The 15 Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Try This Year, Whether You’re Avoiding Booze or Just Curious

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. Says one reviewer: “I have been wanting to lessen my alcohol intake but love wine and Negronis. This is a game-changer,” and others describe it as “bitter,” “complex,” “not too sweet” and “fruity.”

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.”

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.)

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. Says one fan, “This is a nonalcoholic beer that actually tastes like beer! Congratulations!”

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.

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. The brand recommends serving it with a splash of tonic or mixing it into a cocktail, and reviewers praise its “botanical flavors” and complexity.

While many non-alcoholic drinks use herbs and spices to mimic the complexities of regular spirits, Aplos 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 Aplos. It's remarkably versatile in [alcohol-free] cocktails or simply mixed with sparking water or tonic. Mellow vibes come over me as I sip.”

Lyre’s makes a number of non-alcoholic spirits, which are categorized on its website by its boozy analogue. Our favorite (and a best-seller) is Italian Spritz, a bittersweet, orange- and rhubarb-infused beverage similar to Aperol.

This non-alcoholic drink brand offers bottle mocktails inspired by their boozy counterparts, and while they aren’t exact matches per se, they’re tasty in their own right. Take Elixir No. 1 for example: It’s described as a “beautifully bitter booze-free pomegranate cocktail inspired by the Negroni, infused with rhodiola to lift you up,” with a tartness that’s unexpected but nonetheless tasty.

Proteau’s zero-proof drinks are botanical blends straight from a mixologist, so they’re just as nuanced as the regular-proof aperitifs that inspired them. Rivington Spritz is light, tart and fizzy with hibiscus and strawberry notes; Ludlow Red is tannic and tea-like with notes of blackberry and licorice. The brand recommends serving chilled as-is, but they can also go in a mocktail. Fans liken them to red wine and gush over their body and balanced flavor.

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.

Acid’s Leagues Proxies look and drink 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. The varietals rotate by the month and come in shipments of three, but all are meant to be paired with food just like wine.

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. Tasters say they’re akin to a “fun and fancy ginger ale” and praise the amount of bubbles in particular.

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 our PureWow100 review describes as "slightly smoky, 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.

Brooklyn Brewery’s Special Effects is a lager-style boozeless beer with notes of citrus and bready sweetness. According to the brand, its hoppy flavor is thanks to a dry-hopping method that’s not common among other non-alcoholic beers, making it taste closer to the real deal.