Dry January doesn't have to mean slow business for your bar or restaurant if you're offering no- and low-alcohol options to your guests. According to surveys from CGA by Nielsen IQ, a food and drink research firm, last year, 35% of legal-aged US adults skipped alcohol for the entire month of January. And the trend is expected to be even bigger this year and last well beyond January.
In fact, according to BARE Zero Proof's The State of Sober Socializing 2023 study, 50% of respondents said they plan to drink less in 2023. Consumers are also actively seeking out no- and low options, with Pinterest Predicts 2023 seeing a huge uptick in interest around Free Spirits:
- Fancy nonalcoholic drinks +220%
- Mocktail bar +75%
So how can bars & restaurants meet the consumer demand for less alcohol? By arming consumers with choices by including no and low-alc options on menus.
According to the State of Sober Socializing 2023 study mentioned above, almost 7 in 10 respondents say they wish social settings were more conducive to accommodating those who drink alcohol and those who don't. And 55% of respondents said they wish more bars and restaurants had any/more non-alcoholic/zero-proof options. 44% said they wish they could order a non-alcoholic beverage that makes it less obvious to others that they aren't drinking.
And those respondents aren't looking for a soda or juice--they're looking for a zero-proof cocktail that is on par with alcoholic offerings. According to the study, those abstaining would order a zero-proof cocktail over a soda/juice in order to:
- Blend in
- Feel more sophisticated
- Eliminate awkwardness between them and a server
- Get something that tastes better
In 2023, make a resolution to offer more no and low cocktail options to your guests. We've got a round-up of no and low-alcohol recipes below to help you get started.
Hot Honey Iced Tea
Ingredients:
3/4 oz Monin Hot Honey Syrup
6 oz Iced Tea
Directions:
Fill serving glass full of ice. Pour ingredients into serving glass in order listed. Pour mixture into mixing tin and back into serving glass to mix. Add garnish and serve.
Lights Out
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Three Spirits Social Elixir
.5 oz blackberry thyme simple syrup (recipe below)
2-3 dashes Dram Apothecary Palo Santo bitters
6 dashes Fee Brothers Aztec chocolate bitters
Soda water
Directions:
To make the simple syrup, combine 1 quart sugar, 1 quart water, and a pint of blackberries. Bring to a boil and boil for five minutes. Cut off heat and add a sprig of thyme. Cover and let ingredients steep for 30 minutes. Strain. To make the cocktail, combine Three Spirits, bitters, and simple syrup in a shaker filled with ice. Shake for five seconds. Pour over a cube of ice, preferably, or a cup filled with ice. Garnish with blackberries and fresh thyme leaves.
Hot Honey Lemonade
Ingredients:
3/4 oz Monin Hot Honey Syrup
6 oz Lemonade
Directions:
Fill serving glass full of ice. Pour ingredients into serving glass in order listed. Pour mixture into mixing tin and back into serving glass in order listed. Add garnish and serve.
The Kindmon
Ingredients:
1 oz. The Perfect Purée Coconut Puree, thawed
1 oz. The Perfect Purée Thai Basil & Black Pepper blend, thawed
5 Thai basil leaves
1 slice of Thai chili
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
3 oz. coconut water
Sesame chili oil
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker combine all ingredients with ice, shake and serve on the rocks. Top with sesame chili oil. Garnish with Thai basil.
Cranberry Lime Spritzer
Ingredients:
8 ounces Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Drink, any flavor, chilled
2 ounces sparkling water
Lime wedge, garnish
Directions:
Fill a tall glass with ice. Add cranberry juice drink. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Spicy Ginger Pear Mocktail Recipe
Ingredients:
8 ounces Water, tap
1/3 cup(s) Asian pear (1 cup= 125 g)
2 teaspoons Ginger root, fresh gated
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
1/16 teaspoon Allspice, ground
3/4 cup (8oz) Perrier Sparkling Water
Directions:
Blend together water, peeled pear, maple syrup, fresh ginger, cinnamon, and allspice at high speed until pear is completely broken down. Dip the rim of martini glasses into sugar free maple syrup, then sprinkle with cinnamon. Pour 1/3 cup of the pear mixture into each prepared glass, top with 3 tablespoons sparkling water (or more to taste), and garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired.
White Peach Granita
Ingredients:
2 oz. The Perfect Purée White Peach Puree, thawed
3/4 oz. simple syrup
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
Pinch of white pepper
Mint
Directions:
In cocktail shaker combine all ingredients with ice, shake and serve on the rocks. Garnish with fresh sprig of mint & pepper.
N/Agroni
Ingredients:
Barspoon Citric/Malic Acid
1oz Lyre's Aperitif Rosso
1oz Lyre's Italian Orange
0.5 Oz Lyre's London Dry Spirit
Glass: Rocks glass
Garnish: Orange twist
Directions:
Build in a rocks glass over a large cube. Stir. Squeeze with orange peel and decorate with an orange twist.
Peachy Keen
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Ginger Peach puree
1 oz Mint Simple Syrup
.25 oz Lemon Juice
4 oz Sparkling Water
Top w/ Ginger Ale
Directions:
Garnish with dried lemon wheel & mint.
FILTHY Bloody Mary
Ingredients:
4oz FILTHY Bloody Mary Mix
FILTHY Pickle
FILTHY Pimento Olive
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a Collins glass.
Same Same But Virgin
Ingredients:
2oz Ginger Turmeric Tea (preferably Harney & Sons)
1oz Coco Lopez
1oz Fresh Lime Juice
10 drops Fish Sauce
5 Mint Leaves
2 3-inch long Dill Sprigs
Directions:
Add the ginger turmeric tea, coco lopez, fresh lime juice and fish sauce into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well then strain into a glass with crushed ice and garnish with mint and dill sprigs.
BARE Tommy’s Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz Bare Zero Proof Tequila
3/4 Lime Juice
3/4 Agave Syrup
Directions:
Add all ingredients together in a shaker tin. Shake until well diluted and chilled. Double strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
Clausthaler Citrus Cheer
Ingredients:
2 ounces green tea
1 ounce lemon juice
½ ounce honey syrup
Top with Clausthaler Non-Alcoholic Grapefruit Beer (2 ounces)
Garnish with a grapefruit slice
Directions:
Combine all ingredients except beer. Top with beer. Garnish with grapefruit.
Desert Mule
Ingredients:
2 oz Hella Moscow Mule Mix
Hella Bitters & Soda Dry
Lime wedge, for garnish
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a highball glass over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.