Build Your Beverage Repertoire with Alcohol-Free Drinks

I'd like to propose a toast to creativity, curiosity and mindfulness. Over the past several years, those three elements have been brewing big-time in the drink space as more and more people explore nonalcoholic beverage options. They're plentiful these days because the industry is expanding, and the products and flavors available can be quite delicious. There are beer, wine and zero-proof spirit choices as well as simple, interesting ingredients that allow your favorite bartender (or you) to create all sorts of possibilities.

Women who are pregnant, people with certain medical conditions or those taking medications that interact poorly with alcohol are interested in alcohol-free options. But Peder Schweigert, once a cocktail magician and general manager at the now-closed Marvel Bar in Minneapolis, says nearly 90% of people choosing nonalcoholic drinks also drink alcohol-containing beverages. "You can walk in both spaces," he says, "and I find more and more people appreciate the chance to diversify what they're drinking and better pace out their evenings."

Schweigert, along with Megan Dayton, co-founded DryWit, a local wine alternative company. Schweigert became interested both personally and professionally in spirit-free drinks in 2016. He wanted to focus on his health and expand the welcoming nature of Marvel for customers who wanted to be part of a fun night out yet worried they'd feel left out because they couldn't or didn't care to drink alcohol.

Many of us recognize what "going out for drinks" or sharing a bottle of wine at a meal brings to an evening, says Schweigert. "It's a connection with people, the vibe of being together, socializing, relaxing, having fun and feeling unburdened. In my role at Marvel, and now through DryWit, I want people to experience those feelings without the pressure or belief that alcohol is what delivers that."

The alcohol-free trend is gaining momentum with new health recommendations that encourage both women and men to keep their consumption to no more than one drink per day. Recent research suggests alcohol won't offer much of a protective effect toward better health and, depending on other lifestyle habits and genetics, can challenge it.

The growth of nonalcohol beverages gives everyone a chance to be part of a gathering without feeling like an outsider. "These options are important for people’s day-to-day enjoyment of food and drink," notes Schweigert. "They're dynamic and cool, and they help you enhance your hospitality so that everyone's included in a good time together. That's what we're all about."

He offers these tips for throwing out the welcome mat at your next get-together:

• Set your bar or table with glasses, ice, mixes, both spirits and spirit-free options, and wine and wine alternatives. Let your guests choose their own beverage path.
• Use syrups as mixers. The flavor profiles are endless. Buy them or make them yourself.
• Try shrubs (a mix of fruit and/or herbs, vinegar, sugar and water) to add complexity, dimension and acidity to any drink.
• Check out zero-proof gin, vodka, rum or tequila alternatives. They don't taste the same as their alcohol-containing counterparts, but they make for delicious drinks.
• Check out books and websites filled with inventive spirit-free recipes. Here are a few of our own mocktail recipes to get you started.