The Rise of the Mighty Mocktail
Belly Up to the Bar … but Hold the Booze
Whether you know the difference between whiskey and rye or are a teetotaler, you may have noticed a trend that’s been gaining popularity over the past few years. And that’s the rise of the nonalcoholic cocktail.
The mocktail is no longer a sad imitation of its booze-filled cousin. It’s become a “bar star” in its own right. A 2023 Axios feature declared the mocktail movement “more than a passing fad” and noted that “the sector is expected to grow to $30 billion” by 2025.
Rusty Lewter, a roving Charlotte bartender, said he never sets up shop without ingredients for stand-out mocktails guests will rave about.
There are several reasons behind the mocktail’s rise, Lewter said. For one thing, there’s the wellness trend. “People are eating and drinking healthier these days,” he added. “I get asked for soft drinks maybe once every six months now. People just aren’t mixing alcohol with Coke and Diet Coke anymore.”
Lewter doesn’t even bring soft drinks anymore when he’s setting up a bar unless his client requests them.
Instead of the rum and Cokes or Seven & Sevens people used to favor, we now want fresh pressed juices, fresh herbs, and muddled fruit. His strawberry-basil refresher (fresh strawberry purée, fresh-pressed lemon juice, fresh basil, club soda) is like sipping summer in a glass.
Lewter said pre-bottled mixers are becoming a thing of the past. Overly sweet cocktails are no longer de rigueur. “People want balance and flavor,” he said.
Another reason Lewter sees for the rise in the mocktail’s popularity is that people’s busy lives don’t leave time for hangovers. We want a drink that’s refreshing and tastes good but one that won’t throw us for a loop that night – or the day after.
And lastly, he said he and his fellow mixologists are more mindful today about making creative drinks without liquor. “Bartenders and mixologists have gotten better at our craft in recent years,” he said. “We’re creating tastier, more appealing beverages – with or without alcohol.”
The well-dressed drink
And make no mistake: The appeal of a beverage begins with its appearance. It ought to entice you to want to drink it.
That’s often where the garnish comes in. “It’s been psychologically proven,” Lewter jokes, “that a drink tastes better when it’s garnished.”
We’re all familiar with the citrus slice garnish and the little umbrella found in some island-inspired cocktails. But bartenders are upping their game these days and using herbs, edible flowers, cinnamon sticks, ice cubes with berries or flowers frozen inside, even using funfetti around the rim of a glass.
What makes a good mocktail?
Freshness makes the difference, Lewter said.
People want fresh fruit, fresh-squeezed fruit juice, and fresh herbs such as basil, thyme and rosemary. Even fresh vegetables are in demand; Cucumber juice is one of Lewter’s preferred foundations for a cocktail. And if you’ve ever had cucumber water at a spa, you know how refreshing it is.
Beyond fresh ingredients, Lewter said a mocktail should be balanced. It should have a little sweetness, maybe something slightly sour and/or a little spice. And carbonation is also a good element to bring into a mocktail.
Who’s drinking mocktails?
Serving non-alcoholic drinks when you entertain has always been the hospitable thing to do. There may be recovering alcoholics, pregnant women, and other non-drinkers among your guests. And many of them want something other than water, tea or soda.
But more and more people – who don’t fall into the above categories – are opting for cocktails without the buzz. The movement even has a name: Sober Curious.
“We always make sure there’s at least one mocktail available among the five or six signature cocktails we’ll offer at an event,” Lewter said. Recently, he’s tended bar at some parties that have been entirely alcohol-free. The hosts chose to offer only mocktails. And no one complained.
Lewter has also tended bar at some family-friendly events, including bat mitzvahs and bar mitzvahs, that have offered a separate “bar” for kids and teens. He has plenty of maraschino cherries on hand for that audience. Adults may be turning away from overly sweet drinks, but that’s just what 12- and 13-year-olds want.
Mix your own mocktail.
Lewter shared a couple of his favorite easy mocktail recipes. These can be made with alcohol – but they’re delicious and refreshing on their own.
Citrus Sunrise
Fresh-pressed lemon juice
Fresh grapefruit juice
Vermont maple syrup
Generous pinch, turmeric powder
Orange slice for garnish
Ginger beer
Stir all ingredients together in a tall glass or copper mug. Serve over ice and garnish with an orange slice or dehydrated orange wheel.
Blueberry Lavender Un-jito
Sugar-free blueberry-lavender syrup (It’s available in specialty stores, or you can make your own by simmering 1 cup water, 1 cup blueberries – fresh or frozen, ¾ cup sugar, ¼ cup honey and 1½ Tbsp. dried lavender buds for 10 minutes, cooling for another 10 minutes and straining into a jar. It can be refrigerated for up to one month.)
Fresh-pressed lime juice
Mint sprigs
Club soda
Lightly muddle the mint. Mix with the first two ingredients and shake vigorously. Strain over ice, and top with club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig and blueberries on a toothpick.
Cucumber Lemonade
Fresh-pressed cucumber juice
Fresh-pressed lemon juice
Fresh-pressed lime juice
Agave nectar
Generous pinch of fresh dill
Sliced cucumber for garnish
Club soda
Lightly muddle the dill. Mix with juices and nectar, shake vigorously and strain over ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with a cucumber slice.