Gone are the days of watered-down juice and seltzer passed off as a mocktail. Today’s array of booze-free beverages is diverse, surprisingly tasty and growing by the second. Not sure where to start? Here, the best non-alcoholic drinks to try this year whether you’re avoiding alcohol altogether, D.D.-ing or just sober-curious.
The 15 Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Try in 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Booze? We don’t know her
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Published Jan 10, 2024
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15 Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Try in 2024
1
Best Bitter Option
Ghia Non-Alcoholic Aperitif
read more
2
Best NA Beer
Athletic Brewing Co Non-Alcoholic Beer
read more
3
Best Sparkling Alternative
Töst Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Beverage
read more
4
Best Aperitif
Figlia Fiore
read more
5
Best Gin Alternative
Amass Riverine
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What are Non-Alcoholic Drinks, Exactly?
Even a few years ago, your options for alcohol-free drinks were pretty slim: maybe a sad mocktail, maybe a boozeless beer. Now, your choices range from non-alcoholic spirits to wine and ready-to-drink canned options. Their common thread? They all have an ABV of zero.
What Ingredients Are Common in Non-Alcoholic Drinks?
It depends on the brand and bottle, but many non-alcoholic drinks are flavored with herbal extracts, spices, roots, barks and juices. Others are distilled just like regular booze, but the alcohol content is removed, and some are fermented like kombucha. Some are made with adaptogens and CBD, and they’re designed with other mood-altering effects in mind (like making you feel energized or relaxed instead of tipsy).
Are Non-Alcoholic Drinks Just Mixers?
Nope, these modern non-alcoholic drinks aren’t just glorified mixers, although you could use them as such if you wanted. Brands are drawing inspiration from existing types of alcohol, like aperitifs, wine and spirits. And depending on the bottle you choose, you can choose to drink them neat, on the rocks or mixed into mocktails.
Before you dive in, a quick heads up: Even though they don’t contain booze, some non-alcoholic drinks come with health disclaimers for anyone who is pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to conceive, taking certain medications or has a medical condition. We advise checking the labels and consulting with your doctor if that applies to you.
How We Chose the Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks
In seeking out our favorite NA drinks, we tasted samples ourselves, spoke with five PureWow editors and one additional outside taster. When we couldn’t try the beverages firsthand, we combed reviews online. Our criteria? Flavor, quality, format (i.e., single-serve vs. bottle) and versatility.
Boisson
Best Bitter Option
1. Ghia Non-Alcoholic Aperitif
Pros
- Good for mixing
- Complex flavor
Cons
- If you like sweet drinks, it won’t be sweet enough
Ghia
Inspired by the aperitifs popular in Mediterranean drinking culture, Ghia is a booze-free blend of Riesling white grape juice, citrus, ginger and other botanical extracts (like elderflower, gentian root and lemon balm). According to the brand, these herbs are meant to “soothe the mind” in addition to adding flavor. Editor Abby Hepworth says, “I like Ghia a lot, specifically the Ginger flavor. It’s best for folks who like cocktails with a bit more kick—if you’re a ‘the sweeter, the better’ kind of gal, these may not be your fave. It’s bitter, complex, slightly fruity and not too sweet.”
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: water, fruit juices, herbal extracts
- Size: 500mL
- Tasting Notes: bitter, slightly fruity, citrus, ginger
Athletic Brewing Co.
Best NA Beer
2. Athletic Brewing Co. Non-Alcoholic Beer
Pros
- Actually tastes like beer
- Wide variety of options
Cons
- Slightly expensive
Athletic Brewing Co.
In the booze-free beer category, there’s Athletic Brewing Co. It’s brewed similarly to regular beer—hops and all—but with certain variables (like temperature) adjusted to maintain a near-zero (less than 0.5 percent) ABV. Along with its mainstays like a hazy IPA and a stout-like dark beer, the brand rotates in limited-edition cans too. “Since I stopped drinking a year ago, I’ve probably tried a dozen NA beer brands and Athletic is far and away my favorite,” says one of our testers. “I like the variety of offerings—such as the copper and the hazy IPA—and I like that they’re on the low calorie side. I didn’t know if I would still enjoy beer without alcohol in it, but Athletic makes it easy to join in on beer drinking with friends and feel celebratory.”
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: water, malted barley, wheat, hops, yeast
- Size: 12 ounce cans
- Tasting Notes: variable depending on the variety, but generally, beer
Boisson
Best Sparkling Alternative
3. Töst Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Beverage
Pros
- Good on its own or in a mocktail
- Very bubbly
- Refreshing flavor
Cons
- Short shelf-life once its opened, due to the carbonation
Töst
Go ahead and cheers with these booze-free sparklers. Inspired by Champagne, TÖST’s tea-based bottles are made with ginger, white tea, elderberry and cranberry for a festive taste without the hangover. Hepworth is a fan: “Töst is super refreshing and delicious on its own,” she says “but it’s also very good for mixing up your own mocktails.” Other tasters say they’re akin to a “fun and fancy ginger ale” and praise the amount of bubbles in particular.
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: carbonated water, cane sugar, white tea, fruit extracts
- Size: 750mL
- Tasting Notes: ginger, cranberry, white tea
Boisson
Best Aperitif
4. Figlia Fiore
Pros
- Good in mocktails
- Not too bitter or too sweet
- Packaging feels luxe
Cons
- Some may find the flavor too strong or floral
Figlia
Another non-alcoholic aperitivo, Figlia’s Fiore has notes of rose, bitter orange and clove that aren’t unlike an alcoholic amaro, but from our experience, it’s not as bitter as other boozeless spritz-esque bottles, with lots of ginger and berry notes that are pleasant with a splash of seltzer or in a more complex mocktail. Assistant sales and deals editor Destinee Scott likes the thoughtful packaging: “From the second I opened the bottle adorned with a wrapper, I felt like a swanky bartender.” She describes the taste as “distinct,” starting off bitter and ending with the rose, orange and clove notes, and says the strong flavors were more appreciated as a mocktail than straight up. Senior editor Dana Dickey suggests it as an NA sangria base: “It’s got that rich ruby hue and smells floral (rose, elderflower) as well as having notes of ginger and herbs. It’s summer in a pitcher!”
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: water, fruit juices, herbal extracts
- Size: 750mL
- Tasting Notes: rose, orange, clove
Boisson
Best Gin Alternative
Pros
- Complex botanical flavor
- Tastes like gin without the burn
- Good for cocktails
Cons
- Gin-haters won’t appreciate the juniper notes
Amass
Amass makes a few different normal-proof spirits, but Riverine is its zero-ABV option. It’s distilled with juniper, sumac, sorrel, lemon peel, apple, thyme, mint and parsley, and its herbal, woodsy flavor is not too far from gin. “Amass Riverine is my absolut(e) fave, it smells and tastes strongly of juniper, which is that herbal top note in gin,” Dickey says. “But this is zero ABV so there’s no ‘burn,’ like with gin. There’s a hint of the other spices like coriander and cardamom, and fruity (apple) and vegetal traces like the apple and mint. I love how this Cali-made product tastes like fresh Cali seascape feels: brisk and yet soothing. I enjoy it with some dry ginger ale and a sprig of rosemary from the garden, and possibly with a muddled cucumber if I’m feeling fancy.”
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: water, natural botanical distillates, botanical extracts
- Size: 750mL
- Tasting Notes: herbal, spicy and slightly fruity, like gin
Boisson
Best Canned Spritz
Pros
- Ready to drink but works in mocktails too
- Cans are easily portable
- Slightly sweet but not cloying
Cons
- May be too bitter for fans of sweet beverages
Ghia
In addition to its bottled aperitif, Ghia offers a canned, ready-to-drink version that’s reminiscent of a spritz. The Ghia Soda is just like the original aperitif, but sparkling; the Ghia Ginger contains ginger beer for extra spice. Dickey is a fan of the new berry flavor, made with strawberry and black currant. “It’s slightly sweet, but not at all fruit punch-y. I like it with sparkling water and a squeeze of lemon with, wait for it—frozen grapes I float amid the ice.”
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: water, fruit juices, herbal extracts
- Size: 8 ounce cans
- Tasting Notes: slightly sweet, bitter, sparkling
Acid League
Best Alt-Wine
Pros
- Pairs well with food
- Complex flavors are similar to wine
- Option for a quarterly subscription
Cons
- Expensive
- Not widely available in stores
Acid League
Acid League’s Proxies look, drink and pair with food a lot like wine, but they’re non-alcoholic (below 0.5 percent ABV) and are made from a blend of teas, spices, bitters, grape juice and verjus (an acidic juice made from unripe grapes), plus vinegar, which gives them tannin and texture similar to your typical vino, sans booze. You can customize your own assortment or opt for a quarterly subscription with six rotating varietals. VP of editorial Candace Davison says that Vinta, an orange wine alternative, “takes you through a range of flavors with every sip: the tang of vinegar, the sweetness of peaches and orange marmalade, the kick of fennel bitters.”
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: teas, spices, grape juice, verjus, vinegar
- Size: 750mL
- Tasting Notes: similar to wine, with a balance of sweetness and tang
Boisson
Best Functional Beverage
8. Kin Euphorics Canned Functional Beverages
Pros
- Adaptogenic ingredients may induce positive effects from drinking
- Ready to drink
Cons
- Bitter and botanical flavors may not be for everyone
- We didn’t notice any significant “euphoric” effects
- Adaptogenic ingredients make these off-limits for some drinkers (like pregnant people)
Kin Euphorics
A leader in the so-called “functional beverages” category, Kin Euphorics beverages contain uplifting and good-for-you ingredients that won’t make you inebriated. Ingredients include adaptogenic botanicals like rhodiola and reishi mushroom, nootropics that might improve brain function like GABA and tyrosine and plants like passionflower and ginger. The brand’s canned options include Kin Spritz, a gingery citrus concoction for “clarity” and “creative freedom” and Lightwave, a lavender-vanilla tinged “portal to peace.” In our experience, the flavors have a definite botanical edge and strong bitter notes, so if you’re a sweet beverage seeker, you may not be a fan. (FWIW, we didn’t necessarily feel the drinks opened said “portal to peace,” but that may be subjective.)
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: water, juice, Kin Proprietary Blend (L-theanine, L-serine, L-tryptophan, magnesium glycinate, reishi mushroom powder)
- Size: 8 ounce cans
- Tasting Notes: depends on the flavor, but general, bitter and herbal
Boisson
Best NA Whiskey
9. Monday Zero Alcohol Whiskey
Pros
- Tastes remarkably like full-proof whiskey
- Great for mocktails
Cons
- Expensive
Monday
With notes of butterscotch, toasted brown sugar, roasted coffee and warm molasses, Monday Whiskey is remarkably similar to its alcoholic counterpart, but with no booze (not to mention zero carbs, sugar or cals, too.) PureWow editor-in-chief Jillian Quint raves, “For New Years, our friend made green tea old-fashioneds with this zero-proof whiskey and they were outrageously good: complex, a hint bitter and the same bite as an alcoholic beverage, without the hangover.”
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: water, fruit and vegetable juices, monk fruit extract
- Size: 750mL
- Tasting Notes: butterscotch, roasted coffee, molasses
Boisson
Most Liquor-Like
Pros
- Good for making mocktails
- Has a “burn” like real alcohol
Cons
- Not a perfect dupe for spirits
- Better in mocktails than straight-up
Ritual Zero Proof
Have a taste for a traditional cocktail, but not interested in taking on the calories and potential foggy feeling? Behold Ritual, which makes zero-proof gin, rum, whiskey and tequila (which Davison’s PureWow100 review describes as “slightly smoky and grassy” with “a peppery burn at the end which will make you feel like you legitimately just took a shot”). They’re not identical to the real thing, though—better when mixed into a drink than sipped straight.
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: water, natural flavors, cane sugar
- Size: 750mL
- Tasting Notes: depends on the varietal; the Tequila tastes smoky and grasses
Amazon
Most Seltzer-Adjacent
Pros
- Wide selection of flavors
- Widely available
- Good alternative to hard seltzer
- Not overly sweet
- Probiotic
Cons
- Some seltzer drinkers may not appreciate the fermented flavor
Health-Ade
As an alternative to hard seltzers like White Claw, Dickey enjoys canned Health-Ade kombuchas. “They have a teensy bit of fermentation-driven fizz, fruity flavors that aren’t overly sweet and also beneficial probiotics. And Pink Lady Apple is a tart-taste classic!” True seltzer devotees may not appreciate the fermented funk to their usual Claws, but we love that they’re widely available in grocery stores and come in a large selection of flavors.
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: tea, cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices
- Size: 12 ounce cans
- Tasting Notes: depends on the flavor, but generally, funky, fruity and fizzy
Mingle Mocktails
Best Canned Mocktail
12. Mingle Mocktails
Pros
- Great for fans of fruity beverages
- Generous portions
- Low-calorie
Cons
- May be too sweet for some drinkers
Mingle Mingle Mocktails
Mingle Mocktails offer the flavors of your favorite alcoholic drinks (like cosmos, mimosas and margaritas), but without the potential to overindulge. They’re low-calorie, yet sweetened with cane sugar to avoid any off-putting aftertastes. “These are great for the person who likes fruity drinks but without the risk of a sugar/alcohol hangover,” says Hepworth, nothing that the cans are generous portions. Senior commerce editor Stephanie Maida also enjoys the “light, fruity taste.”
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: carbonated water, cane sugar, fruit juices
- Size: 12 ounce cans
- Tasting Notes: depends on the varietal, but generally, fruity and slightly sweet
Boisson
Best NA Stout
13. Guiness 0
Pros
- Tastes remarkably like alcoholic Guinness
Cons
- Can be hard to locate in stores
Guinness
If you’re not a fan of Guinness, the famed Irish stout, then you probably won’t care for its zero-ABV offering. But that’s great news for those who do enjoy a pint, since it means it tastes uncannily like the real deal, just without the alcohol. We’ve found it has the same creamy texture as the original nitro beer, along with similar notes of roasted coffee and dark chocolate.
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: water, barley, hops, yeast
- Size: 15 ounce cans
- Tasting Notes: roasted coffee, dark chocolate
Best Botanical Beverage
14. Seedlip Non-Alcoholic Spirits
Pros
- Good in mocktails
- Refreshing and unique flavor
Cons
- Not meant to be sipped on its own
Seedlip
Seedlip offers three flavors of its distilled non-alcoholic spirit, which is crafted from “natural botanical distillates and extracts” and, as the brand recommends, isn’t meant to be sipped on its own. There’s Garden 108, a grassy, herbal flavor; Spice 94, with hints of allspice and oak; and Grove 42, which features three types of orange and peppercorn. Reviewers call the booze-free spirit “refreshing and unique.” (One thing to know, the alcohol content is described as “0.5 percent or less,” similar to kombucha.)
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: water, natural botanical distillates and extracts
- Size: 700mL
- Tasting Notes: herbal, spicy, peppery
Boisson
Best Hemp-Based Beverage
15. Aplós Calme Hemp-Infused Non-Alcoholic Spirit
Pros
- Hemp extract may induce a calming effect
- Versatile
Cons
- Short shelf life of less than a week
Aplós
While many non-alcoholic drinks use herbs and spices to mimic the complexities of regular spirits, Aplós Calme contains broad-spectrum hemp extract for a calming effect. It’s citrus-forward with notes of rosemary and ginger, and can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or mixed into a calming cocktail. From the reviews: “I love the bitter herbal sensation of Aplós. It’s remarkably versatile in [alcohol-free] cocktails or simply mixed with sparking water or tonic. Mellow vibes come over me as I sip.” One thing to note: Reviewers say it’s best consumed within a week, or it will start to go bad.
Fast Facts
- Main Ingredients: water, broad-spectrum hemp extract, organic flavors
- Size: 575mL
- Tasting Notes: herbal and citrusy
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