Alcohol-free options are all the rage right now – here’s what SB’s editors are drinking when they’re not ‘drinking’.

As consumers lean towards more mindful alcohol consumption, there has been a strong uptick in the number of zero-ABV ‘spirits’ on the market.

The category is positively booming at present – and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Data from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis forecast that the no- and low-alcohol sector would outpace the total alcohol category by 2025. Last year, IWSR valued the category in 10 core markets at close to US$10 billion.

For our latest Booze Banter entry, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite alcohol-free beverages. (For further inspiration, check out this list of award-winning bottlings).

Scroll down to discover what the alcohol-free options our editorial staff are currently enjoying. Got a personal favourite? Let us know in the comments.

Three Spirit

Functional drinks are all the rage now and Three Spirit has sought to push the boundaries of the burgeoning alcohol-free category with its range of plant-based products that offer different effects. What I like about the Three Spirit range is how it provides different drinking experiences using a complex variety of mood-enhancing ingredients without the need for alcohol.

The booze-free collection comes in three varieties that are each intended to provide a specific effect when consumed. The Livener includes natural caffeine from green tea and guayusa, and is said to give you energy, while The Social Elixir is designed to elevate your mood and is made with lion’s mane mushroom.

The drink for the end of the night is Nightcap, made with ingredients like valerian and ashwagandha, to help you sleep and relax.

Livener is slightly spicy, fruity and herbal and is a great after-work pick-me-up. The addition of natural coffee gives it a real energy boost. I like it with tonic or soda water over ice and it’s the perfect sipper to have before dinner.

Similar to a dark spirit in its appearance and slight woodiness, Nightcap is more of a drink for winding down. I find it to be slightly sweeter with a more calming effect. It’s delicious neat over ice and would make a great substitute for whisky in cocktails like a Highball or Old Fashioned.

Nicola Carruthers, deputy editor

Lyre’s Italian Orange

I never thought a Negroni could be so well replicated in non-alcoholic form, but Lyre’s has surprisingly knocked it out of the park with its bitter orange ‘apéritif’ replica. When I visited the Athens Bar Show, I had the pleasure of sipping on a Negroni while chatting to Lyre’s European brand ambassador Max Mussons.

Made using the brand’s other bottlings, Lyre’s Dry London Spirit and Aperitif Rosso, the cocktail certainly stood out. The Italian Orange expression can also be enjoyed as a Spritz, with soda or tonic water. I love the bitter, savoury flavours the liquid delivers, and it’s incredibly refreshing, too.

Alice Brooker, staff writer

Aecorn

Lighter, longer serves are my go-to drinks of choice at the moment. I’ve been really intrigued by the low- and no-alcohol category since it’s been gaining traction – but one of my favourite options still has to be Aecorn and its alcohol-free apéritifs.

Launched in 2019, the brand came from the team behind category leader Seedlip. Despite not containing a drop of alcohol, Aecorn’s likeness to the ‘real deal’ is uncanny, from the flavour to the texture.

I have a particular penchant for Aecorn Bitter, with grapefruit and orange citrus zest. Mixed with soda water and garnish with a slice of orange, and it becomes a delectable, refreshing Spritz serve.

Melita Kiely, editor