The 16 Best Nonalcoholic Drinks Your Party Guests Will Fight Over

Athletic Brewing Company, a Connecticut-based brewing company that specializes in nonalcoholic craft beer, sent me three selections to try: Run Wild IPA, Free Wave Hazy IPA and Upside Dawn Golden Ale. The brewing company also has its own stout beer and other limited-edition beers. To develop its nonalcoholic beer, Athletic Brewing uses only four ingredients: water, hops, yeast and barley. They also keep the alcohol by volume, or ABV, under 0.5% to meet the qualifications of a nonalcoholic beer. 

Much to my surprise, the Run Wild IPA and Free Wave Hazy IPA taste exactly like a traditional alcoholic IPA, and have enough carbonation to pass for one, too. The Upside Dawn Golden Ale is the only version of the three that is gluten-free but tastes the least carbonated and slightly darker than I prefer. However, related to Upside Dawn being gluten-free, Athletic Brewing Company notes, "This product is fermented from grains containing gluten and crafted to remove gluten. The gluten content of this product cannot be verified, and this product may contain gluten."

I had friends who brew their own beer weigh in on this company's products and they found Athletic to be a solid choice for the best nonalcoholic beer. I would recommend Athletic Brewing Company as a substitution for those who enjoy IPAs but are trying to cut back on their alcohol intake. 

I was impressed by the packaging of Free Spirits because these deceptively look like real bottles of bourbon, tequila or gin. What's even more surprising is how realistic the gin and bourbon smelled upon opening the bottles. The bourbon, my favorite selection of the three, had the flavors and elements of the actual liquor (such as a smooth wood oak-like aroma, combined with vanilla and other spices).

Free Spirits follows a process called Distillate Reconstruction, which involves identifying each spirit's unique flavors and raw materials and then distilling those materials into natural extracts and botanicals. The brand also infuses its nonalcoholic spirits with B vitamins and amino acids to help enhance your mood and make the drinks more nutritious. Free Spirits can be served on its own or mixed into your favorite cocktail.

DRY Botanical Bubbly Reserve markets itself as a soda company that also makes nonalcoholic drinks. The sodas come in cans, while the nonalcoholic wines are packaged in standard bottles and are available in pineapple and cranberry flavors. The brand also has nonalcoholic Botanical Bitters (Aromatic, Bright/Herbal, Sweet and Spicy) which can be used in your mocktails. 

I was able to try the DRY nonalcoholic Botanical Bitters and they were a pleasant surprise. My favorite was the Bright/Herbal flavor, which was refreshing and tasted good on its own. Reviewers are also big fans of the bitters and the Vanilla Bubbly Reserve. Some compare the vanilla nonalcoholic drink to a less sugary version of Coca-Cola. The DRY drinks are decent alternatives to have around that can be mixed with cocktails or enjoyed on their own. 

I'm not a big beer drinker, but I've found I enjoy a classic Samuel Adams seasonal beer. I was impressed by Samuel Adams Just the Haze nonalcoholic IPA beer, which was released last year. It took two years in the making to perfect the Sam Adams nonalcoholic IPA recipe.

The flavors that make up Just the Haze include a full-bodied brew of citrus such as grapefruit, tangerine and lime, and fruity notes from pineapple, guava, melon and peach. 

This was one of the best nonalcoholic brews I tried. The Sam Adams Just the Haze is a drink that IPA lovers and those who normally aren't beer drinkers can enjoy alike. The best part is that you don't have to worry about a buzz after a couple of these. 

Upon looking at the Three Spirit bottles, I was captivated by the design and sleek, bewitching style. These nonalcoholic spirits were developed by plant scientists, bartenders, herbalists and artists, and you can definitely see each influence. The three different spirits available are called Livener, Social Elixir and Nightcap. When I tried them, I couldn't pinpoint what they reminded me of, because I've never tried anything like it. Each is unique in its own way and has different flavor profiles. 

The Livener is caffeinated and is the most invigorating of the three made up of green tea, guayusa, watermelon and berries. The Social Elixir is a darker, bittersweet blend that consists of passionflower, yerba mate, cacao, molasses and other spices. The Nightcap is intended to mellow you out and has valerian root, Canadian maple syrup and lemon balm, among other herbs. 

These are best used as mixers to complement other cocktails or can be consumed on their own, over ice. Reviewers appear to favor the Nightcap overall because of its mellow flavor and because it relaxes them -- ideal for winding down at the end of a long day.

Lagunitas, best known for its IPAs, has its own line of nonalcoholic beers that are sure to appeal to sober-curious beer lovers, including the Hoppy Refresher and IPNA. 

The Hoppy Refresher is clear and sparkling and is brewed using citra, equinox and centennial hops, and it tastes fruity. It reminded me of a sweeter yet refreshing flavored seltzer that could be enjoyed on its own or mixed in nonalcoholic cocktails. 

The IPNA is made up of the same ingredients featured in Lagunitas original IPA. Its ingredients include dry hops, mosaic and citra, and its flavor profile has hints of citrus and pine. It has less than 0.5% ABV and tastes exactly like a traditional IPA -- which means Lagunitas stayed true to its original product but left out most of the alcohol. If you're already a Lagunitas fan, you'll appreciate this nonalcoholic substitution.  

Founded in 2017 by Bella Hadid and Jen Batchelor, Kin Euphorics is rooted in Ayurvedic medicine and creates nonalcoholic functional beverages meant to nourish the body and mind. Specifically, the brand incorporates adaptogens (which help the body deal with stress), nootropics (meant to enhance brain function) and botanics (plants that can help the body while improving taste). 

Kin Euphorics kindly sent me its line of drinks to try, and this has become my new favorite beverage brand. Though I enjoyed all the drinks, out of the canned ones, these are what I'd recommend: Lightwave, which is noncaffeinated, meant to calm you down, and tastes like a lavender-vanilla root beer; the fruity Actual Sunshine, which contains 33 milligrams of caffeine and works to boost both your immunity and complexion (it includes bovine collagen, making it nonvegan); the caffeine-free Kin Bloom, which was created to provide “heart-opening joy” and tastes like a sparkling white grape juice; and Luna Morada, a noncaffeinated drink based on the Latin American Chicha, meant to support your liver and digestion. The latter is beautifully spicy, with prominent pineapple, tamarind and chili flavors.

There's also the postbiotic Picklesecco, which I enjoyed in small quantities but which was a bit too dill-forward for me to drink in full. I did think the pickle taste was fun, though. Also, for reference, postbiotics are the waste left behind after your body digests prebiotics and probiotics. Useful postbiotics can help encourage the growth of healthy bacteria and slow the growth of harmful bacteria. Lastly, Kin Spritz, which I personally didn’t love as much as the others taste-wise, contains 50 milligrams of caffeine. As someone who tries to avoid caffeine, I wouldn't drink this one again, but if you need a pick-me-up during the day, I could see you enjoying it. 

My favorite of the Kin Euphorics made-to-mix drinks was Dream Light, which is noncaffeinated and designed to help you sleep, with reishi mushroom, melatonin and l-tryptophan. I loved mixing this warm-spicy concoction with oat milk and heating it up before bed. For nonalcoholic happy hours, there's High Rhode, which contains 50 milligrams of caffeine per serving, Rhodiola rosea (for energy, per the brand), 5-HTP (for joy) and GABA (for easing stress). It has a pleasant citrus taste that works well when added to sparkling water and fruit juice (I used apple). Available for preorder is Matchatini, which I haven't tried yet. 

Created in 2018, you’ve likely seen Olipop pop up in your local grocery or health food store. The soda contains prebiotics, botanicals and plant fiber to support digestive health. It’s also low-sugar, high-fiber, low-calorie, vegan, gluten-free and GMO-free, and it contains no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, flavors or colors. It’s marketed as a “new kind of soda” meant to be good for you while tasting good, too. 

I’ve been a fan of Olipop for years. The brand recently sent me its tropical punch, vintage cola, root beer, cream soda, classic grape, orange squeeze, Doctor Goodwin and lemon-lime sodas, but I have also purchased the following flavors on my own: peaches and cream, strawberry vanilla, cherry cola, watermelon lime, banana cream and cherry vanilla. I enjoyed all of these flavors and found that they are perfect in mocktails, whether they are the base of the drink or added alongside a nonalcoholic liquor. 

The vintage cola, tropical punch and orange squeeze are my favorite mocktail additions. I made a nonalcoholic rum and cola using the vintage cola and Ritual Zero Proof Rum Alternative, and it was delicious. I did the same for a nonalcoholic whiskey and cola using the Ritual Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative and also loved it. To the orange squeeze, I mixed in the Ritual Zero Proof Tequila Alternative and it was a wonderful fruity mocktail.

In 2017, Recess was launched to provide drinks designed to make you feel calm. In addition to Recess, the brand’s hemp and adaptogen drink, there are also the magnesium and adaptogen Recess Mood, alcohol-free Recess Zero Proof and Recess Mood Powder lines. 

For testing, Recess sent me its Recess Mood variety pack in the flavors strawberry rose, blood orange, peach ginger and black cherry. I also got to sample the Recess Zero Proof cosmo, island spritz, lime margarita and grapefruit paloma. I genuinely enjoyed all of these drinks, but my favorite from the Mood line was strawberry rose, while I loved the Zero Proof paloma and island spritz. 

The Recess Zero Proof paloma has a perfectly intense grapefruit flavor mixed with a welcome amount of fizz. It is made with red rio grapefruit juice, uplifting guayusa (a holly tree with leaves believed to have mood-boosting, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits) and balancing adaptogens. If you love a refreshing paloma, then you will probably enjoy this nonalcoholic version. 

As for the island spritz, it also contains guayusa and balancing adaptogens, but has a pineapple-coconut flavor that is super tasty. I especially love how coconut-y the drink is and how it’s balanced out with the more fruity pineapple.

Ritual Zero Proof was launched in 2019 to provide zero-proof spirits that are low- or no-calorie, low-sugar, gluten-free and contain all-natural flavors. The line now includes nonalcoholic tequila, rum, whiskey, gin and aperitif alternatives, all of which Ritual Zero Proof kindly gifted me to try. It’s important to note that these drinks are meant to be enjoyed in mocktails and not alone.

Of all five spirits I tried, my favorites were the whiskey, rum and tequila alternatives. The nonalcoholic whiskey is reminiscent of actual whiskey with its vanilla, oak, smoke, caramel and toasted spice inclusions. It was great in a nonalcoholic whiskey and cola, but I wouldn’t recommend it with fruity drinks because of its smoky flavor (unless you enjoy a smoky, fruity drink).

The rum was a blend of flavors, including vanilla, ripe banana, bitter orange, star anise, fresh ginger and charred apricot. It was also great in zero-proof rum and cola. I especially enjoyed the citrus and fruit tang.

The tequila alternative paired well with fruitier beverage additions (such as Olipop’s orange squeeze), as it contains ingredients such as blue agave flower, Mexican lime and tropical guava. These flavors pair beautifully with the rum alternative’s charred oak, mesquite smoke, prickly ash and green bell pepper. You can taste the drink’s flavors in all their complexity, which creates a thoughtful beverage.

Aside from the taste, I also love the look of these bottles. Each has a sturdy wood cork, helpful labeling with all the ingredients and a beautiful glass shape. Plus, the drinks each have their own color -- for instance, rum is orange while tequila is blue -- which I found to be a nice touch.

Lisa King created Free AF in 2020 to help those who are sober-curious explore a different relationship with alcohol. Low in sugar and calories and containing natural flavors, Free AF’s cocktails contain the brand’s “Afterglow,” a 100% natural botanical extract that mimics the warmth of alcohol (without the alcohol, of course).

For the purposes of testing, Free AF sent me its paloma, Cuba libre, "vod%a" spritz and apero spritz. While I enjoyed them all, the Cuba libra was my favorite. A Cuba libre is a rum and cola drink, and Free AF captured this perfectly in its nonalcoholic version, which contains lime extract, giving the drink a welcome citrus flair.

In all of its drinks, I found that the brand’s Afterglow produced a sparkling, warm sensation that mimics alcohol. However, it did create a tickling sensation in my nose, but this went away after a minute or so.

In addition to the Cuba libre, the nonalcoholic paloma was a great recreation perfect for those who prefer a more subtle grapefruit flavor. I also loved the passion fruit and lime flavor of the vod%a spritz. While I am not a fan of Aperol spritzes, I did find Free AF’s to be the most realistic nonalcoholic version I’ve tried thus far.

Known for its spirits-free aperitif, Ghia was created in 2020 by Melanie Masarin. Following its original nonalcoholic aperitif, Ghia has since released nonalcoholic berry, lime and salt, ginger, sumac and chili and soda aperitifs in both can and bottle formats. These are all alcohol-free, vegan and gluten-free with no artificial flavors or added sugars.

The brand recently released its strawberry and orange blossom Le Fizz, which it sent me to try. Although I’m not typically a fan of aperitifs because of their bitterness, I enjoyed this sweet, bubbly version. The strawberry and orange blossom pair well together to offset the tartness of the aperitif itself.

However, if you do not have a sweet tooth and would prefer a more bitter drink, then you will likely enjoy all of Ghia’s other flavors. Out of the rest of its line, I’ve only had the sumac and chili, which was too bitter and spicy for my personal taste.