Nonalcoholic beverage in a green cocktail glass with a black straw sitting on a table at a restaurant.
Raves & Faves

Best Alcohol-Free Drinks to Enjoy While Sober

This post is intended for readers 21 years of age and older. Even though it is promoting an alcohol-free lifestyle and non-alcoholic beverages.

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I still can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’ve been alcohol-free for over a year now. I did “Dry January” last year and decided to keep on going. Which led to Dry February, March, April, May…and every other month that followed!

As a result, I consumed my last alcoholic beverage on New Year’s Eve 2023 (a glass of red wine). To be honest, I don’t miss it. But having great alcohol-free alternatives has certainly helped me keep the momentum. And I have tried many different non-alcoholic (NA) beverages over the past 12+ months!

Picture of the author, a biracial woman with dark curly hair swept up in a messy top ponytail holding a glass of clear liquid and ice and a can of Free AF Cucumber G&T mocktail.

As you may know, Wisconsin is known as a state for its heavy drinking culture. So, quitting drinking while still being surrounded by an alcohol-oriented culture, is not always easy.

Bringing my own NA drinks to parties and family gatherings has made it so much easier for me to remain sober.

At the same time, I’ve been trying to cut back on sugar after finding out I’m pre-diabetic as well. And unfortunately, a lot of “mocktails” on the market, or that you can buy in bars and restaurants, are full of sugar! That’s often what makes them taste so good.

So, I’ve curated a list of low/no-sugar non-alcoholic beverages that have helped get me through the past year. If you are wrapping up Dry January and think you might like to continue or are simply sober-curious and wondering what it’s like to live without alcohol, here are some great NA options for you to try!

Canned Mocktails

Canned mocktails are easy to transport to parties, days at the beach, for camping trips, etc. Just like someone showing up with a case of hard seltzers or ciders would. Of these linked below, I tend to reach for Ghia and De Soi most often. But the Free AF Rose is surprisingly similar to drinking real sparkling rose. I did not love the Cucumber G&T I am pictured with above though. The cucumber taste was too strong for me.

I have tried a few brands that just taste like carbonated juice in my opinion. And therefore, weren’t worth the extra money. I made sure not to include them on this list.

Hop Water

Hop water is great because its zero sugar and has that hoppy flavor similar to beer, but without the calories. The Sierra Nevada Citrus Splash by far has the most flavor in my opinion. It’s perfect for a hot summer day.

The others are lighter and more similar to sparkling water with a bit of that familiar hoppy beer-like flavor. But HOP WTR is also quite popular. And comes in a variety of flavors.

Non-Alcoholic Beer

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how good some non-alcoholic beers are these days. They aren’t the watered-down versions you might think of from decades past. Athletic Brewing Company is probably one of the most popular brands on the market. Their IPAs truly taste like regular beer to me. But without the buzz.

In my opinion, Brew Dog tastes a bit more like hop water or light beer than the craft beer flavors you can find with Athletic. So, choose based on your typical beer drinking preferences.

Functional Beverages

Functional beverages usually contain adaptogens, herbs, collagen, or vitamins/minerals to promote health and wellness. Or some other promise of ingredients that are designed to create a sense of calm, clarity and focus, or more. Who knows if they actually do what they say they are going to do. But they can still be fun to drink instead of alcohol!

For me, it’s more the ritual of pouring myself a drink than it is the drink itself. However, if it has a calming effect that helps to relax me, that’s definitely an added benefit.

I’ve tried Juni, Recess, and Moment, which all fall under this category. Moment comes in both still and sparkling. And I do prefer the sparkling, because otherwise it feels like I’m just drinking water.

Kombucha/Prebiotic Soda

Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage that can contain trace amounts of alcohol. It is said to be beneficial for gut health due to the probiotics from the scoby. It is also low sugar (unless sugar is added to it after the fermenting process) and fizzy. Making it a nice alternative to alcohol.

I’ve been drinking kombucha for years. And definitely have a few favorites. I really like the GTS seasonal or limited-edition flavors, like Bloom, Pure Love, and Unity. But Remedy has been my go-to for a tasty sugar-free version.

There are several low sugar prebiotic sodas on the market that may also help to promote healthy gut bacteria. And don’t make you feel like you are missing out when it comes to flavor. Like Poppi, Olipop, and Culture Pop. Of the three brands, Poppi is by far my preferred.

Sparkling Water

I am not great at drinking regular water. But do love a good fizzy water! (Otherwise known as sparkling or carbonated water.)

To be honest, I like most sparkling water. However, there are some that provide more flavor and feel a bit more elevated when drinking them in place of a cocktail. Like Aura Bora. Which comes in several sophisticated flavor combos. Including Ginger Meyer Lemon, Lavender Cucumber, and Grapefruit Elderflower.

Liquid Death sparkling water even looks like a beer can. So, if you don’t want people asking you why you aren’t drinking, it can give the appearance that you are.

Drink Local

For additional companies that produce non-alcoholic beverages here in the Madison area, check out this list our friends at 608Today put together.

You can also find a lot of the NA beverages mentioned throughout this post at local grocers and retailers. Including Metcalfe’s Market, Sober Social, Woodman’s, Willy St. Co-op, and more.

Sober Social is Madison’s first NA bottle shop and is a great one-stop shop for exploring all things alcohol free! So, if you are local and looking for a wide selection of NA beverages to try, I would recommend you check it out.

Additionally, many bars and restaurants are offering expanded nonalcoholic beverage menus. And ordering a mocktail these days is easier than ever. I’ve ordered mocktails out at several local establishments, including Off Broadway Drafthouse, Heritage Tavern (featured in the cover photo), Bar Corrallini, and Lucille. Don’t be afraid to ask for an NA menu when ordering out!

Cheers to many hang-over free mornings ahead!

Let me know if there are other NA beverages you enjoy that I should add to my list.

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