Dry January? Try these 12 tasty non-alcoholic drinks
Alcohol-free wines, spirits, and more
Credit:
Reviewed / Tost / Kin Euphorics / Ritual Zero Proof / Athletic Brewing Co. / Ghia
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Feeling over-served from the holidays, many of us are embarking on a Dry January, giving up alcohol as we tackle our health-focused resolutions. But non-alcoholic and low-proof drinks don’t have to be boring. Thanks to innovators in the beverage space, we can now enjoy myriad mocktails, booze-free beers, and more.
Gone are the days of sad approximations of your favorite spirits; we've entered a new era of delicious, thoughtfully-crafted non-alcoholic drinks options so you can take a mindful approach to revamping your home bar, or stock up on libations for future gatherings that won't leave you or your guests with hangovers.
Non-alcoholic spirits
Alcohol-free spirits like Seedlip and Ritual make a great base for a non-alcoholic mixed drink.
Consider these the foundation for your non-alcoholic bar setup, just as you would their boozy counterparts.
1. Ritual Zero Proof
The self-proclaimed "almond milk of alcohol," Ritual makes zero proof alcohol alternatives using natural botanicals (a fancy name for plants, herbs, and spices). Choose from tequila, gin, and whiskey alternatives, or opt for a starter pack to sample 350 ml. bottles of all three.
Our editors love using Ritual Tequila Alternative in homemade margaritas with fresh-squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, fresh-squeezed lime juice instead of triple sec (due to the low amount of alcohol in this liqueur), ice, and an extra salty rim, naturally. Ritual also has tons of recipes on its website in case you're looking for inspiration.
2. Seedlip
Seedlip founder Ben Branson is committed to working with nature to change how the world drinks. This London-based company produces distilled non-alcoholic spirits through a six-week process in which naturally grown herbs, spices, and fruits are each distilled separately before blending. The resulting liquid is sugar- and alcohol-free, with the same nuanced flavors you'd expect to find in a high quality distilled spirit.
Each non-alcoholic spirit is named for its ingredients—there's the fresh and floral Garden 108, the zesty Spice 94, and the citrus-forward Grove 42.
Branson is passionate about bringing sophisticated booze-free beverages to the mainstream, so much so that he wrote a book on it—check out Seedlip Cocktails:100 Delicious Nonalcoholic Recipes from Seedlip & The World's Best Bars (available on Amazon for $15). Or, you can visit the Seedlip website for free cocktail recipes.
3. Lyre's
Odds are, if there's a favorite liquor on your mind, there's a Lyre's alternative for it. This UK-based brand of non-alcoholic spirits launched back in 2019 and has since exploded into a source of countless booze-free alternatives. Whether you're starting to crave a rum and coke or gin fizz by mid-January, Lyre's is here to help you stay on track.
Non-alcoholic mixers
Wilfred's and Ghia are two non-alcoholic beverage brands encouraging you to experiment with your hangover-free mixology.
4. Wilderton Non-Alcoholic Bittersweet Aperitivo
If you're craving a zero-proof negroni or Campari spritz, this nonalcoholic aperitivo from Wilderton Spirits is key. It's concocted from globally-sourced botanicals that have been extracted in hot water, then combined with unfermented wine grape juice and single-botanical distillates.
The result is a less-sweet version of the Italian aperitivos we know and love, with notes of orange blossom and grapefruit. It's delicious with sparkling water and a splash of orange juice.
5. Ghia Aperitif
This woman-owned beverage brand is like a social media celebrity in the non-al beverage scene, originally offering a highly 'gramable product: the incredibly refreshing Ghia non-alcoholic aperitif. Inspired by the European tradition of enjoying a "slow-sipping and fast-talking" drink to kickstart the appetite at the beginning of a meal, Ghia is herbaceous, but not overpowering, with major Campari vibes.
Every order includes an informative (and beautiful) recipe zine featuring recommendations for enjoying your new aperitif. We tried Ghia over ice with sparkling water and a twist of lemon—the resulting drink was somewhat bitter, very crushable, and definitely felt like we were drinking a cocktail.
6. Wilfred’s Bittersweet Aperitif
For those looking to make the perfect Aperol Spritz sans booze, reach for a bottle of Wilfred's. This alcohol-free spirit has notes of rosemary, orange peel, and clove paired with top notes of bright rhubarb. When paired with some quality tonic water (we love this Fever Tree tonic) or a non-al sparkling wine, you've got yourself a Spritz fit for the Italian Riviera.
Non-alcoholic wine
Non-alcoholic wines like Proxies and Noughty are perfect for your next dinner party.
7. Proxies Non-alcoholic Wine
Proxies' wine alternatives are meant to be paired with food and enjoyed in your finest stemware (or repurposed jam jars, if that's more your style).
These are different from other non-alcoholic wines because they're not made by dealcoholizing traditional wine, but instead made from a blend of juices, teas, spices, bitters, and more, which when combined taste like a booze-free approximation of your favorite vino. Similar to kombucha, the Proxies contain trace amounts of alcohol (below 0.5%), so if you're going totally alcohol-free these wouldn't technically fit the bill, though the FDA still categorizes these as non-alcoholic.
You can join the Proxies club, which will supply you with three new bottles every month, including limited-edition exclusives, chef and sommelier collaborations, and brand-new flavors. That'll pair well with a new year's resolution to cut back on booze.
8. Noughty Alcohol-Free Sparkling Chardonnay
If you're looking for a non-alcoholic sparkling option that won't make you feel like you're sitting at the kid's table—looking at you, Martinelli's Sparkling Cider—check out Noughty's Sparkling Chardonnay. This dry sparkling refresher was created with positive, inclusive celebrations in mind, so that folks abstaining from alcohol could enjoy social gatherings without missing out on the bubbly.
When we tested seven non-alcoholic champagne alternatives, Noughty stood out from the pack, earning high marks from testers for its dry, velvety flavor and its taste proximity to the real thing. Serve flutes of this at your next gathering and guests might not even notice that they're missing the booze.
Non-alcoholic beer
We tasted nine non-alcoholic beers and this brewery makes our top pick, the Athletic Brewing Co. Wild Run IPA.
9. Athletic Brewing Co.
This brewery makes a slew of award-winning, expertly-craft non-alcoholic beers, including our favorite alcohol-free beer Run Wild IPA. If you like your suds on the lighter side, try the Upside Dawn Golden Ale. Reviewers call it flavorful, light, and refreshing.
Canned mocktails
Take the guesswork out of booze-free cocktails with these pre-made options.
10. Kin Euphorics
"All bliss, no booze"—that's the Kin Euphorics motto. Technically speaking, euphoric comes from the Greek word euphoros meaning "state of well being," and Kin accomplishes this by packing its products with adaptogens, nootropics, and botanics. If you're wondering what all of these words mean, don't worry, you're not alone! All of those terms refer to naturally occurring nutrients favored by homeopathic medicine (read: your yoga teacher probably loves this stuff).
We're not exaggerating when we say we're obsessed with Kin Spritz. These little cans are the perfect post-work beverage with kombucha-meets-wine-spritzer vibes, minus the alcohol. This spritz tastes mildly healthy, majorly refreshing, with notes of citrus and ginger.
Lightwave is the latest can to join the Kin family with notes of lavender, vanilla, super light smokiness, and and impressive launch led be newly minted Kin Euphorics co-founder Bella Hadid. Both varieties of kin cans are available in 4-, 8-, and 16-packs of 8-ounce cans and can be ordered as a one-time purchase or recurring delivery. These pre-made mocktails are super fun and, dare we say, giftable?
11. Ghia Le Spritz
Ghia describes its Le Spritz Ghia Soda as "Ghia-Soda-Sprig-of Rosemary-Twist-of-Yuzu," which is a long way of saying they went ahead and made a canned non-al spritz for us to take on the go. Available in 4-, 12-, 36-, or 108-packs (for the serious Ghia fans among us), each single-serve can is filled with the perfectly fizzy, deeply fragrant mocktail known as Le Spritz.
If you prefer a little spice with your mocktail, snag a box of Ghia Le Sprtiz Ginger. Made with Ghia's very own ginger beer and its signature aperitif, this small can is downright medicinal (in a good way, we promise).
12. Figlia's Fiore Frizzante
For another pleasantly bitter canned drink, Figlia's Fiore Frizzante has botantical ingredients like rose extract and natural elderflower for a floral flavor that's pleasantly complex.
Unlike other options, Figlia's nonalcoholic drinks are not designed to directly mimic alcoholic alternatives (to avoid triggering any sippers with a history of alcoholism). Instead, they're unique tasting beverages made with all natural ingredients and zero preservatives. Plus, a percentage of Figlia's proceeds go to Partnership to End Addiction, a non-profit that focuses on providing support for individuals and families impacted by addiction.
Enjoy cans of Fiore Frizzante chilled—and if you're feeling fancy, in a stemmed glass with a rosemary garnish.
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