A glass of wine. A hot cup of coffee. A cold beer. All of these are synonymous with hosting someone in your home. But there is a growing trend for chic, cute, fancy, satisfying drinks without the liquor.
According to a report from Business Insider, consumers these days are more wellness focused than in years past and their curiosity in booze-free drinks is driving huge sales. Last year, non-alcoholic beverage sales increased 33%. And with celebrities like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Katy Perry, Blake Lively and Bella Hadid launching their own versions of non-alcoholic beverages, it's clear the trend is here to stay.
As someone who grew up with wine at the dinner table (thanks to a European childhood) I was curious to dip my toe in in the world of liquor-free cocktails and see if it lived up to the hype.
So, I grabbed myself some Betty Buzz (thank you Blake Lively) and some non-alcoholic tequila from my local liquor store (which is massive so I'm not sure you would find this at your local small, mom and pop shop). The "tequila" on its own does smell strange, I won't lie. But the taste has a similar "bite" to it that tequila does. It's definitely more of a spice like pepper than it is a burn like regular tequila. However, mixed with the Betty Buzz sparkling grapefruit and served over ice I have to say it was quite satisfying. I found this recipe on the Betty Buzz website which is filled with lots of cocktail recipes to use their mixers in. A great place to start.
I definitely love the idea of digging more into the world of non-alcoholic drinks.
Of course, I'll still have my glass of wine but it's lovely to be able to offer friends and family who don't drink an option that still feels festive and fun. And there is something refreshing about enjoying a cocktail without the extra calories. So even though dry January has come and gone I encourage you to experiment and see what you think. After all, I think we'll only be seeing more of these "sober-conscious" cocktails in the future.
To help you get started, I've included three great recipes below! Let me know which one you decide to try.
