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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. According to the drinks data service IWSR, the no-alcohol category is expected to deliver incremental growth of $4 billion in the next three years. While its share in the overall total beverage alcohol (TBA) market is small — it’s estimated to hit around 3% by 2028 — it’s rare now for any booze or booze-adjacent category to see double-digit growth year-to-year. Booze-free spirits, beer, wine and canned cocktails are also a hit with younger adult drinkers.
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?
As an experienced drinker who’s become interested in the new trend of “zebra striping” (alternating boozy and non-boozy drinks), I’ve had mixed results with n/a products. Most of them admittedly lack the viscosity or depth 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 offer the same experience on the nose, palate or finish as a real blanco or resposado.
Things to Consider
- Taste: As mentioned above, recognize that you’re not going to get something that’s 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 might 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 then up-and-comer Seedlip — the non-alc market has grown exponentially in quality. Below are some of our favorite bottles and cans 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 (though we’ve covered all of these before and will do so again).
WhistlePig Sex Drugs Rock & Dry
While the label makes me think “Sex Rock & Drugs Dry,” this non-alc ready-to-serve cocktail is made with the distillery’s Rye Non-Whiskey, Vermont barrel-aged maple syrup and the adaptogenic natural ingredients cordyceps (yep, like The Last of Us), Schisandra berry and damiana. It’s not too sweet and does evoke a classic Old Fashioned, although it has a rounder and brighter taste.
Origami Sake ZERO
An Arkansas-based sake brand (you read that right — hey, it’s rice country!) just launched possibly the first non-alc sake. Crafted without alcohol-producing yeast, it’s a bit fruity (think apples) with some undertones of chestnut.
Figlia
This all-natural aperitivo alternative is a nice blend of bitter and floral. It’s also the base of a canned non-alc spritz.
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. Clean R, in particular, is a rum alternative and it made for a really nice and slightly spicy “rum” and Coke.
Amaro Lucano
Hailing from one of the world’s largest amaro brands, Amaro Lucano — which launched in 1894 — is a blend of more than 30 herbs and based on a secret recipe passed down from generation to generation in the Vena family. Its inaugural non-alcoholic release is labeled as an herbal (non)liqueur that “[captures] the rich aromas of elderberry, myrtle, rosemary and citrus, elegantly blended with chamomile.” A hint lighter in color than its alcoholic counterpart, the no-booze version feels about 95% similar to the classic amaro. It’s a wonderful mix of bitter, sweet and floral, with notes of chamomile tea and citrus.
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. Their 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.
Giffard Non-Alcoholic Liqueurs
The long-running French liqueurs and syrups producer just debuted its first line of booze-free spirits. The launch includes four flavors — Elderflower, Ginger, Grapefruit and Pineapple. The tangy Grapefruit works particularly well, especially if you want to make a non-boozy Paloma.
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. They also offer full cocktail kits through their site. 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. Their Spiced Cane Dark Roast, a 2023 Ultimate Spirits Competition winner for best non-alcoholic spirit, is crafted from Dominican sugar cane and features notes of chocolate and coffee.
Almave
Co-founded by F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, Almave calls itself the first non-alcoholic blue agave spirit. It follows traditional tequila-making processes but foregoes fermentation (it is, however, distilled). The blanco expression is best in non-alc riffs of traditional tequila drinks.
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) Their core product, Hemp & Root, adds bitterness and complexity — and, a rarity in the non-booze world, actual body and heft. It can also be used like a sweet vermouth or an amaro in a boozy cocktail.
TÖST
Your bubbly alternative. Not a wine, TÖST is a dry, sparkling beverage made with white tea, ginger and elderberry.
St. Agrestis
The Brooklyn-based, Italian-inspired spirits brand already has a Phony Negroni, a Phony Espresso Negroni and a Phony Mezcal Negroni — alongside a line of cool bottled (boozy) and boxed Negronis and Boulevardiers. The ready-to-drink Amaro Falso 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.”)
Free Spirits
Instead of picking one booze-free spirit, why not choose three and make a mocktail? The Boulevardier Bundle from Free Spirits is like the Negroni’s darker cousin, although here the vermouth, whiskey and bitter are all boozeless (and also full of functional ingredients).
For Bitter For Worse
Started in 2020, this non-alc brand utilizes a “reverse bootlegging” process (and added decoctions, juices and syrups made from Pacific Northwest ingredients) to create tasteful, spirits-like but non-boozy elixirs. Smoky, citrusy and bold, their Smoky No. 56 works wonderfully on its own or with seltzer.
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. Available in multiple 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 flavors here (Bright, Fresh, Smokey, Cali Amaro) are gentle but flavorful. Smokey, their 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. Their Arise expression has a pleasant lemon tang with a hint of smoke — it feels like an ideal base for a non-boozy highball in summer.
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. Their Italian Spritz 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.
Seedlip
The “world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit” is crafted via a bespoke, six-week maceration, distillation, filtration and blending process, where each botanical ingredient is distilled separately. 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.
Little Saints
Primarily a canned cocktail brand — though they offer one booze-free spirit (see below) — Little Saints crafts their non-alc palomas, margaritas, Negronis and ginger mules with reishi, terpenes, palo santo and lion’s mane, among other unexpected ingredients. The brand’s St. Ember is your mezcal replacement, offering a smoky lift to your non-alc drinks.
Rasāsvāda
A 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. The brand’s Rose Bergamot, crafted with white ginseng, Schisandra berry, rose petals, angelica archangelica and bergamot citrus oil, is 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 now offers two non-alcoholic Apertivo bottles, using the same wines they use for their vermouths. The brand’s Vibrante is a fruity and balanced mixer with notes of bergamot.
Wilderton Aperitivo Co
A non-alcoholic spirits brand produced in Hood River, OR, and crafted from globally sourced botanicals — it’s won a lot of praise from esteemed bartenders such as Jim Meehan. Bright and sweet, their new Citrus Aperitivo is a mix of lemon, yuzu, blood orange and saffron.
Curious Elixirs
Booze-free craft cocktails infused with adaptogens and released in various and sometimes limited-edition flavors. So which one is best? We’ll go with the advice we took a few years ago from Douglas Watters, the founder of Spirited Away, New York City’s first booze-free bottle shop. He’s into No. 5, which he called their “richest and most complex offering to date … I love how they’ve balanced the spice with the warm chocolate and cherry notes.”
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