Beverage

Can you have a successful cocktail bar with no — or less — alcohol? It’s an experiment that’s increasingly seeing success.

IWSR Drinks Market Analysis forecasts that in 10 core global markets, the compound annual growth rate in no- and low-alcohol volume will rise by more than 8% between 2021 and 2025, outpacing alcohol volume growth.

What’s driving this sustained interest in no-and-low drinks? It’s not strict teetotaling; rather, “moderation is the most common reason for the consumption of no-and-low products,” The Spirits Business reports. About 43% of adults in IWSR’s survey said they used no-and-low drinks as substitutes for alcoholic drinks for certain occasions, rather than abstaining altogether.

“Alcohol-free spirits” sounds like an oxymoron — like “jumbo shrimp” or “working vacation.” While non-alcoholic wine and beer can be appreciated for their flavor, the whole point of liquor is that it packs a punch. 

But non-alcoholic spirits, which bring complexity and depth to craft beverages, are having a moment. Globally, fewer people are drinking. In 2000, 47.6 percent of the world’s population over 15 consumed alcohol, according to the World Health Organization (WHO); now, 43 percent do. Europe has witnessed a 10 percentage point decrease in the drinking population. Is now the time to put alcohol-free spirits behind the bar?