THE OPPORTUNITIES to drink—and drink well—while keeping alcohol consumption moderate are better than ever before. That more and more imbibers are integrating non-alcoholic and low-alcohol cocktails into their drinking rituals at the same time dozens of brands are devising new booze-free “spirits” isn’t all that surprising. According to Nick Bodkins, owner of Boisson, a retailer of non-alcoholic spirits, wine and beer, 90% of his customers also consume alcohol. “It’s the moment that they’re craving, not the ingredients,” he said. Brands like Ritual, Lyre’s and Spiritless make distilled non-alcoholic spirits that are meant to stand in for traditional high-proof versions 1:1, whereas companies such as Three Spirit and Amass are creating new categories altogether. These can all be incorporated into cocktails, whether they involve alcohol or not, making for more balanced drinking.
Here, five key non-alcoholic ingredients to update your home bar for 2024.