Non-alcoholic cocktails at The Bamboo Room in Savannah , GA , include the Not an Old Fashioned , with Kentucky 74 “ bourbon ,” Earl Gray tea , cinnamon syrup and a healthy spray of an orange rind .

THE NO-PROOF BEVERAGE MOVEMENT ENTERS NEW PHASE By Melissa Dowling

The 2023 Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report found that 57 % of global consumers were planning to follow Dry January this past year , with 40 % expecting to drink more nonalcoholic and low-ABV drinks throughout 2023 . And up to 23 % of Millennial and legal Gen Z consumers are becoming “ blenders ,” or those switching between no- / low- and full-strength cocktails on the same occasion .

What does this mean for nonalcoholic cocktails ? Consumers now expect them to be made with flavor in the same vein as fullproof drinks . Overly sweet , boring or tasteless mocktails will no longer cut it . ( Calling them mocktails is frowned upon by many in the industry , due to the negative connotations , but it remains a quick and easy way to identify these beverages on menus .)

PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES The good news for bartenders is that there ’ s no shortage of quality nonalcoholic products , and more seem to launch every week . It ’ s easier to find them , too .

For instance , The Free Spirits Co ., a nonalcoholic spirits brand offering bourbon , gin , tequila and Italian aperitivo alternatives , in April announced a retail partnership with Walmart . All Free Spirits expressions can now be found in more than 600 Walmart stores across a dozen states and nationwide at Walmart . com .

4 Drink Responsibly 2023