Whether called zero-proof, spirit-free or no-ABV, nonalcoholic bottles are increasingly on the upswing, and bartenders are using these booze-free distillates to mix all manner of creative cocktails.
But as a relatively new category that’s seen rapid-fire growth in terms of sales—according to Nielsen IQ, in the year ending in August 2022, U.S. retail sales of nonalcoholic spirits grew 88 percent, to $5.03 million—and an explosive number of new entrants, it’s made for a crowded and fragmented marketplace, one that’s extremely challenging to navigate.
Ask a dozen bartenders for recommendations, as we did, and the responses are all over the map. In an age when entire bottle shops and bar concepts are built around the ever-expanding population of N/A spirits, and many well-known brands offer a dozen options within their portfolio, asking for favorites proved a daunting task.
Still, we found consensus around a few key workhorse bottles.
As a general rule, bartenders caution that while it’s tempting to simply substitute a booze-free alternative for a full-strength bottling, many need a little TLC for mixing.
N/A spirits perform best when mixed with “heavier and stronger flavors,” including nonalcoholic modifiers like flavored syrups or juices, says Kim Haasarud, proprietor of Garden Bar PHX in Phoenix.
“N/A products often need things such as egg white, aquafaba, carbonation or rich-styled syrups to assist in giving them a bit of a mouthfeel, which is a part of the experience of drinking alcohol,” echoes LP Paylor O’Brien, proprietor of LP Drinks and winner of Netflix’s inaugural season of Drink Masters.
Over the past few years, these nonalcoholic drinks have veered from “nice-to-have” options to expected offerings at high-end bars, not to mention the swelling ranks of so-called sober bars. And producers are jumping at the opportunity to populate the nonalcoholic shelf space. (It hasn’t hurt that they’re free from the daunting constraints that alcohol purveyors must vault to bring bottles to market.)
“The world of nonalcoholic spirits is booming,” explains Stuart Weaver, of Lady Jane Denver. “There are so many products currently on the market, a stark change from only a few years ago, and bartenders are now crafting some amazing nonalcoholic cocktails. Ever heard of a No-groni?”
As a matter of fact, we have. And if you haven’t yet, you will soon. Here are some bottles that will help move the revolution along.
