The nonalcoholic beverage movement has been growing rapidly over the past few years as more and more people decide to cut down on intoxicating liquids or stop drinking booze altogether. There are lots of reasons someone might make the choice to abstain from alcohol, whether it's for a night or forever, and a lot of them have been illuminated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I think the pandemic has particularly pushed people to prioritize their health and well-being, and in turn, that has opened up the conversation about sobriety and the sober curious movement," explains Mélanie Masarin, founder and CEO of nonalcoholic aperitif brand Ghia. "It seems like not drinking alcohol has become the default for many people since there is much more information available about its causal effects on both physical and mental health."
Video of the Day
Video of the Day
This shift has ushered in masses of new nonalcoholic beverages, from wines to beers to apéritifs that are designed to replace their boozy counterparts. These drinks are ideal for both the always-sober and the sometimes-sober. "Nonalcoholic drinking is about being more mindful, and it doesn't have to be binary or forever," Masarin says, noting that plenty of Ghia consumers imbibe in moderation.
Whether you're well-acquainted with nonalcoholic beverages or you're just dipping your toe into the world of booze-free drinks, the following list is bound to introduce you to a delicious product you've never tried before. Here, we present eight new nonalcoholic drinks that are well worth your time.
Acid League first launched with a line of boldly flavored vinegar engineered to promote good gut health. Now, the company is tackling nonalcoholic wine with its stylishly packaged Proxies. The tasting set includes the four most popular bottles: two complex whites, a fruity rosé, and a rich red.
Not to be confused with seltzer, Cann Unspiked combines fresh juice, herb flavors, reverse osmosis carbonated water, and agave nectar to create its social tonics that "know how to party." You can try the very best flavors — lemon lavender, blood orange cardamom, and grapefruit rosemary — with this handy variety pack.
Pop star Katy Perry and drinks expert Morgan McLachlan are behind De Soi, a collection of nonalcoholic apéritifs made with natural adaptogens. If you go for the variety pack, expect to find notes of yuzu and chamomile in Golden Hour, strawberry and birch in Champignon Dreams, and blackberry and rose in Purple Lune.
Inspired by the light, dry apéritifs of the Mediterranean, Ghia is a nonalcoholic apéritif crafted with pure plant extracts. The wonderfully bitter beverage is full of ingredients that naturally soothe and stimulate, while the brand's Le Spritz cans of Ghia Soda and Ghia Ginger bring a bubbly effervescence to the table. This bundle allows you to try all three.
Grüvi's nonalcoholic beers and wines are designed to taste as much like their alcoholic equivalents as possible. You can decide for yourself with the variety pack, which includes the company's IPA, pale ale, stout, dry secco, and bubbly rosé.
A sparkling social tonic marketed as a "better-than-alcohol alternative," Hiyo is made with organic adaptogens, natural nootropics, and functional botanicals, like ashwagandha, lion's mane, l-theanine, and cordyceps. Its three original flavors — peach mango, watermelon lime, and blackberry lemon — can be found in the variety pack.
HOP WTR mixes Citra, Amarillo, Mosaic, and Azacca hops to achieve the citrusy, piney flavor of your favorite IPA without the alcohol, calories, or sugar. Plus, its adaptogens and nootropics help you destress and decompress. Test four flavors, from classic and lime to mango and blood orange, with this variety pack.
Surely sources grapes from California's best regions, turns them into traditional alcoholic wine, and then de-alcoholizes it. From there, juice is blended in to elevate the aromatics and round out the palette. The result is bottles — like the sparkling rosé, sparkling white, and sauvignon blanc that come in a variety bundle — that taste like real wine.