Never before have there been more nonalcoholic or zero-proof products available to help those on the Dry January journey. The U.S. sales of nonalcoholic drinks, pegged at $395 million, according to NielsenIQ, grew 20% year-over-year from August 2021 to August 2022. Of that, nonalcoholic spirits took up 1.3% and increased a whopping 88% year-over-year.
An internet search for nonalcoholic spirits turned up plenty. (Be prepared: The search can also load up your social media pages with tons of ads for the spirits.)
There are more “spirit-less” spirits made from botanicals, 0% ABV (alcohol by volume) beers and even alcohol-removed wine. Many of the nonalcoholic spirit alternatives are made to mirror the alcohol versions of the likes of gin, tequila and bourbon. For example, Lyre’s American Malt + Aperitif Rosso go together with the addition of bitters and orange peel, to make a drink similar to a Manhattan.
There’s also a slew of canned or bottled “mocktails” that are crafted to resemble alcoholic versions of drinks with the likes of a Cosmopolitan, Margarita and Bellini.
But before you rush out to buy nonalcoholic spirits or mocktail versions thinking they will cost less, think again.
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Nonalcoholic versions of spirits start at around $30 for a 700- to 750-milliliter (the size of a standard bottle of wine) bottle and go up. Canned mocktails are in the $4-$5 per can range. And at bars that offer mocktails, you will find them around the same cost of craft cocktails.
Here’s a rundown of nonalcoholic spirits. Keep in mind, due to the production process, some may have trace amounts of alcohol. Typically, they will list it on the product and in general it’s 0.5% or less alcohol by volume or ABV.
You will find some of these items at stores that sell beer, wine and spirits or online. We found and tried Mingle mocktails sold in a 4-pack of cans at a Better Health Store in Southgate, Lyre’s Agave Blanco at Discount Drinks in Wyandotte and Ritual Zero-Proof tequila at Total Wine & More in Novi. Seedlip products are sold at Meijer stores, Free Spirit at Kentucky 74 Total Wine & More.
Here’s a brief rundown of a half dozen spirit alternatives:
Cut Above
This brand is labeled as “zero-proof.” These are designed to use in place of your favorite spirit or with the addition of alcohol if you choose. Available as agave blanco, gin, mezcal and whisky.
For info: drinkcutabove.com
Free Spirits
This brand launched in 2020 and just this year entered the Michigan market. The products are listed as less than 0.5% by volume. There’s the Spirit of bourbon or gin or tequila.
For info: drinkfreespirits.com
Lyre’s
The line includes 15 nonalcoholic spirits, a light and bubbly nonalcoholic sparkling wine and a range of ready-to-drink cocktails. Spirits include Agave Blanco Spirt, Dry London Spirits, American Malt, Italian Spritz and White Cane spirits. These are meant to be used for a nonalcoholic drink or to replace some of the alcohol.
For info: lyres.com
Ritual
Gin, rum, tequila and whiskey are zero-proof alternatives. Ritual, according to its website, is a liquor replacement to use all-natural botanicals to echo the “flavor and burn of liquor — without the alcohol or calories.”
For info: ritualzeroproof.com
Seedlip
Made by distilling botanicals and individual herbs, according to its website, and blending them together. Its Garden 108 is a herbal blend of peas and and traditional garden herbs including rosemary, thyme and spearmint.
For info: seedlipdrinks.com
Spiritless
Distilled nonalcoholic spirits from this female-owned brand. There’s Jalisco 55 tequila and Kentucky 74. The Kentucky 74 is also available in a spiced version. It also has cocktail kits.
For info: spiritless.com