The non-alcoholic (N/A) market has grown in the past few years. Once limited to a few botanical glasses of water, alcohol-free options now include single-serve and large format ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails (or mocktails, if you prefer), convincing base “spirits” that do a good job of mimicking the taste of drinks like whisky, gin, and aperitivos; and complex formulas that give you a different buzz, without the alcohol.
Before we get into this growing area, we should talk about a few things that are true of the whole group and kept coming up when we thought about what to put on this list.
Whether you’re trying RTDs or base spirits, you must realize that these drinks will always taste different from the cocktails or liquors they’re usually meant to copy. In this way, the drink’s texture becomes more important since some makers have made up for small flavor flaws by improving the texture.
When it comes to taste, the best “spirits” have fuller body that doesn’t feel like flavored water on the tongue. Regarding RTDs and flavoured waters, we looked for drinks beyond this simple description, like real cocktails that are complex to drink and stimulate all parts of the mouth.
Now that we know what’s going on, here are the 20 best names of non-alcoholic drinks for 2023.
Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktails and RTDs
Curious Elixirs
Curious Elixirs has four drinks that don’t contain alcohol. Each one comes in a sleek bottle with simple branding. Some drinks, like the Negroni, French 75, and Aperol Spritz, are well-known favorites. The goal was to make these drinks without using ingredients like Campari, gin, and Champagne, which have unique tastes. The collection is a tremendous success, closely matching the general profile of each drink. The French 75 is our favorite because it is cool, light, and flowery.
Price: $40 per four 20-ounce bottles
De Soi
Katy Perry’s alcohol-free sparkling aperitif, De Soi, came out in early 2022. This was the first time a star endorsed something that didn’t have alcohol in it. The brand comes in single-serve 8-ounce cans and 750-milliliter bottles with three flavors. They are made with and mixed with a wide range of sweet, savory, and herbal ingredients. Their flavors and smells are strong but light and bubbly textures. Find the Champignon Dreams, which is made with reishi mushrooms.
Price: $25 per 750 mL bottle or four 12-ounce cans
Jeng
Based on hemp, Jeng is another company that makes versions of well-known drinks that don’t have alcohol. The brand’s Paloma has just enough sweetness and depth to match the classic tequila and grapefruit soda mix, and the Jeng & Tonic is full of tangy lime and bitter quinine notes. These drinks are more than just fancy beers. They are well-balanced, well-made highballs that add a bit of fun to events where alcohol is not served.
Price: $20 per four 8-ounce cans
For Bitter For Worse
This brand’s three large-sized RTDs will test even the boldest taste buds. The Negroni-like Saskatoon ends with a wave of sharpness that fans of Amaro will surely enjoy. The Smoky No. 56, which looks like an Old Fashioned, tastes like a sweet, savory, smoky BBQ sauce. Eva’s Spritz is the most “mainstream” of the three, but the sweet, sparkling cocktail still has some spicy notes.
The price is $28 for a 750 mL bottle or $22 for four 6.3 oz cans.
Figlia
Figlia is based in New York and Los Angeles. It was started because the founder’s father had difficulty drinking. In 2021, Geiger’s main lines, FIORE and FIORE Frizzante, came out. Frizzante is a sparkling version of FIORE that comes in 8-ounce cans. The still version of FIORE comes in 750-milliliter bottles, while the sparkling performance, called Frizzante, comes in 8-ounce cans. Even though it will taste different from your favorite Campari cocktail, it’s easy to drink and a great place to start if you’re new to aperitivo. This is a great alternative for people who like fancy sodas because it tastes fruity and herbal.
The price is $43 for a 750 mL bottle or $36 for six 8 oz cans.
Clever Mocktails
From Montreal, Canada, comes a line of mocktails that look so good that you’ll want to check the ingredient list twice or even thrice. There’s something for every kind of person, from N/A gin to canned Mojitos, Gin and tonics, and Mules. Look for the Mojito in particular. Its fresh mint and lime flavors help balance out a drink that is often too sweet. The Pink Gin & Tonic, made with juniper, cardamom, and carrot juice, is also worth buying.
Price: $39 for a pack of 12 12 oz. cans
Mockly
Jesse Carr, a bartender in New Orleans, created Mockly to make complex drinks with a light fizz that doesn’t need any alcohol. Choose between the spicy El Diablo, which is made with Earl Grey, chili, and passionfruit, or the ginger-forward, wintery Love Bite, which has notes of herbal tea, pomegranate, rosemary, and juicy citrus. A hint of vinegar balances the sweetness of the fruit in these drinks. This makes them especially appealing to people who like ginger kombucha.
The price for four 250 mL cans is $11
Ghia
Ghia is one of the better-known names in the N/A space, and she has won over the minds of many young people on the coast, whether they are sober or not. The aperitif tastes like your favorite craft amari, with ginger, herbs, and sweetness. This is also the best of the bunch regarding how it tastes. While some competitors are weaker, Ghia has a full body and would go well in a drink. Its Le Spritz collection has the original Ghia Soda flavor as well as the newer Ghia Ginger and Lime & Salt flavors. These three flavors would be great additions to a beach bag or a work lunch.
Price: $38 for a 16.5-ounce bottle or $60 for 12 8-ounce cans
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