My Fave Nonalcoholic Drinks

cocktails, beer and an actually-good NA wine

I mostly don’t drink these days. But sometimes I find myself at a restaurant with a terrific wine list, and share a bottle with friends. Other times, I head straight to the non-alcoholic cocktail list. Or stick with water. But then there’s is rosemary martini at The Progress…

There are innumerable reasons why I choose to drink, or not. What I actually love is a fun little drink and the ritual of pouring something nice at the end of the day.

The NA options these days are near-peak. Working in CPG and as a beverage judge for The Good Food Awards, I’ve sampled my fair share of NA drinks over the years. In this guide, I’ve selected my faves, keeping in mind accessibility in distribution and price. I’ve organized them into 3 categories:

• Cocktails (aperitifs, spritzes, syrups and canned drinks)

• Beer

• Wine (including one that straight-up blew my mind)

Plus, I’m sharing a few of my favorite easy nonalcoholic cocktail recipes and a few NA online bottle shops I love. Cheers!

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NA Cocktails

Forget soda and sugary “mocktails”, the NA cocktail game has been elevated to the next level. This category has expanded to include ready-to-drink canned and bottled cocktails that rival their traditional counterparts.

If you like a classic NEGRONI, try:

San Agretis Phony Negroni

First on the list is the ultimate IYKYK “there’s no way this is NA”: Phony Negroni. It tastes like a sparkling version of a Negroni with a little Aperol spritz in the mix. It’s quite concentrated, so I cut it with a little seltzer or pour over ice to dilute. Keep an eye out for it on cocktail menus. It retails for about $6/bottle. Buy it here.

If you like MEZCAL cocktails, try:

San Agretis Smoky Negroni

I first had it at Suerte in Austin, and it was the perfect drink to have with a Mexican brunch. Again, very concentrated so consider pouring it over lots of ice or seltzer. Beware: this one’s SUPER smoky. Buy it here.

St. Agretis also makes an NA amaro (solid!) and a Phony Espresso Negroni (haven’t tried it yet).

If you like Campari and Aperol, try:

• Italian Chinotto

  • A tart and sour citrus sparkling drink with a cola-like color. Look for Italian brands like Lurisa and San Pellegrino’s Chino. Available here. .

• Sanbitter

  • The cutest little bottles. Bitter sweet and Aperol-y, this is what Italians drink if they aren’t drinking for aperitivo (happy hour). Buy it here.

• Lyre’s Amalfi Spritz

  • A UK-based company that makes excellent NA canned drinks and bottled spirits. They can read a little bubble-gummy, so I recommend picking up a 4-pack before committing to a larger bundle. I buy it at locally at World Market, also available online.

If you like CITRUS & BOTANICALS, try:

Ghia

One of the first NA cocktails to gain popularity, they offer bottled aperitifs and premixed canned spritzes. The founder of Ghia interviewed me once for a job at a different food brand and I’ve had a girl crush ever since. Not too sweet with a nice balance of bitterness. TMI, the bottled aperitif gave me and my boyfriend vivid dreams (maybe it’s was the…gentian root?) The cans come in flavors Lime & Salt, Sumac & Chili, Ginger and their classic Ghia-Soda. I am interested in try their new Le Fizz bottled sparkling drink for a party. Collect them all! They're at Target now. Store finder & shop here.

If you like a drink with benefits, try:

De Soi

Chic little cans of NA sparkling cocktails with adaptogens backed by pop singer Katy Perry. I have only seen (and tried) the Tres Rose in stores, and it tastes like a raspberry iced tea soda with a little something extra, but not too sweet. A crowd-pleaser, just like Katy! They have a few other varieties, all touting adaptogenic health benefits. Shop here.

If you like SOUR or TART cocktails, try:

Inna Shrub

Shrubs are vinegar-based fruity syrups for mixing with seltzer. The company is closing down shop soon, so buy them while you can! I love the Meyer Lemon and Strawberry flavors. Great with iced tea, too. Buy it here.

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Non-Alcoholic Beer

In terms of 1:1 replacement and flavor, beer is leaps and bounds ahead of NA wine and cocktails. Bonus, they tend to me a little less expensive, ounce-for-ounce than NA canned cocktails and wine. It’s awesome to see more NA beers on restaurant menus and chilling right alongside the regular brews in backyard BBQ coolers these days. Here are three of my fave brands.

Gruvi

My #1 right now and a new-to-me brand out of Colorado. They REALLY taste like beer. Fruity, fun flavors and killer IPAs. One of the few brands I’ve seen selling variety backs in brick-and-mortar retail (I found it at Whole Foods). They have a limited selection (the variety pack is currently sold out) and store finder on their website here. It also looks like they’re getting into the NA wine game?! Love you, Gruvi! Varieties (flavors? lol) I’ve tried:

• Golden Era - a classic, light basic beer. Would be great for a BBQ.

• Juicy Dayz IPA - a fun tropical IPA. Perfect shower beer.

• Weekday Wit - I *might* like this better than my beloved Athletic Wit’s Peak. A classic orange and coriander wit.

• Imperial Dawn IPA - A heavier IPA. This one almost fooled my boyfriend into thinking it was full-proof. More of a winter beer.

Best Day Brewing

Fun & fresh NA West Coast craft beer brand. I especially love their Electro-Lime (shout out to my friend and reader Caitlin for tipping me off! It paired well with her homemade chili). If you close your eyes, you’re drinking a Corona with lime. Buy it here.

Athletic Brewing

One of the early players in the NA craft beer game. I have tried a few “flavors”, including their IPAs, but their Belgian Wheat ‘Wit’s Peak’ won me over. It gives Blue Moon vibes with a slice of orange. I pick up mine at Trader Joe’s (benefit of CA liquor laws!) but I’m starting to see it more widely distributed in stores. Their DTC shop has lots of limited editions. Buy it here.

If you only SORT OF like beer, try:

Hop Water, various brands. Citrusy, piney and, well, hoppy, these seltzer-like drinks are popping up everywhere from brands like Laguinitas, HOPWTR, Hoplark and Hop Splash. If you see glass-bottled Laguinitas, grab them! They’ve got a fresher flavor than canned.

NA beer I haven’t tried, but interested:

• Sierra Nevada

• Brooklyn Brewery

• Deschutes

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Wine

I’ve tasted some very bad NA wine. Most of it is giving partially fermented apple juice. Yikes. I’m excited to see reputable wine makers get into the NA game, and while I don’t understand the science of de-alcoholization (is it like…decaffeination?) I am thrilled there are a few I proudly recommend. Both of my top picks are sparkling rosé. It’s not a wine I typically gravitate towards, but I’ve found that the sparkling NA wines tend to be better dupes than non sparkling varieties. Come on, NA winemakers, catch up!

Another PSA: I want to see more NA bottles in splits (tiny bottles) and cans. It’s tough for me to take a risk on a large bottle when the flavor disparities amongst brands are so vast, unlike traditional wine where you have a rough sense of what a pinot noir tastes like. If anyone knows of somewhere doing NA wine tastings in the Bay or NYC, let me know.

NA Wines I Actually Love: