31 Mar Best Nonalcoholic Spirits, According to Bartenders

Now that they’ve mastered the non-alcoholic spirits there is such a variety to choose from it’s difficult to decide. Not only do many taste like real alcohol, but some give you a buzz on nothing more than healthy herbs an botanicals. You really need to give them a try.

There’s a whole lot of buzz about booze-free spirits right now. More than ever, drinkers are opting for low-alcohol and alcohol-free options — like nonalcoholic cocktails and nonalcoholic beer and wine — even if they’re not completely sober. This has resulted in a wave of popular zero-proof ingredients for making complex craft mocktails. You can now replicate whiskey, gin, mezcal, and countless other ingredients without alcohol. The days of choosing between sparkling water or cola are over.

On the hunt for the best nonalcoholic spirits, we’ve consulted cocktail experts and bartenders who’ve created entirely zero-proof bar and bottle shops or built extensive inclusive cocktail lists that incorporate the hard and soft stuff. There’s a whole new flavor horizon in nonalcoholic drinks, and we’re here to help you explore the best options out there.

SENTIA GABA Gold 

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Almave Blanco Nonalcoholic Blue Agave Spirit

“What I love about Almave is that it’s a nonalcoholic spirit made in the same agricultural and distillation style as an alcoholic tequila, except for the fermentation process,” says Josh Harris, founder of San Francisco’s Trick Dog and a bartender who’s been sober himself for more than 20 years. Almave comes from the same blue Weber agave that goes into tequila, cooked and crushed in the same way, and it’s even distilled — but without being fermented into alcohol first. This gives Almave those same distinct vegetal notes that make tequila, tequila. (Besides this Blanco variety, there’s also Ámbar, with more brown sugar and toasty notes to imitate the barrel-aging of a reposado or añejo.)

In addition to using quality ingredients like this one, Harris also has a general technique tip for tasty alcohol-free drinks: “I am always very mindful to shake and stir nonalcoholic cocktails less than their spirited versions; otherwise the drink can be too diluted.”

Amethyst Nonalcoholic Spirits Lemon Cucumber Serrano

PHOTO: Amethyst Nonalcoholic Spirits

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Food & Wine executive wine editor Ray Isle describes this concoction as “gin-vodka-something adjacent. It has a hint of citrus, a hint of peppery spice, and the cooling vegetal note of cucumber, and is remarkably versatile.” It’s one of four fruit- and spice-based creations from South Carolina–based Amethyst Nonalcoholic Spirits, and the only one made with chile peppers. “It’s tasty with tonic on ice,” Isle says, “or stir two parts Amethyst to one part Martini & Rossi Floreale and a dash or two of Champagne vinegar with ice, and you’ll have an excellent dirty martini alternative called the You Only Live Twice. (Thank you to Ripplewood Whiskey & Craft in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, for that one.)”

Optimist Botanicals Smokey Non-Alcoholic Spirit

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Two-Michelin-starred Los Angeles restaurant Providence has a “free-spirited” beverage pairing option for its chef’s tasting menu with house-made cocktail ingredients like fines herbes soda and rice milk alongside commercially bottled products including Optimist’s Smokey. Created as an alternative to mezcal, this bartender’s favorite has a complex mix of botanicals led by lapsang souchong, a smoke-dried black tea.

You’ll also find citrus, spices, flowers, and a little habanero for tongue-tingling burn. Providence bar director Kim Stodel mixes it with sparkling apple juice (specifically, the fancy French brand Domaine DuPont Jus de Pomme Pétillant) to match a rich duck dish. We also recommend trying it in a virgin margarita recipe.

Ritual Zero-Proof Rum

PHOTO: Boisson

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The complex, warming flavor profile of dark rum is incredibly cocktail-friendly. It plays well with everything from tropical fruits to eggnog recipes. Ritual’s nonalcoholic alternative brings similar sweet spice, with notes of honey, banana, bitter orange, cinnamon, anise, and more. It’s great with ginger beer, or in a mojito, daiquiri, or any other rum cocktail you can think of.

Monday Zero Alcohol Gin

PHOTO: Monday

Drinkmonday.com

Monday’s gin is a traditional London dry style, with a powerful juniper punch and a background of bitter citrus, herbs, and coriander — but no alcohol. You could use it in a martini, but it shines brightest in a fruity or floral cocktail, topped with tonic water, or in a Negroni. And we’d be remiss not to mention the packaging: The gilded Art Deco–style label is eye-catching on the shelf.

Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Whiskey

PHOTO: Amazon

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Kentucky is the center of the American whiskey industry, so it makes sense that our top nonalcoholic bourbon is also made in the state. Spiritless uses a unique reverse-distillation process, which infuses oak into a mix of alcohol and water to extract the familiar bourbon flavors, then removes the alcohol to leave behind a tasty but non-intoxicating liquid. Go ahead and sip on this one neat in your favorite whiskey glass. Or to cut down your consumption, mix it half-and-half with the hard stuff.

Rasasvada Rose Bergamot Nonalcoholic Spirit

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“I love the diverse range of nonalcoholic options available today,” says Meg Paradise, who opened Umbrella Dry Bar — North Carolina’s first booze-free bar — in Raleigh in 2023. She calls this unique floral concoction a go-to because “it boasts flavorful complexity, integrity in its ingredients & sourcing, and offers an unexpectedly elevated experience for our guests. The Rasasvada product line has heft and a weighty mouthfeel, where some other nonalcoholic spirits fall flat or feel thin.”

Rasasvada’s bittersweet, floral Rose Bergamot includes more than just its two eponymous ingredients. There’s also geranium, hibiscus, four kinds of citrus peel, and seven more botanicals. Paradise uses it in the I’ll Have What’s Meg’s Having, where it’s shaken with rose cordial and lime, then topped with strawberry-rose sparkling water. “It is unique and not trying to replicate anything specifically, which lends itself to interesting play,“ she says.

Lyre’s Coffee Originale Nonalcoholic Apéritif

PHOTO: Amazon

Founded in 2019 by a pair of Australians, Lyre’s makes an entire bar’s worth of nonalcoholic cocktail ingredients. The brand offers alternatives to bourbon, gin, triple sec, and amaretto. Its zero-proof spin on coffee liqueur has “hints of coffee intertwined with savory and sherry-like qualities,” says Andrew Cordero, beverage director at the Michelin-starred Jeune et Jolie in Carlsbad, California.

“In our version of the espresso martini, we combine it with Steady State cold brew coffee and roasted kabocha squash for a sweet earthiness. A touch of koji adds a subtle umami note, all topped off with whipped cream.” You may not be able to go quite that fancy at home, but Lyre’s Coffee Originale with some sweetened espresso, whipped cream, and perhaps a pinch of salt makes for a delicious after-dinner sip.

Excerpts about these non-alcoholic drinks taken from FoodandWine.com. Highly recommend their website for more information.