While the mocktail isn’t new, zero-proof drinks are soaring in popularity as the next generation of drinkers seeks out more mindful drinking practices. But unlike the watered-down NA beers of generations past, today’s alcohol alternatives can deliver the flavor profiles and taste of cocktails or spirits. Many area restaurants and bars are answering the call for drinks that are crafted with complex flavors similar to full-proof spirits.

Flemming Love leads the zero-proof bar program at two-in-one concepts Southern Belle and Georgia Boy, curating the booze-free drinks with the same dedication as the standard menus. “We as an industry accommodate dietary preferences/needs, so why not beverages as well?” Love became seriously interested in zero-proof options, both commercial and homemade, when she stopped drinking five years ago. “At this point, I create the drinks just like I do alcoholic beverages, typically starting with an inspiring flavor or concept and finding balance from there,” she said.

Southern Belle’s zero-proof options drink like traditional complex cocktails, with a beginning, a mid-palate and a finish. Love’s Modern Yesterdays takes dessert inspiration from bananas Foster, with notes of caramel, nutmeg and vanilla in balance with bittersweet Wilderton amaro alternative and a brightness from fresh lime juice. She smokes it under a dome to further complexity and adds a flourish of black lava salt.

“Zero-proof drinks are often an afterthought in bar programs,” said Allison Lovelace, beverage manager for Ford Fry’s Little Sparrow, Bar Blanc and Marcel. “I like them to feel like something special,” she said as she described delicately scoring lime wedges on her zero-proof Triple Crown at Little Sparrow. It’s as playful and whimsical as any classic Buck recipe, with nice spice and bitter orange complexity.

There are different approaches to crafting a zero-proof cocktail. Some bartenders go for spirit-free versions of traditional cocktails using nonalcoholic spirits, while others curate a balanced taste experience. For example, a traditional gimlet offers a bright balance of sweetness, citrus and juniper. A great zero-proof cocktail is comprised of syrups, juices, herbs, teas or zero-proof spirits that similarly work in harmony.

“My best advice is to start experimenting with syrups and finding your favorite flavors,” said Love. “Learning the basics of pairing flavor is essential; that’s how to get depth of flavor.” She suggests keeping fresh squeezed citrus around as well as fresh herbs for a zing of flavor.

For Nick Hassiotis, general manager and operating partner of Foundation Social Eatery, one of the issues with zero-proof drinks is mouthfeel, since they lack the viscosity of alcohol. “I found that using ingredients like egg whites, aquafaba (chickpea water), cream and rich syrups help add mouthfeel,” he said.

There are so many interesting nonalcoholic alternatives today. Hassiotis likes Ritual brand’s gin alternative and, for Italian aperitifs, his go-to is Lyre’s. Along with the nonalcoholic sparkling wines she serves at Southern Belle, Love finds Ritual and Monday brands as solid choices for alternative spirits. All of these, among others, are available through The Zero Proof nonalcoholic beverage shop.

RECIPES

The current market of zero-proof spirits makes it easy to craft nonalcoholic cocktails at home, skimping on alcohol without sacrificing the flavor. Here, four Atlanta barkeeps offer some of their favorite recipes.

Flemming Love, who leads the zero-proof bar program at Southern Belle and Georgia Boy, makes a nonalcoholic cocktail called Modern Yesterdays. (Styling by Flemming Love / Chris Hunt for the AJC)

Modern Yesterdays by Flemming Love of Southern Belle/Georgia Boy

Flemming Love, bar manager at Southern Belle and Georgia Boy, uses a dome to smoke this rum-inspired drink at the restaurants, but she says this step is optional for re-creating it at home.

Banana Syrup

Beverage Manager Allison Lovelace calls Little Sparrow's Triple Crown, her play on a Buck cocktail, a "winner across the board." (Courtesy of Megan Barrett)

Triple Crown

Wilfred’s Non-Alcoholic Aperitif has notes of bitter orange, clove and rosemary that Beverage Manager Allison Lovelace likes to use for a complex, nonalcoholic drink. She says it “does the main job” in Little Sparrow’s cocktail and plays well with ginger beer in a tasteful and playful way. She named it for the horse racing series, calling it “a winner across the board.”

Lyre's Dry London Spirit and aloe juice make for a really light and refreshing body in the Third Door's Bearcat, and house-made Cucumber Simple Syrup softens up the tartness from the fresh squeezed lime juice. (Angela Hansberger for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Bearcat

For the Third Door’s Travis Montgomery, “having excellent zero-proof options is about inclusivity.” The Bearcat, using Lyre’s gin alternative, is a fan favorite for drinkers and nondrinkers alike. “We work really hard on providing a welcoming environment for our guests, and we want people to enjoy their time in our space regardless of their drinking preferences,” he said.

Cucumber Simple Syrup

Foundation Social Eatery's Island in the Sun is a zero-proof riff somewhere between a piña colada and a Ramos gin fizz that Nick Hassiotis named for a Weezer song. (Courtesy of Nick Hassiotis)

Island in the Sun

Named for a Weezer song and created by Foundation Social Eatery’s Nick Hassiotis, Island in the Sun is a nonalcoholic drink that tastes somewhere between a piña colada and a Ramos gin fizz. It’s sophisticated but with tropical vibes.