The 10 Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks Your Guests Will Love

Athletic Brewing Company, a Connecticut brewery specializing in non-alcoholic craft beer, sent me three selections to try: Run Wild IPA, Free Wave Hazy IPA, and Upside Dawn Golden Ale. The brewing company also offers its own stout beer and other limited edition beers. To make its non-alcoholic beer, Athletic Brewing uses only four ingredients: water, hops, yeast and barley. They also keep the alcohol by volume, or ABV, below 0.5% to meet the qualifications of a non-alcoholic beer.

To my surprise, the Run Wild IPA and Free Wave Hazy IPA taste exactly the same as a traditional alcoholic IPA and have enough carbon dioxide to pass for one too. The Upside Down Golden Ale is the only gluten-free version of the three, but it tastes less carbonated and slightly darker than I prefer. I had friends who brewed their own beer and they found Athletic to be a solid choice for a non-alcoholic IPA. I would recommend Athletic Brewing Company as a solid substitute for those who like IPAs but are trying to cut back on their alcohol intake.

If you are a sparkling wine drinker and looking for a non-alcoholic wine substitute, Semblance is about to become your go-to. Semblance is made from California Chardonnay grapes and has a dry, crisp flavor profile that almost resembles sparkling wine. It is packaged in an elegant green bottle with a cap sealed in gold foil. I was so impressed with the presentation and taste that I couldn’t tell the difference between Semblance’s version and a real glass of chardonnay. This sparkling drink is sure to please everyone.

I was impressed with the packaging of the Free Spirits, as these look deceptively like real bottles of bourbon, tequila or gin. What’s even more surprising is how realistic the gin and bourbon smell when the bottles are opened. The bourbon, my favorite selection of the three, had the flavors and elements of the actual liquor (like a sweet aroma of oak wood, combined with vanilla and other spices).

Free Spirits follows a process called Distillate Reconstruction, which involves identifying the unique flavors and raw materials of each spirit, then distilling those materials into natural extracts and botanicals. The brand also infuses its non-alcoholic spirits with B vitamins and amino acids to boost your mood and make drinks more nutritious. Free Spirits can be served alone or mixed with your favorite cocktail.

DRY Botanical Bubbly Reserve markets itself as a soda company that also makes soft drinks. Sodas come in cans, while non-alcoholic wines come in standard bottles and are available in pineapple and cranberry flavor. The brand also offers non-alcoholic botanical bitters (aromatic, lively/herbal, sweet and spicy) that can be used in your mocktails.

I was able to try the non-alcoholic DRY botanical bitters and they were a pleasant surprise. My favorite was the Bright/Herbal flavor, which was refreshing and tasted great on its own. Critics are also big fans of the bitters and the bubbly vanilla reserve. Some compare the vanilla soft drink to a less sweet version of Coca-Cola. DRY drinks are decent alternatives to have around that can be mixed into cocktails or enjoyed on their own.

If you like dark and stormy, you’ll enjoy Lyre’s Dark ‘N Spicy Premix drinks. This drink comes in an 8-ounce red can and maintains its carbonation while you drink it. The well-balanced flavors are a blend of ginger, lime juice, sugar cane and spices. This drink was refreshing and not too sweet and definitely tasted like a real cocktail.

I’m not a big beer drinker, but I found I enjoyed a classic Samuel Adams seasonal beer. That being said, I was impressed with the Samuel Adams Just the Haze non-alcoholic IPA beer, which was released last year. Sam Adams’ non-alcoholic IPA recipe took two years to perfect.

The flavors that make up Just the Haze include a full-bodied infusion of citrus fruits like grapefruit, tangerine, and lime, and fruity notes of pineapple, guava, melon, and peach.

It was one of the best non-alcoholic beers I’ve tried. The Sam Adams Just the Haze is a drink that IPA lovers and those who aren’t normally beer drinkers can enjoy alike. The best part is that you don’t have to worry about a buzz after a few of them.

Looking at the Three Spirit bottles, I was captivated by the clean, spellbinding design and style. These non-alcoholic spirits were developed by plant scientists, bartenders, herbalists and artists, and you can definitely see every influence. The three different spirits available are called Livener, Social Elixir and Nightcap. When I tried them, I couldn’t identify what they reminded me of, because I’ve never tried anything like it. Each is unique in its own way and has different flavor profiles.

The Livener is caffeinated and is the most invigorating of the three, featuring green tea, guayusa, watermelon and berries. The social elixir is a darker, bittersweet blend of passionflower, yerba mate, cocoa, molasses, and other spices. The Nightcap is meant to sweeten you up and contains valerian root, Canadian maple syrup, and lemon balm, among other herbs.

These are best used as mixers to complement other cocktails or can be consumed on their own, over ice. Reviewers seem to favor the Nightcap overall because of its mild flavor and because it relaxes them – great for unwinding at the end of a long day.

Sovi is a non-alcoholic wine company owned by a sommelier who has created his own blend of rosé and sparkling red. The red blend is made from several Spanish and French grape varieties in California. Rosé is dry but sparkling and maintains the carbonation which is key in soft drinks. The red blend is a dry, full-bodied red wine with notes of cherry, grapefruit and watermelon. These drinks didn’t arrive in time for me to taste them, but reviewers love this wine alternative for its flavor and realism. One sommelier even relied on these non-alcoholic wines (among other beverages) during her pregnancy.

Partake Brewing’s non-alcoholic beers are available in IPA, Dark Ale, Blonde Ale, Pale Ale and Red Ale. The beers are 0.3% ABV and, depending on the brew, can be as low as 10 calories. I tasted the IPA, Red Ale and Blonde Ale and all three resembled the alcoholic versions that inspired them, but with less body and carbonation. My favorite was the lager – it’s great for the person who likes a light beer, but wants a non-alcoholic option without overdoing it.

Lagunitas, best known for its IPAs, has its own line of non-alcoholic beers that are sure to appeal to sober and curious beer lovers, including the Hoppy Refresher and IPNA.

The Hoppy Refresher is clear and sparkling and is brewed with citra, equinox and centennial hops, and it tastes fruity. It reminded me of a softer yet refreshing seltzer water that could be enjoyed on its own or mixed into mocktails.

IPNA is made with the same ingredients as the original Lagunitas IPA. Its ingredients include dry hops, mosaic, and citra, and its flavor profile has hints of citrus and pine. It’s less than 0.5% ABV and tastes exactly like a traditional IPA — meaning Lagunitas stuck to their original product, but omitted most of the alcohol. If you’re already a fan of Lagunitas, you’ll appreciate this alcohol-free substitution.