Five Nonalcoholic Drinks That Actually Taste Good

Isn’t it great that there are finally some cool looking and delicious nonalcoholic wines and spirits out there? It’s tempting to choose on packaging or buzz alone. But that may not be the best strategy for finding nonalcoholic drinks that actually taste good.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to know how a 0-proof drink truly tastes until you plunk down your money and take it home. Despite the fancy packaging, some nonalcoholic adult drinks taste like water or awfully bitter and medicinal. I’ve made some bad purchases that I tossed or stuck in the back of the liquor cabinet to collect dust.

I wish celebs backing some of these nonalcoholic drinks would be required to taste their products live on Instagram. Wouldn’t that be enlightening and entertaining?!

Until that happens, I’ve been keeping my own list of taste-tested 0-proof drinks that are worth the money. In these nonalcoholic drinks, the taste is on point, and they also help you feel more relaxed thanks to herbs and botanicals. So the next time you want to cut calories but still enjoy an after-work drink, I hope this list of five nonalcoholic drinks that actually taste good will come in handy.

Nightcap by Three Spirit

I was working on a story when I met Geyan Surendran, then a chemist and product developer for Three Spirit, an alternative adult beverage company based in the UK. What really stood out was the way Three Spirit combined people with expertise in bar, distilling, chemistry and botanicals to create the ultimate alternative spirits. They debuted three alternative spirits: Social Elixirs for a party vibe, Livener for an energetic pick me up, and Nightcap.

They let me try a bottle of their Nightcap, infused with relaxing botanicals including hops, valerian, lemon balm and ashwaganda. The smoky brown bottle with gold lettering was attractive. The golden brown spirit had some weight, kind of like a whiskey. Nightcap tasted citrusy and woodsy with a hint of spice and smoke on the finish.

For hot weather try it in a tasty faux-jito with fresh mint, brown sugar syrup, lime juice and soda. That first night, I made a simple Old Fashioned with the suggested 50ml (1.75 ounces) of Nightcap. By the second cocktail, a rooibos tea toddy, my whole body was feeling pleasantly relaxed. While I can’t remember what I dreamed about that night, it was vivid.

Label stats: A 100-ml serving (2 drinks) has 60 calories and 12.8 grams of sugar.

Leilo Sparkling Nonalcoholic Kava Sodas

If you’ve ever tried traditional kava kava made from the South Pacific root, you know deliciousness is not one of its attributes. That is, unless you like the taste of bitter dirt. The first time I tried kava root at Elixirart in Nevada City, I was advised to chug it, rather than sip it like wine. The goal is to get the kava into your stomach so the Piper methysticum root can help you feel relaxed and mellow.

So, I was amazed at how much I liked Leilo, a line of kava-based sparkling sodas. Founder Sol Broady spent two years developing tasty fruit flavored drinks. They deliver the relaxation and sociable feelings kava is known for without the strong, earthy flavor. Leilo sodas offer “a chance for clean relaxation. And you don’t have to feel guilty about consuming,” Broady says.

Although I’d drink any of them, my favorite Leilo flavors are Tango Berry, Pineapple Coconut, and Raspberry Hibiscus. From the first sip, the kava starts to numb your tongue, and just a single 12-ounce can was enough to make me feel calm, even after a stressful day.

Label stats: A 12-ounce serving has 40 calories, 9 grams sugar and 750 mg of kava kava.

De Soi Très Rosé Sparkling Nonalcoholic Aperitif

You’ve probably heard about De Soi already because entertainer Katy Perry is one of the co-creators and founders. She teamed up with Morgan McLachlan, a brilliant distiller based in the Los Angeles area. While I interviewed her for a Wine Enthusiast piece on botanical drinks like her Amass gin, she told me about De Soi.

It’s just a bonus that I love saying De Soi. It inspired this riff on the Lady Marmalade chorus: “Voulez-vous bouvet a De Soi ce soir? (That means will you drink a De Soi with me this evening… and nothing more:-))

Morgan turned to botanicals to give De Soi‘s sparkling 0-proof drinks would all get their oomph. They envision people having the freedom to enjoy a De Soi anytime. They’re nonalcoholic so you can still drive home or finish a work project without worrying about having or being a wreck. To create drinks that actually taste good, she layered lots of fruits, adaptogens and herbs into every expression. She chose reishi mushrooms and holy basil for the citrusy Champignon Dreams, and relaxing lemon balm and L-theanine (a brain-loving amino acid found in green tea) for Golden Hour.

I haven’t tasted either of those. But I finally got my hands on the new Très Rosé, the newest addition to the line. It’s like a tangy rosé from Provence, with notes of pink grapefruit, raspberry, ginger and tart red currant. You can sip it solo in a flute, or blend with frozen berries and a little simple syrup to make frosé. And with ingredients like L-theanine, saffron and chamomile, don’t be surprised if Très Rosé makes your brain feel happy.

Label stats: an 8-ounce can has 35 calories, 6 grams sugar and 40 mg potassium.

Blurred Vines Sharp + Spark Nonalcoholic Wine by Three Spirit

The second time I contacted the Three Spirit team, they were launching a pair of alternative wine called Blurred Vines. Spark is a refreshing red sparkling wine alternative, while Sharp evokes a crisp white wine.

Spark is really tangy–think red currants, cranberry, and hibiscus. It reminds me of a natural wine, perhaps made from Grenache. Though light, Spark is still potent, thanks to L-theanine and schisandra berry, a red adaptogenic fruit. Schisandra calms the heart and quiets the spirit, according to traditional Chinese medicine.

Label stats: Spark has just 16 calories per serving, 3 grams sugar, B vitamins and caffeine too.

Sharp is citrusy and acidic as the name suggests, and it evokes the refreshment of uncorking a Sauvignon Blanc. Sharp starts with fermented apricot and grape juice, and then it’s infused with teas like African verbena and manuka leaf. Sharp has herbal notes, a hint of tannin and minerality delivered with a gentle sense of calm, just like a class of wine. You could easily pair Sharp with seafood, chicken or a big green salad. In fact, Spark tastes so good, it changed my mind about the notion of nonalcoholic wines.

Label stats: A 4 ounce serving of Sharp has 25 calories, 3 grams sugar, 100% of your daily vitamin C and a bunch of B vitamins.

It turns out Sharp is a beautiful mixer too. If you like cocktails like the Aperol Spritz, try my recipe for a spritz with fragrant bergamot citrus and cucumber.

INGREDIENTS
1 generous teaspoon bergamot jam (or citrus marmalade)
6 thin slices cucumber
1 drop liquid stevia (if using)
3 ounces Blurred Vines Sharp alternative wine
Splash tonic water
cucumber for garnish

METHOD
Gently muddle the bergamot jam, cucumber slices a and stevia if using in a cocktail shaker cup until fragrant. Transfer to a tall cocktail glass filled with ice. Add Blurred Vines Sharp and stir. Top with tonic water and garnish.
Makes 1 cocktail