Mocktails Making Spirits Bright

From crushable pilsners to complex canned mocktails: the holidays are happening during an alcohol-free renaissance in the craft drink world.

Once upon a time, options were limited for youth and designated drivers at winter gatherings. With hosts assuming everyone else would imbibe, they invested accordingly in their liquor cabinets. Now, no-booze craft beverages have emerged as an equally sophisticated option, thanks to a pandemic-fuelled trend that has buoyed a huge number of craft drink producers. Non-alcoholic beers and wines have eclipsed their flavourless and sugary predecessors, and there’s an astonishing variety of unique mocktails for adventurous drinkers.

Non-alcoholic options can feel as festive as classic drinks, suggests Andrea Demers, co-owner of Softer Drink, a Victoria-based non-alcoholic drink distributor. It gives the option of mixing and matching or spacing out alcohol, without excluding sober guests from the joy of a unique, indulgent drink. “You almost get a placebo effect, because it’s just fun to have a nice glass of something,” Demers says.

Stirring options
 

Seeing an opportunity combined with personal interest and delight in trying new things, Demers launched Softer Drink in 2021 with business partner Jonathan Morissette. Their online shop provides curated recommendations and guaranteed buys informed by years of experience in the hospitality industry. Their shop offers free pick up in Victoria or shipping for $15.

Business has been steady, Demers says, noting that Softer’s clientele isn’t confined to non-drinkers. Non-alcoholic drinks have become elevated choices attracting cocktail lovers and wine aficionados for their creativity and novelty. “That excitement of finding something new is really similar to the excitement of finding a new wine that you really love that’s at your price point,” she says.

You can add more gaiety with glassware and garnishes. Demers suggests serving canned drinks in cocktail glasses, for example. Simple garnishes add extra refinement—think cranberries, rosemary sprigs, citrus wheels or cucumbers peeled into strips and wrapped inside the glass before pouring. Use different garnishes for alcohol, she adds, so guests can be confident in what they’re drinking. It’s nice to offer equivalent options: a cocktail might have boozy and booze-free variations, while Christmas tables might be set with both types of wine. In a self-serve situation, placing mocktails in a cooler with beers and alcoholic sodas makes the option effortless. “People don't like to feel like they're being fussy or imposing on the host,” Demers says. “Some people might choose to drink less if they really felt it was just as convenient.”

Mocking up a holiday menu
 

The perfect mocktail can be chosen according to the guest and occasion. Cocktail lovers will appreciate Calgary’s Wild Folk Sparkling Negroni, which tastes like bitter orange peel and mimics the bite of alcohol. At the milder end of the spectrum, Vancouver’s Hai Tea offers refreshing sparkling teas in hibiscus, mojito and ginger flavours. If you’re hosting Christmas dinner, a bottle of red from the Okanagan’s only non-alcoholic winery, ONES+, will be a worthy table wine. Hosts might also stock booze-free bubbles for Christmas Eve and New Year’s toasts.

There are also a plethora of more local options from Vancouver Island’s expert brewers and distillers. Beer lovers might be intrigued to try “hop water,” an herbaceous and subtle hop-infused seltzer available from Category 12 Brewing in Saanichton. Creative cocktailers might experiment with Sheringham Distillery’s non-alcoholic gin, Lumette!, which adds a botanical bite to tonic and lime. There are also many locally produced syrups and shrubs, which elevate soda water to a more sophisticated beverage.

Near-beer business pouring in
 

For non-alcoholic beers, Victoria powerhouse Phillips Brewing’s iOTA “hits the mark” on accessible, affordable, easy-drinking beers, Morisette says. Phillips launched its non-alcoholic brand in 2021 after years of perfecting the iOTA recipe, according to senior marketing manager Samantha Beck. “At our core, we’re really passionate brewers,” Beck says. “We’re really passionate about making high-quality products that don’t skip on flavour and the experimental fun you expect from craft beer.”

iOTA carries four varieties: a pilsner, pale ale, hazy IPA and blackberry lemon ale. The hazy IPA is a favourite because it’s the most complex, Beck says. Hazy IPAs get their distinct mouthfeel from their alcohol content, and creative brewing mimics that body without the booze.

After iOTA became Canada’s first near-beer on tap, a handful of Vancouver Island pubs quickly sold out of their initial trial kegs and now keep the no-booze option permanently on draught. Demand has only grown since then, Beck says. “It’s been a whirlwind,” she says, crediting iOTA’s success to its top-secret, complicated brewing methods. “At the end of the day, it’s just a great beverage.”

These Vancouver Island beverages are guaranteed crowd pleasers.

1. iOTA Hazy IPA is a smooth and juicy non-alcoholic beer by Victoria’s Phillips Brewing designed to impress craft brew lovers. Find iOTA at select grocery stores and online.

2. Hopped Up! is a mild seltzer with the zingy freshness of beer without the bitterness. It has zero carbs and calories. Find it online or at Category 12 Brewing in Victoria.

3. Lumette! by Sheringham Distillery is a non-alcoholic spirit mimicking gin’s botanical taste with juniper, grand fir, grapefruit and orange qualities. Bottles, recipes and a list of retailers are listed on Lumette!’s website.

4. Ginger Switchel from the The Shrubbery Co. in Victoria wears many delicious hats. The shrub can be mixed with soda to create a mocktail akin to ginger beer, added to iced tea or even used as a marinade. Find it online or at the Touch of Saltspring and Moss St. Christmas markets.

5. Blackcurrant & Cranberry Kombucha is a festive, fermented black tea from Victoria’s Cultured Kombucha. Find it at Fairway Market and other select retailers.