I was in the mood to celebrate, but not to drink. So I asked the bartender at the popular jazz club what zero-alcohol cocktails they could make, since I didn’t see any on the menu. He looked at me sheepishly.

They only had fruit juice, but he could mix the juices if I was interested. No, thanks. Dejected, I opted for sparkling water. As I sipped the boring bubbly water, my husband gushed about his Old Fashioned, saying it was the best he’d had in a long time.

Everyone at the club was swaying to the music, engaged in the experience. While the club excelled in its musical taste, they had missed the opportunity to entertain customers who were avoiding alcohol for its impact on physical or mental health or just to skip the hangover.

There are more and more people like me who have made a conscious decision to “drink” without worrying about getting drunk. In 2022, sales of non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits accounted for less than half of 1% of total alcohol sales in the U.S., according to the NielsenIQ website. While still tiny, the percentage had increased over the prior five years. “Between August 2021 and August 2022, total dollar sales of non-alcoholic drinks in the U.S. stood at $395 million, showing a year-on-year growth of +20.6%.”

With the growing availability of zero-alcohol cocktails, you can be the designated driver without feeling left out (or that you have to settle for sparking water). And these cocktails are something to enjoy at home, too. You may find yourself reaching for our recipes (starting on page 22) again and again. This holiday season, consider adding a zero-alcohol option at your dinners. You might be surprised at the number of takers.

I’m not a teetotaler and am not against drinking alcohol. Not at all. It’s all about options—and drinking responsibly. Remember that, if needed, Uber and Lyft can be your driver.

Let’s all raise a toast to fall.

Sarene Wallace
Managing Editor