Wondering if triple sec contains alcohol or whether or not you can use it in your favorite mocktail recipes? Find out if triple sec is alcoholic, the alcohol content, and some non-alcoholic options for all your favorite drinks.
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If you avoid alcohol for any reason, it’s important to know which ingredients contain alcohol and which don’t to help you meet your health and wellness goals.
Whether you’ve found yourself with a recipe that calls for triple sec and you don’t have it on hand or you’re trying to mix up your favorite mocktails and just need to know if you can use triple sec in your recipe, you’re in the right place.
In this post, we’re going to talk about what triple sec is, if it’s alcoholic, and what the alcohol content is in most triple secs. We’ll also talk about some non-alcoholic triple sec substitutions for this orange liqueur.
Finally, we’ll get you the answers you’ve been looking for in relation to how much alcohol really is in triple sec and how to equate it to other hard liquors.
What is triple sec?
Triple sec is an orange flavored liqueur that is sweet and clear. It’s used in many mixed drinks, like margaritas, Cosmopolitans, kamikazes, and beachcomber cocktails.
Depending on the brand of triple sec, it’s usually made with a neutral alcohol, generally made from beet sugar, and bitter orange peels that are mixed in during the maceration process.
The orange flavor in triple sec comes from essential oils in the orange peels that infuse with the alcohol. This liqueur is then distilled, and may be completed there or more beet sugar, water, or alcohol may be added.
Read on: What is triple sec?
Is triple sec alcoholic? Does triple sec have alcohol?
Triple sec does contain alcohol and is used in many cocktails and mixed drinks. If you like to make margaritas, the alcohol doesn’t just come from the tequila, but from the other flavored liqueurs like triple sec as well.
If you opt to make virgin drinks and mocktails, you’ll want to be sure to substitute triple sec for a non-alcoholic flavored syrup in its place. You can also opt to use one of these triple sec substitutes in its place.
How much alcohol is in triple sec? Triple sec alcohol content
The amount of alcohol in triple sec will vary by the brand you use, however the average range is between 15% and 40% alcohol by volume.
For example, Hiram Walker triple sec has a 15% ABV, whereas many others like Cointreau, Combier, and Grand Marnier are all 40% ABV.
Read on: 25 best orange liqueur brands to try
Can you buy non-alcoholic triple sec?
If you love the flavor of triple sec and want to use it in non-alcoholic drinks or baking to get the same orange flavor without any alcohol, you can opt to look for a non-alcoholic triple sec option.
Try one of these non-alcoholic triple sec brands:
- La Paz Non-Alcoholic Triple Sec
- Lyre’s Orange Sec
- Monin Triple Sec Curacao Syrup
- Royal Non Alcoholic Triple Sec Syrup
Of course, if you can’t find one of these options locally or online, you can always opt to make your own at home! Try this recipe for non-alcoholic triple sec.
Is triple sec as strong as vodka?
Depending on the brand of triple sec you buy and use, triple sec surprisingly can be as strong as vodka. Some brands, like Cointreau and Grand Marnier have an alcohol volume of 40% which is just as high as other hard liquors, like whiskey or gin.
When you’re mixing triple sec into cocktails, don’t forget to take into account that this ingredient is just as potent as other liquors you’re using.
If you’ve been wondering if you can drink triple sec if you’re avoiding alcohol, I hope this post has been helpful for you to get the information you’ve been looking for.
If you’re hoping to make some non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails, use one of the options listed in this post to help you get the same flavor without any of the booze.