 AM on September 12, 2005

Apple cider in the U.S. is the unclarified liquid result of pressing the whole, unpeeled apple. It's richer in flavor than commercial apple juice and isn't the translucent, light orangish-tan color, but a rich, opaque brown. It's usually only available beginning around this time of year through December, in the peak of apple season.

Grocery stores also sell "apple cider" that is really just apple juice, as far as I can tell, but is good if mulled (er, heated with spices.) Fresh-pressed cider is awesome, but expensive and, as dreama mentioned above, seasonal. (Following up, in the US we call the alcoholic fizzy cider "hard cider.")
posted by desuetude at 7:13 AM on September 12, 2005

Glog/glugg. Very very good.
posted by gramcracker at 7:19 AM on September 12, 2005

Miso soup broth!
posted by fionab at 7:27 AM on September 12, 2005

At our house, around Christmastime, we always make our own batch of "apple cider," which involves warming up a pot of apple juice on the stove, and pouring in a bag of red hots. It makes for a nice, spicy drink, although I guess it's not technically cider, if we're going by the above def. Good though! And easy!
posted by saucy at 7:42 AM on September 12, 2005

If you can find Celestial Seasonings in the UK (they do list a UK distributor on their website), their hot apple cider mixes are pretty good.
posted by necessitas at 7:43 AM on September 12, 2005

Mulled cider.
posted by ifjuly at 7:48 AM on September 12, 2005

I can't recall where I got this or when I drank it, I just have dim memories of it... So probably college, and most likely it involved vodka back then. Still, should be good without alcohol.

1 cube of beef bouillon (bovril or oxo), splash tomato juice or clamato, add worcestershire and pepper to taste. Hot and savoury, perfect for those cold days in Autumn and Winter.
posted by splice at 8:11 AM on September 12, 2005

My siblings love hot lemonade or limeade [to be clear, I mean "lemonade/limeade made with lemons or limes and sugar and water," not pop like 7-up.] While I generally go for hot cocoa instead, hot limeade is pretty good.
posted by ubersturm at 8:15 AM on September 12, 2005

Even though the question says not hot chocolate, perhaps home-made chocolate drink without all the horrid sticky sweetness?

Bitter chocolate whisked into hot water (use e.g. the 99% Scharffenberger black chocolate) makes a quite different drink, more like the original pre-Columbian way of using chocolate. Add chile and/or spices to taste, possibly honey, but skip the milk. It's quite a strong stimulant though (iirc theobromine not caffeine, but similar effect) which might not be what's wanted.
posted by anadem at 9:02 AM on September 12, 2005

I'll second hot bouillion, although I use the tetra boxes of low-sodium Campbell's broth rather than powder or cubes. I heat either chicken or beef broth in the microwave with a few slices of ginger (you don't have to peel it), adding a little black pepper at the end. Lately I've been adding one or two pieces of star anise to the beef broth for a pho-like hit of flavour. And while you're at it, why not toss in some garlic?
posted by maudlin at 9:02 AM on September 12, 2005

I hear many people drink hot blackberry juice.
posted by Soliloquy at 9:09 AM on September 12, 2005

Russian Tea is tea made with Tang and lemonade. It's really good.
posted by jrossi4r at 9:50 AM on September 12, 2005

I second Postum.
posted by wsg at 10:04 AM on September 12, 2005

7Up is lovely warmed up. Not any old lemonade, it has to be 7Up (for the lemon/lime flavour, although I suppose Sprite is pretty similar). Just bung it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.


But take it out of the can first :-)

Another vote for hot Ribena from me.
posted by essexjan at 10:06 AM on September 12, 2005

Hot cranberry juice. For additional yumminess, add a bit of a cinnamon stick. Mmm good!
posted by Lynsey at 10:19 AM on September 12, 2005

I hate those people who question the premise of the asker's question, but what is it about herbal tea that rules it out? I only ask because the scope of "herbal tea" is so big -- steep some sort of plant in water and you've got herbal tea. I can't stand 80% of them and absolutely love the other 20%. (For instance, if you can't stand chamomile or fennel, you might still love lemongrass.)
posted by mendel at 10:31 AM on September 12, 2005

Sahlep. It's a powder made from dried orchid roots, and when boiled with milk and sugar (and then sprinkled with cinnamon), makes a really nice hot beverage...almost eggnoggy, but not as rich. You can get the powder (aka salep) at Middle Eastern groceries or online.

I've had it in Turkey, but AFAIK it's drunk throughout the Middle East.
posted by Vidiot at 10:53 AM on September 12, 2005

Another vote for hot juices -- apple, orange, and cranberry are all good. Apple's especially nice with a little cinnamon.
posted by scody at 11:37 AM on September 12, 2005

Another recommendation for Hot Tang. It's great to bring along on camping/hiking trips, too.
posted by ruddhist at 12:47 PM on September 12, 2005

Barley tea and coffee. Yumm.
posted by scazza at 1:48 PM on September 12, 2005

(FYI, yerba mate and rooibos don't contain caffeine, but they do contain caffeine-like stimulants.)

I make a mixture of equal parts licorice root and sassafrass root, steeped in water. It's sweet and spicy.
posted by me3dia at 2:44 PM on September 12, 2005

Not enough votes for Bovril. Great in winter, goes perfectly with pies and is now available for veggies!

But if liquidised cow isn't your thing (and I can understand that), then there's a drink on Epicurious called the Frothy Hot Vanilla Malted. Crap name, but great drink, especially when it's freezing outside...
posted by Nugget at 2:56 PM on September 12, 2005

There are a few different flavored steamed milk beverages that are somewhat similar to hot chocolate without the chocolate. (The Frothy Hot Vanilla Malted sounds similar.) I've enjoyed almond flavor, hazelnut, and vanilla, and have also seen mint and macadamia nut.

I don't think you said it had to be non-alcoholic, so there are probably some interesting options there as well (either as milk flavorings or something entirely different).
posted by babar at 3:14 PM on September 12, 2005

If you've ruled out hot chocolate because of caffeine - you should know that there are a mere 5 mg of caffeine in a mug of cocoa. That is about the same amount in a cup of decaf.
The caffeine content of chocolate is, for some reason, always wildly over estimated.
posted by Wolfie at 4:06 PM on September 12, 2005

Lemon barley cordial made with hot water is nice. Ditto for ginger cordial. Mix the two for something different. A couple of tablespoons of marmalade dissolved in hot water with a slice of lemon makes an interesting pick-me-up.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 5:00 PM on September 12, 2005

I second the flavored steamed milk suggestion. Not sure about the UK, but you can usually find flavored syrups (like the kind at coffee shops) at many gourmet foods stores.

And yes, hot Tang is oddly delicious...and high in vitamin C.
posted by awegz at 6:49 PM on September 12, 2005