*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. We will receive a small commission if you purchase through our links. I received samples to try for some of the brands on this list. All of the thoughts are my own.
For the last several years, I have been on a mission to reduce my alcohol consumption. I am a lover of wine, but my sleep has been suffering and I just don’t feel that great after I drink. I have done Dry January and gone several months without drinking.
During those sober times, I tried a variety of non-alcoholic drink alternatives that I enjoyed (and some not so much). I think the non-alcoholic drink trend is great, I have tried several different options in the last year or so, and here are some of the best non-alcoholic drinks I have found.
Best Non-Alcoholic Beer
Here are some of the best non-alcoholic beers I have tried. Long gone are the days of a boring O’Douls.
Athletic Brewing Company
Athletic Brewing makes a wide variety of beers and sparkling waters, using a proprietary process that allows the beers to be full flavor like alcoholic beers. I like the Athletic Lite (I am more of a light beer drinker), but I have also tried the Upside Dawn Golden, which has the bitter hoppy taste of beer, if you enjoy that flavor.
Heineken Zero
My neighbor was pregnant most of the summer and I was not drinking much, so we both enjoyed some Heineken Zero by the pool. I am not a fan of regular Heineken, but I really liked the taste of this non-alcoholic option. You really couldn’t tell it was an N/A beer and it is widely available at most grocery stores.
Clausthaler
Clausthaler has been making N/A beers for over 40 years, although I was not familiar with the brand until they sent me a sample. Their Claushaler Grapefruit is the perfect summer non-alcoholic beer for chillin’ on the beach or poolside. They also have an IPA that tastes like the real thing. This is another great option for an N/A beer that is NOT boring.
Best Non-Alcoholic Wine and Bubbles
I am a wine drinker. For many years, drinking and tasting wine was a huge part of my social activities and hobby. However, several years ago, wine drinking stopped being my friend. I would wake up feeling terrible every day, so I had to quit drinking during the week. I still drink wine on the weekends, but am picky about what I drink (most of the time).
Due to my love of wine, I have tried quite a few dealcoholized wines, where it starts out as a regular wine, then the alcohol is removed. Here are a few I enjoy:
Waterbrook
Waterbrook is a winery in Washington State that makes regular wine but also offers a dealcoholized cabernet and chardonnay. They sent me some samples to try and I found the cab fairly comparable to a cab with alcohol in both taste and appearance.
Zilch
Zilch wines make a sparkling white and rose. The bubbles have only 60 calories per glass, which is about 40 less than a glass of regular champagne. This would be a great option for a celebration or a mimosa brunch where you don’t want to nap for the rest of the day after.
O’Joy
This came in an N/A sampler box (more on that later) and I fell in LOVE. It is a sparkling white that comes in a can. I absolutely love a crisp white wine, especially in the summer, but it MURDERS my sleep. Unfortunately, it seems that O’Joy’s shop may have closed (hopefully temporarily) but I loved it so much I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out.
Leitz Zero Point Five Pinot Noir
I picked this one up at the recommendation at my local wine shop which has a wide variety of N/A choices. I had a few friends try it and they all agreed that it “tastes like wine”. It was a pretty good option when everyone else was drinking but I was abstaining.
Best Mocktails
Moment
Moment is my go-to mocktail. It has ashwagandha and L-theanine, two adaptogens that help you feel more relaxed. I enjoy the blueberry ginger and the blood orange flavors, which my kid said “tastes like spoiled orange juice”. But seriously, it’s better than that. I also like that it is low in calories and has no added sugar, some of the flavors are sweetened with erythritol.
De Soi
De Soi is a brand of non-alcoholic Aperitifs started by pop star Katy Perry and her business partner Morgan McLachlan. They have a wide variety of flavors including Tres Rose and Sprtiz Italiano, which I am assuming is like an Aperol Spritz. The drinks are infused with functional mushrooms and L-theanine to promote relaxation.
The brand sent me the new St Mortiz Mule a holiday flavor. It tasted like a pomegranate-flavored Moscow mule. I thought it was pretty tasty and festive for the holiday season.
Mitra-9
Mitra-9 is a brand that makes sparkling drinks and powders infused with kava. (It also makes Kratom drinks, but Kratom is not legal in some states, so I’ll let you do your research on that.)
Kava is a plant native to the South Pacific. Its roots are used to create a traditional drink that has ingredients called kavalactones. The active compounds interact with the brain to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and in some cases, improve sleep. At high doses, it can cause toxicity, so I would probably limit my consumption to no more than one.
I tried this last weekend and it made me feel very relaxed. I probably would use it when I want to have a chill night at home. If you want to try it, you can get 25% off by clicking this link.
HIVE20
HIVE20 sent me a variety of their non-alcoholic and alcoholic honey-based drinks to try. They come in a variety of flavors such as Ginger Beer, Sour, Wine, and Hops. I enjoyed the ginger beer, it did have a slight honey flavor. What I like the best about this brand is that most of the drinks are simple with only 4-5 ingredients. They are all sweetened with honey, which is still sugar, but I still appreciate the clean ingredients.
Mixly Spritz Mixers
I love the marketing on these, they say drinking them will transport you to a beach chair on the Italian coast with every sip. Considering it’s the middle of winter, the beach chairs of the Italian coast sound particularly appealing.
These mixers are made with fruit juice and other flavors. I am a fan of anything with Elderflower, it makes everything taste so yummy. They can be mixed with sparkling water for a mocktail or sparkling wine. I’ll probably save some to mix with some real prosecco, as maybe that will get me closer to the Italian coast.
Non-alcoholic Spirits
If spirits are more your jam, there are plenty of options to choose from for an N/A spirit you can use in a mocktail. I have tried several of these and my only feedback is that none of them have the “burn”. I guess that’s the point, right?
Three Spirit
Lauren and I tried Three Spirit at Expo East a few years ago and we both liked it. It has an earthy flavor to it and contains a variety of herbs depending on how you want to feel. One of the varieties, called the Livener, has caffeine to help you enjoy an active night. I chose to drink the Nightcap, as it has calming herbs for a chill night. It was really good mixed with some ginger beer and ice.
Philters Non-Alcoholic Spirits
Philters make four different zero proof spirits: Wiski, Jynn, Mezkahl, Ruhm. You could drink them straight or add them to a mocktail. They sent over the Mezkahl for me to try. It has the smoky smell and taste I would expect from Mescal without the burn. It would taste great in a cocktail, I probably wouldn’t drink this particular one straight, but it’s a good option if you are missing a margarita. The availability of different varieties allows you to make whatever drink you might be craving, but stick with your N/A lifestyle.
Tasting
If you want to try a variety of N/A drinks without buying a whole bottle, I highly recommend the Raising The Bar Subscription box. They ship you a monthly box filled with non-alcoholic goodies to try along with recipes for how to make various mocktails with the ingredients. It was fun to open up a new box every month and try all the goodies inside.
You can also join a supporting community if you are newly sober or curious. Loosid is a platform that has recently surpassed 250,000 members—individuals who are either sober or interested in living a sober life. The platform is 100% free, and simply by downloading the app, members can connect. Loosid brings together a group of people who understand the challenges of sobriety, even though their individual experiences may differ.
Overall this non-alcoholic drink trend will continue to grow, as people begin to learn more about the negative effects of alcohol or just reevaluate their drinking habits and opt for healthier alternatives.
If you are looking for support around dry January or quitting alcohol at any time of the year, we created this Dry January journal and tracker. It includes journal prompts, motivational content, and more to help you evaluate your relationship with alcohol.
