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Whether you’re practicing Dry January, Damp January or just want to know what the fuss is about non-alcoholic spirits, today is a good day to dive in.
The non-alcoholic world is admittedly small, although growing quickly: Even with sales rising 20% last year, it’s still a $400 million business (meanwhile, the booze world? A whopping $200 billion — note that we’re talking actual sales here, not company valuation).
But the interest is there: According to research data released by Veylinx, nearly half (46%) of American drinkers are trying to reduce their alcohol consumption right now and 52% of them are replacing alcohol with non-alcoholic beverages. And according to the 2023 Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report, 40% of respondents globally say they plan to drink more non-alcoholic spirits and low-ABV (NoLo) drinks throughout the entirety of 2023, not just Dry January (even if millennials seem a bit hesitant).
Maybe the only thing lacking in the non-alcoholic drinks space is knowledge. People seem to know if they like whiskey, but do they want to part with the equivalent amount of money on a bottle of a plant-based botanical non-alc “spirit” with nebulous tasting notes?
Things to Consider
- Taste: As an experienced drinker but someone curious about the booze-free market, I’ve had mixed results with n/a products. Most of them admittedly lack the viscosity or depth that you’d find in alcoholic spirits, even if they offer wonderful flavors. Speaking of taste, some of these no-ABV spirits stray from what you’d expect; a “tequila replacement” probably won’t provide the same experience on the nose, palate or finish as a real blanco or reposado. Recognize that you’re going to get something that isn’t a 1:1 replacement for your favorite booze.
- Price: Most of these bottles are in the $30 range, though some are also available in individual cans/bottles and sometimes the bottles are 750ml (fairly standard for booze) or 375ml. There’s not a lot of variance, but if smaller sizes are available, you may want to test those out first.
- Versatility: At their best, non-alcoholic spirits can be served on ice, as a base for a mocktail or even as a modifier in a low-ABV cocktail.
Thankfully, given where we were a few years ago — when it was basically O’Douls and an up-and-comer called Seedlip — the non-alc market has grown exponentially in quality.
Below, some of our favorite bottles in the non-alcoholic space. We’ve left no-ABV beer and wine for future articles, and while we mention hemp a few times below, we’re also leaving out the CBD- and THC-infused drinks for another time (though we’ve covered all of these before and will do so again).
CleanCo
This UK non-alcoholic brand was founded by a celebrity (British television personality Spencer Matthews) but even if you don’t know Made in Chelsea, you can appreciate this line of zero-sugar alternatives to gins, rum, tequila, vodka and whiskey, which only have 10 calories per serving.
Drink: Clean R is a rum alternative and it made for a really nice and slightly spicy “rum” and Coke.
ISH Spirits
This mindful Danish brand offers non-alcoholic spirits, sparkling wines and canned cocktails, crafted from plants and botanicals that are “extracted, distilled and steamed” to create familiar boozy flavors.
Drink: London Botanical Spirit offers up a take on London Dry Gin, a juniper-forward alt-gin that utilizes the shells from chili seeds to provide some heat.
Cut Above
Zero-proof spirits (gin, agave blanco, mezcal and whiskey) that, unlike most n/a bottles, never had booze in them at all. Instead, these no-carb, low-cal expressions combine natural flavors derived from flowers, herbs, plants, fruits, roots, barks, leaves and vegetables to (re)create flavors.
Drink: Not many non-alc brands offer a mezcal, so if you like a smoky flavor — here, derived from a combination of Cubeba pepper extract, chipotle pepper extract, Persian lime oil and “a touch of smoke” — this is your best option.
Fluère
This Netherlands-based brand expands the concept of being alcohol-free with these distilled botanical bottles. Recently sold, the brand is expanding in the U.S. and introducing a Bitter variation early this year.
Drink: Their Spiced Cane Dark Roast is crafted from Dominican sugar cane and features notes of chocolate and coffee.
The Pathfinder
Based in Seattle, The Pathfinder was co-founded by Steven Grasse (creator of Hendrick’s Gin and Sailor Jerry Rum), Chris Abbott (the cannabis entrepreneur behind Mr. Moxey’s) and Guy Escolme (ex-Diageo). This is a non-alcoholic “spirit” fermented and distilled from hemp (among other ingredients).
Drink: Their core product, Hemp & Root, adds bitterness and complexity — and, a rarity in the non-booze world, actual body and heft — in a non-alcoholic cocktail, but can also be used in boozy drinks like an amaro or sweet vermouth. “And in a boozy, spirit-forward cocktail, bartenders approach The Pathfinder much the same way they would an amaro or sweet vermouth.
St. Agrestis
The Brooklyn-based, Italian-inspired spirits brand already has a Phony Negroni — alongside a line of cool bottled (boozy) and boxed negronis and Boulevardiers.
Drink: The ready-to-drink Amaro Falso, just released, utilizes a mix of all-natural citrus, botanical, and herbal ingredients that drinks like an Amaro Highball (fun fact: carbonation and nitrogen are added to the brand’s non-alc lineup to “help mimic the bite and mouth feel that alcohol typically provides.”)
De Soi
A line of NA sparkling, low-cal apéritifs made with natural adaptogens and founded by Katy Perry and Morgan McLachlan, available in individual-sized cans or larger bottles.
Drink: Available in three expressions, we’re partial to Purple Lune, made with ashwagandha and tart cherry (among 15 botanicals).
Optimist Botanicals
These alcohol-free botanical spirits (crafted by a master distiller) are inspired by their Southern California origins. Serve with tonic and club soda, the three flavors here (bright, fresh, smokey) are gentle but flavorful.
Drink: Smokey, a take on tequila, utilizes Lapsang Souchong, bitter red orange, clove, ginger, cinnamon leaf and habanero botanicals to create a citrusy and spicy mixer with depth.
Aplós
Aimed at calming, this hemp-infused, non-alcoholic spirit is herbal, citrusy and earthy (but not overly so), and also infused with adaptogens. Plus, these were formulated in collaboration with award-winning master mixologist Lynnette Marrero.
Drink: Arise has a pleasant lemon tang with a hint of smoke — it feels like an ideal base for a non-boozy highball in summer.
Damrak Virgin
The highest rated in the 2020 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Non-Alcoholic Spirit category, this is a non-boozy, gin-like release from the Amsterdam-based Lucas Bols, the oldest distillery in the world.
Drink: The distillery only crafts one non-alc option, so go with the citrus-forward alt-gin.
Lyre’s
Vegan, low-cal and no-booze spirits meant to emulate nearly a dozen different styles of alcohol — even the more obscure, like coffee liqueur and absinthe.
Drink: Their Italian Spritz recently won Double Gold in the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and it’s about as close to non-alcoholic Aperol as you can get.
Kin Euphorics
“Euphoric” mixers with adaptogens and nootropics geared toward different moods and times of day — social hour, nighttime, etc. From citrusy to herbaceous, these are fine on their own but also work as a mocktail base with juice, soda, bitters and/or simple syrup.
Drink: Can a non-alcoholic beverage help you sleep? Dream Light is infused with adaptogens, nootropics, and botanicals like Reishi Mushroom, Melatonin, and L-Tryptophan, with notes of cinnamon, oak and clove.
Seedlip
The “world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit” is crafted via a bespoke, six-week maceration, distillation, filtration and blending process, where each individual botanical ingredient is distilled separately.
Drink: Seedlip Grove 42, featuring notes of Mediterranean orange, lemon peel, lemongrass and ginger, is the basis for the brand’s most popular recipe, a take on a margarita with fruity and spicy elements.
Rasāsvāda
A new line of zero-proof “restoratives” inspired by Italian amari. These 100% whole plant, additive/preservative-free, booze-free elixirs can be used as a base or modifier for both mocktails and cocktails, or sipped on their own.
Drink: The brand’s Rose Bergamot, crafted with white ginseng, Schisandra berry, rose petals, angelica archangelica and bergamot citrus oil. It’s equal parts earthy, bitter, floral and sweet (and you’ll get all those notes on the nose, too).
Martini & Rossi
The long-running vermouth brand just launched two non-alcoholic Apertivo bottles, two no-booze RTDs and, recently, a non-alc/low-ABV cocktail kit at Cocktail Courier.
Drink: Vibrante is a fruity and balanced mixer with notes of bergamot.
Sexy AF
These plant-based non-alc replacements for traditional spirits make up for their terrible names (Friski Whiski, Spiced Yum, etc.) by pretty much winning all the major awards for non-alcoholic beverages — taking home four Double Golds at the 2022 SFWSC.
Drink: Award-winner Triple Sexy is your spirit-free take on Triple Sec and offers something floral, tart and bitter.
Wilderton Botanical Spirits
A non-alcoholic spirits brand produced in Portland, OR and crafted from globally-sourced botanicals — it’s won a lot of praise from esteemed bartenders such as Jim Meehan.
Drink: The spicy, smoky Earthen, crafted with white peppercorn, pine-smoked tea and cardamom, does well in boozy cocktails as a modifier and as a base for n/a drinks.
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