Can I make a Zero ABV cocktail you'll want to drink? | How to Drink | How To Drink

[@howtodrink]

I hope you enjoy and would love to hear what you think of my non-alcoholic cocktails if you try them. Want to buy any of these things, links are below! Ritual Whiskey: amzn.to/3WEbzy8 Ritual Gin: amzn.to/3ChTopO Monday Gin: amzn.to/3ChHegK Ritual Tequila: amzn.to/3CiKoAI Ritual Rum: amzn.to/3i5WLcz Strykk Not Vodka: amzn.to/3QdzxO7 Lyre's Aperitif Dry: amzn.to/3Z03AwZ Lyre's Italian Spritz: amzn.to/3ibqeBN Hella Bitters and Soda: amzn.to/3IfoD8I Reed's Ginger Beer: amzn.to/3vyoK7N Sanbitter: amzn.to/3WXPw5g Angostura Chill: amzn.to/3GAlMWL San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa: amzn.to/3Gd1WiU San Pellegrino Chinotto: amzn.to/3WHQnr1 Curiada: bit.ly/notdryjanuary Dink Mate: amzn.to/3VAzDjT Twitch: bit.ly/2VsOi3d H2D2: bit.ly/YTH2D2 twitter: bit.ly/H2DTwit instagram: bit.ly/H2dIG Blog: bit.ly/H2DBlog Patreon: bit.ly/H2DPatreon Gear: amzn.to/2LeQCbW Is Non Alc Booze Good: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGPaoqSPltODetU Three Year old tries an Egg Cream: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHrTd4GLo92dZs0 Need your Disney fix? Make Dole Whip at home: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gondkJ6CZ8SGY7s

[@molecularbandit]

I'm here for all the mocktail content! Pregnant and missing the fun of trying new drinks so I'm sure I'll try some of these!

[@mcstotti8691]

@@molecularbandit dont go for bitter ones. There is no safe level of alcohol consumption when pregnant. Even a level of alcohol like 0.5 abv that are impossible to get drunk of can reach your blood. That blood will flow through your developing child and the cellular damage it can cause can be catastrophic. Greg really dropped the glass when saying these are safe when pregnant. They are safe if you are driving but not if pregnant.

[@BiscuitGeoff]

The San Pellegrino Aranciata (orange, rather than blood orange) has a more complex, less sweet taste. And thank you for introducing me to sanbitter, it sounds right up my street.

[@MrBlasz]

Again the temperance movement cocktails sounds like a great episode

[@Kaijugan]

You should really consider playing Tripwire Interactive's: Maneater. It's a really cool video game. And I'd love to see you make a video making a drink inspired by it.

[@seebastian5834]

As someone who has been sober for 1,5 years now - not by choice, but by unwanted medication side-effects - my favorites are Boo Boo's Special (9cl Pineapple/ 9cl Orange/1,5cl Lime juice + dashes of Grenadine+Bitters) as a cocktail, or "the Sophisticated Lavender" Soda. Personally, I welcome all the alcohol alternatives, and I get the feeling that alcohol-free sparkling wines or and others have really improved in both execution and choice recently - still doesn't give the same feeling of value as a 12+ year aged spirit, though, unfortunately.

[@zechsblack5891]

My gf and I have been hooked on some sparkling grapes since November. Not even nice ones, the grocery store here now carries 4 or 5 varieties in the store brand and they are way less childish/sweet than the stuff I remember drinking at holidays as a kid. I'm drinking a surprisingly dry red/white blend with a little tonic and ango right now.

[@pyotrilyichtchaikovsky3733]

Alcohol free beer has gotten damn good. Especially the belgian ones.

[@chazblank2717]

As I understand it, sobriety isn’t really a choice for alcoholics either… it’s just kinda the end of the line 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@nitePhyyre]

@@chazblank2717 Nah. The end of the line is going through a 1.4L bottle a day not moving from the couch except to accept your delivery of another bottle until you die on that couch in your 50s. At least, that's how it was for my FIL. Even for an alcoholic, stopping is a choice IMO.

[@lactarius7781]

speaking of the sophisticated lavender soda, i at one point made a strong lavender tea infusion in like a tiny bit of water, and topped it up with cola. unsure if that is what you were refering to in the first place, but if not it's worth a try i think, it was delicious :>

[@JessRushworth]

I got a dry cocktail book a while ago and it is really fantastic at making good drinks that don't just emulate booze. My favourite was making a smoky tea syrup and adding to grapefruit juice. Smoky, bitter and fruiry

[@TickyGoblin]

Which book was that? Smoky tea syrup sounds amazing!

[@erzsebetkovacs2527]

How is that smoky tea syrup made, with Lapsang Souchong tea?

[@adamscharenbroch8976]

That sounds freaking amazing where does one get this book?

[@chaosbean6320]

I am also here, inquiring about the book

[@JessRushworth]

It's called Dry by Clare Liardet. Genuinely cannot recommend enough!!

[@Bobolotsoman]

I’m in charge of mocktail development where I bartend. Have never really been impressed with 0% spirits so all my recipes are designed without. Hard to avoid ending up with particularly sweet or acidic cocktails but I think we do a pretty solid job. Glad to see yours and some more love for mocktails. We also make ginger juice so I’ll try out your recipe using that

[@sparki9085]

Do you have any recommendations or lists of good mocktails that don't use 0% spirits? Especially if I don't mind acidity. Really just looking for some recommendations as someone new to this.

[@ste887]

@@sparki9085 a roy rodgers isnt bad if you dont mind ultra sweet (iced cola with a shot of grenadine) the bar i worked at sold a banana hammock which was made up with a simple syrup that had been made with peppercorns and some chilli seeds(optional) , a couple drops of Ethyl 2-methyl butyrate (very very intense banana flavour, only needs a drop) touch of coconut syrup, then top up with soda water (i hated it personally, artificial banana turns my stomach, but the bar sold a lot of them) seems the tropical of banana and coconut with the slight burn from the artificial flavouring works reasonably well at replicating that warmth of drinking

[@sparki9085]

@@ste887 I'll have to try that out! Thanks!

[@darkmode867]

I appreciate your service to service non alchoholic choices at the bar.

[@amoenus_dev]

Yes! That's something I was waiting for a long time. Please, explore more "mocktails" and "virgin" versions in the future. I think, instead of chasing the 'replacement' for alcohol drinks it's worth exploring flavour profiles that are just tasty on their own.

[@MeandMonkeyLP]

Yeah that would be great, i can see why someone who basically only does alcoholic drinks might start out looking for replacements, when in reality non ABV stuff could just aswell be its own type of thing.

[@nevadanate4957]

I think just combining juices and syrups and soda etc is going to get you way further than buying some dumb fake distilled tea.

[@snorpenbass4196]

Yeah, this, there's plenty of fun options for non-alcoholic cocktails that don't use alcohol "replacememnt", I'd rather see those for the next one on this theme (I hope there'll be more like this!).

[@mpbx3003]

As somebody who doesn't drink at all-and still finds this channel compelling for some reason-I have some experience with NA cocktails, and I think the key is to build the drinks with the same principles of building complexity and evolution over using fake spirits that can never really replicate the experience. Your drinks at the end are very much along those lines and seem delicious.

[@ulrichs.3228]

As somebody who's around two decades sober, thank you for this, it's much appreciated. And, since it's the internet, the place of pointing out the obvious: when making these drinks for others, it would be polite to check if your guests are ok with a dash of bitters or a spray of absinthe. While probably not having a measurable metabolical effect, some people might not be comfortable with any alcohol being added.

[@kscott2655]

Absolutely correct. I disagreed with Greg's use of these and calling it "non-alcoholic". Lots of people I know would absolutely care if a tiny portion of their drink (not enough to metabolically matter) was alcoholic. They don't even eat food cooked with wine.

[@GutsBatman]

​@@kscott2655 Essentially you are disagreeing with the legal definition of "non-alcoholic" then. Am I correct in my interpretation?

[@kscott2655]

@@GutsBatman - Legal definitions don't really matter when personal beliefs or preferences prohibit all alcohol. The only thing that matters is your personal conviction in that case. Edit: Would saying zero ABV be clearer? Because that's important to many people for many reasons.

[@GutsBatman]

@@kscott2655 I can get down with personal definitions mattering a lot but the thing about about legal definitions is that they really do matter. A lot. Greg was in the right for using the term "non-alcoholic" for describe the drinks he was making that involve the mist and the bitters. Yes, saying zero ABV would be clearer. It paints a very, very different parameter. To me, it's very clear that Greg was working with the legal definition of a "non-alcoholic beverage" in his thought process. If he was thinking with zero abv in his thought process, we'd have gotten a different episode for sure.

[@kscott2655]

@@GutsBatman - I think it would have been a better episode if he had taken a hard line on zero ABV. Legal definition aside, to very many people "non-alcoholic" means zero alcohol. I don't think he did a single drink accessible to someone who has sworn off all alcohol, for whatever reason.

[@rw9495]

Really appreciate that you make these from time to time! I quit drinking alcohol for medical reasons a couple years ago, but I stay subscribed so I can learn drink recipes for my friends, and occasionally there's something for me too! Killer channel Greg :)

[@DarkkestNite]

I can't really drink either and just follow the channel to learn about drinks - excited to see some stuff I can actually try!

[@rw9495]

@@DarkkestNite Everybody appreciates a good bartender and designated driver, respect fams

[@mrpizzacat8273]

Yeah I hope he doesn’t de rail his channel for us but I do enjoy the occasional thrown bone every once in a while. Don’t drink for personal reasons but options are nice

[@rw9495]

@@mrpizzacat8273 The response seems pretty positive overall, anyone who does partake could totally add spirits to any of these drinks. Love that youtube drinking channels promote dry weeks or months

[@sciurusvulgari3687]

Appreciate this one Greg, not going for Dry January but full sobriety. Already two weeks straight with A.A. and this will probably help with the flavour cravings.

[@R.J._Lewis]

I've found that drinking a Liquid Death (or another sparkling water) does a pretty fair job scratching the beer AND soda itch for me. I don't know if that will help you, but I hope so!

[@lesanimaux4416]

You got this!

[@GizmoFan1]

You've got it! And some words of advice: Stay away from the original drinks in here. The bitters and absinthe aren't appropriate for recovering alcoholics. Cock N' Bull ginger beer is the hottest one we've been able to find. It's not overly sweet and the ginger fire in it is intense. For my mom it's a perfect replacement for beer or wine after work. Teas are a really good way to get some strong flavors, especially some of the more exotic ones. Lapsang tea is smoked so it fills my cravings for islay scotches or mezcal pretty well, and outside of that there's stuff like hibiscus that's complex and delicious on its own. Look into interesting syrups, fruit juices, herbs, or spices too. Grapefruit, passionfruit, ginger, allspice, intense smoked salt, and pomegranate are all essentials for my home bar when I'm making no ABV drinks alongside standards like lemons and limes.

[@movingforwardLDTH]

Congrats on taking this step!

[@boiboh2954]

Seltzers dude. Patron saint of recovering alcoholics

[@oliviafrias4889]

When I was pregnant I made a margaritaish drink I really liked using the citrus seedlip, fresh lime, simple and ginger juice. The ginger had a nice alcohol like burn. I called it a ginger daisy. Gotta try the tonka bean one!

[@christina3115]

I love the Seedlip margarita! And the ginger sounds like a great idea. I’ll have to try that!

[@MuriKakari]

I feel like Ginger and/or Szechuan Peppercorns would be the way to go if you wanted it to feel like alcohol

[@casskapp]

Been sober for 2years. It’s nice to find new non-alcoholic drinks.

[@xander1052]

if you enjoy beers, Mash Gang is great as they simulate every part of Ales that get removed when Alcohol is removed from beer to make non alcoholic beer. honestly the only time I've not been able to tell the difference.

[@darianfitch4997]

I've been sober for about 4 years and I agree with you. It's great to acturally have drinks with the family again.

[@TomOBrienJr]

Keep up the good work! Proud of you. I've been enjoying Phony Negroni from St. Agrestis lately. Try that!

[@casskapp]

@@TomOBrienJr thank you!!

[@bishbosh4815]

I've never had an alcohol free substitute anything, there's literally no point, I'd rather just drink regular soft drinks

[@AdamDGoff]

A Temperance episode would be so cool. I think you’d look great in a soda-jerk uniform.

[@masonchapple7669]

As someone who found this channel because I was promoted to cocktail server at a previous job, but don't actually drink, it's interesting to see you come to this topic. Your discussions on history, flavors, production and more helped me serve guests and inspired a passion for mixology to the point where I just gave a set of 5 homemade drink mixes and syrups as a Christmas gift to some family members (Grenadine, Ginger Syrup, Fassionola, Coquito Mix, and an "Old Fashioned" syrup). Beyond adaptations of existing drinks I've also experimented with some ideas, one of my favorites which I call the Ginger Nichols (a mix of 1 part fresh lemon juice, 2 parts blueberry syrup, and 3 parts hot ginger beer). Most of my drinks are probably way too sweet for your tastes, but nonetheless your channel has been my greatest point of inspiration for this hobby and I hope to continue developing it for the foreseeable future.

[@christina3115]

As someone that can’t drink for medical reasons, I’d love to see more non-alcoholic content! Also, no idea about the other brands, but Lyre’s has cocktail recipes on their website, and they even offer mixology classes (I think you get a free one when you buy something, specific to whatever spirits you buy). I actually love their margarita (and loved “real” margaritas back when I could drink), but that might just be me haha.

[@lyresspiritco]

We sure do, the possibilities are endless for those who aren't able to drink alcohol. No one needs to feel left out of enjoying a sophisticated cocktail. For anyone new to the category, we offer a free Zoom mixology class to get you started. Thanks so much for the support Christina. Cin cin 🍸

[@AmaterianAngel]

We had a discussion on why the non-alcoholic versions were just as expensive as their alcoholic counterparts. Partly to make it seeem premium and comparable I think. Often hard to justify buying a bottle tho.

[@howtodrink]

margins in the answer. They're pricing to what the market will tolerate, and they think people have an assumption about "the money they'll spend on drinks"

[@Dan016]

No, that’s howtodrink

[@kazeryu17]

@@howtodrink it's crazy how much marketing affects prices. I have a big cheap bottle of burbon that tasts better than some of the more expensive burbons I have purchased.

[@GutsBatman]

A product like this screams at me to ask "who is this product for?" It's the same question I ask when I see ads for Tonal, or those tech mirror or LED monitor with lifting attachments because strength training is my hobby, for lack a term, and spent a lot of money in 2020/21 helping build up a buddy's garage gym. I laugh and find them to be wastes of time and space because they don't sound functional at all to me after they start detailing the upper limits of what they do. That's when the "who is this product for?" question kicks in and anyone with a brain realizes they aren't aiming at any serious lifter. These imitation alcohols fall into the same category. These aren't for people serious about the taste of the food and drink they are putting in their mouth. I can understand why people get mad at such products because they are a waste of resources. I can also understand why I should just shrug my shoulders and keep walking.

[@GutsBatman]

@@howtodrink Reading your reply here triggered what something Derek from moreplatesmoredates channel said when explaining the difficulty of being in the pre-workout supplement/energy drink market. He said the profit margins in the production of them were incredibly tight. Gotta imagine it's that way across the board.

[@molecularbandit]

EXACTLY what this pregnant lady needed! Currently have my first attempt at a shrub in the fridge and now you make this video 👍 muchas gracias

[@Domino454545]

My mom was a bartender for like 15 years and is finally sober. I love this episode! Thank you!!!!

[@janetwalshadams]

Lemon lime and bitters has been an Australian staple for decades, glad to see it's getting wider attention. I happily swap between alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks, it's all about flavour and whether or not I'm driving. Lyre's does a version of amaretto which is delicious, and if you can get your hands on the Naked premixed cans, I genuinely look forward to those.

[@lyresspiritco]

Thanks Janet, the Amaretto Sour is a fav for sure. 🙏

[@Chard81]

LLB... Oz represent

[@EMSpdx]

Re: the Italian bitter sodas: I love Sanbitter! Also check out Stappis- they come in both red and white. Crodino taste dead ass like Aperol- in fact, I make a fake spritz with Crodino, sparkling white grape juice and seltzer over ice and no one can really tell the difference except the lack of alcohol hit! Also, you can make a gin flavored simple syrup with angelica root, juniper berries and herbs, and pour some of that into tonic water. Tastes like a G&T, only sweeter, but still refreshing and good.

[@erzsebetkovacs2527]

Would you care for sharing the recipe for the gin flavored syrup?

[@chadcross8008]

I bought some Sanbitter based on this video. I would like to purchase it by the case!

[@emilycrawford3615]

Lemon, Lime & Bitters is a well known drink in Australia. It's a build type where you dress the bitters around the interior of a tall glass, add a little grenadine, lime syrup, then put your ice and top up with soda. There's also another Aussie brand of non-alcoholic beverages by Bundaberg that do LLB and other flavours. Big recommend for non-alcoholic drinkers.

[@HansMaximum]

My New Years Eve was dry due to being a DD. Well, I didn't want to drink soda or water all evening so I made a drink. 2 oz Black Tea - Cooled and very strong 1/2 oz Lime 1/2 oz Ginger Beer 1/2 oz Grenadine 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters (I am counting those as non alcoholic here). Soooo good. I used super juice and prebatched them. The tea was watered down enough so I just threw a splash of soda water and ice when I felt like pouring myself a drink. And you could add rum to booze it up if you felt like it.

[@Maxu4321]

I found Martini non-alcoholic vermouths with tonic taste nearly the same as the real stuff. Also non-alcoholic gins work wonders as taste enhancers, I use two parts real gin half-part non-alcoholic Gordon's, if I want my drink to be extra junipery.

[@yorusign]

Was looking for someone to mention the non alcoholic Martinis. 10 ml of Martini Vibrante in a tonic will make for a great drink!

[@doc8125]

I think coffee would be a super interesting base instead of spirits.... Spesifically a super light roast brewed as espresso. They have tons of complexity, a lot of strength and body, and add a lot of tartness too and if you get the right coffee tastes nothing like what is traditionally thought of as coffee flavor

[@KevinC2793]

hello, yes, ran a coffee house and bar for a bit. did this, it works well. we used cold brew, tho.

[@GizmoFan1]

I've made a no ABV tiki drink using the imitation espresso Aeropress recipe from James Hoffmann as a base. Coffee pairs beautifully with a lot of the flavors that go into tiki drinks, especially the baking spice stuff. Espresso shakeratos are really nice too, just espresso and sugar shaken over ice to get it nice and frothy.

[@doc8125]

@@GizmoFan1 shakeratos are very nice yeah, can even get creative with the syrups too to match the coffee you're using. Tons of coffee mocktail ideas in some Barista championship routines too

[@SuperStarr817]

@@KevinC2793 coffee and Angostura bitters is actually a lovely combo

[@cardlordm]

Cold coffee plus lemon/simple is really good. The drink has a name, but it eludes me right now.

[@Mud-Brain]

Oh this sounds awesome! My dad's been sober 25+ years but I'd love to be able to make drinks for him.

[@baby_illinois]

same

[@monkeyman123321]

@@baby_illinois wow you guys have the same dad?

[@Mud-Brain]

@@baby_illinois brother?

[@HowManyRobot]

@@TarAnarion There's more alcohol in a glass of grape juice or a hamburger bun than those drinks with a few drops of bitters in them.

[@charlestoncooper5265]

@@TarAnarion a few drops doesn’t really break soberiety it’s not anywhere near enough to effect you

[@JLaFs]

As someone who can't drink without getting terribly sick, thank you for this video!!

[@grahamjl766]

It is amazing there seems to be no market for artisanal drinks that do not contain alcohol. I will say you can get lost down the rabbit hole of tea/coffee.

[@LisaMantchev]

We had a whole discussion about normalizing all drinks as celebratory drinks (for friends who don't imbibe zee booze over holidays in particular) and the additional challenge someone added was that effervescence gives them reflux. 'Twas definitely a puzzler. Will be sharing this video with them! Thanks, Team HTD!

[@MrBlasz]

A temperance cocktail episode would be super cool !

[@GogiRegion]

Good idea! I know lemonade was one of the most heavily pushed drinks. It would be interesting to see his take on that, as well as what else he can find.

[@14eilonwy]

I started with the same ideas you started with: Bitters, citrus zest/peel, citrus juice, aromatics (ginger), fresh herbs and spices, ice, and soda. Then I wandered the baking aisle, the syrup aisle, and the apothecary. On my mixing shelf now: Orange blossom water, rose water, tart cherry juice concentrate, ginger syrup, Woodcutter's Spruce bitters, and herbal tinctures such as lemon balm and clove. Cold brew espresso and tea concentrates work well also. Aperitifs were traditionally medicinal, and you can still buy tinctures of medicinal herbs (some of the same ingredients in amaros and vermouths) in natural health stores. Using honey, agave, maple, and molasses instead of simple also adds complexity.

[@JohnnyDoom]

I love how everytime you even hold a peeler or channel knife CLOSE to a fruit, it's expressing oils all over the place. At home, I can JUST get a spray like you have on your B-Roll if I squeeze 1000 peels in a hydraulic press. LOL

[@rittj.1303]

It's great to see more non-alcoholic mixed drinks! So nice for so many reasons and people. It would be interesting to challenge Greg to make some with no ango bitters or other alcohols, even diluted, for those who can't even have those in their house. He used those in every drink lol

[@minette36]

My favorite non-alcoholic cocktail is lemonade with rose water and hibiscus syrup--it's like fake-wine, rich and decadent, fruity and floral. Great for holiday parties!

[@erin_drolet]

When I want an alcoholic drink, but don't actually want the alcohol, I often reach for a kombucha. There are some really fun flavors, everything from citrus earl grey, sage and rosemary, and lemon ginger. They can be pretty expensive, so I'm actually looking into trying to make my own!

[@unseeliej]

This is late af, but fresh mint, watermelon sparkling water, and homemade kombucha (it tends to be a bit more tart than the premade stuff) is 👍 Also various sparkling hop teas are great replacements for beer.

[@AmaterianAngel]

So often it feels like the non-alcoholic versions are just sweet syrups of the alcohol they are trying to mimic. I like the seedlip gin range, but hoping more options become available in the near future.

[@pyotrilyichtchaikovsky3733]

I had a seedlip gin and tonic. And just tonic feels closer to an alcohol beverage than watering it down with seedlip. At most added a bit of clove which you could add manually. I think a tonic with a few slices of lemon and a sprig of rosemary is about the best non alcoholic, alcoholic feeling drink

[@lmsmith015]

1. Glad you incorporated ginger! I bought a giant jug of ginger juice for the month because I knew I would be drinking it faster than I could juice it haha. 2. You forgot one of the best non-alcoholic drinks: kombucha. 3. I'm also experimenting with Fever Tree's different flavors of tonic. Elderflower tonic is my favorite! 4. I tried a "de-alcoholized merlot" and I shockingly quite liked it, much more than the non-alcoholic spirits.

[@johnabreu6753]

Kombucha actually has some alcohol in it! Commercially made has less then 0,5%, but it has some, some strong ones can go up to 5% even. Homemade can have between 1% to 2.5%, from what I searched. It’s not technically considered an alcoholic beverage, but it’s good to acknowledge it :D

[@lmsmith015]

@@johnabreu6753 those ones are labeled as "hard" though!

[@johnabreu6753]

@@lmsmith015 Good point!

[@A16AdamWalker]

Just gonna pour one out for all my fellow January Babies - Worst month to be born in, if people aren't skint from Christmas/Holidays, they're either not drinking, not eating certain foods/dieting or partied out... And they don't give up on their "resolutions" till February.

[@Rachel-ej3jc]

Fr. Mine is smack bang in the middle of the month too.

[@vinscocktails1864]

Mines on the 5th and for some reason the days between NYE and my Birthday are always kinda bad. Happens every year

[@kevinfager.]

Everything is good in moderation. Rather than not drinking at all for one month ppl should just say only every other weekend. Ultimately it’s less consumption spread thinner and you still get to enjoy yourself.

[@Quintinohthree]

@@kevinfager. I like the concept the Whisky Tribe does of a dry week once every 3 months.

[@blubberdust]

Appreciate your condolences

[@salem326]

Really love that you did this video Greg! I have a fair number of friends who are sober for a variety of reasons, and have always looked into non-alcoholic spirits and assumed in large part they were overpriced nonsense in comparison to what I can make at home with herbs, spices, fruit, and soda water (or fancy soda). Glad you confirmed that for me! Love the vid!

[@mrbob0822]

I'd love to see you try Alinea Group's 'Zero' non-alcoholic drink book, particularly their back bar replacement chapter and how it measures up to your standards if you're up for another non-alcoholic drink episode. Keep up the great work, Greg!

[@katarh]

Yep. 95% dry January for me, with an exception because the Georgia Bulldogs are going to be in the national championship again so I've got a bonus feast day this year. (That Ohio State game on the 31st was worthy of all the beers I consumed, for that matter. What a game!) Edit: I had an amazing peach soda down at Praetoria Fields brewing in Albany, GA. Agreed that soda alternatives are probably better than the commercial zero alcohol mixers.

[@R.J._Lewis]

Go Dawgs!

[@jameszetterman4487]

More of this stuff please. My family has a terrible history of alcoholism but I love the culture and chemistry of mixing different ingredients together.

[@Tidde]

In Sweden every year for christmas and easter people drink a soda called julmust / påskmust ( christmas must / easter must). It was originally meant to be an non-alcoholic version of beer but it turned into it's own thing. We also have svagdricka ("weak drink" lol), but that one is not as popular. The temperance movement was and still is quite strong in Sweden. You can't buy spirits in supermarkets here (seeing 2 for 1 deals on vodka in the US really shocked me when I first came over).

[@Blutzen]

Availability of alcohol in supermarkets varies WILDLY by state over here, because every single state has its own laws about it. I was just talking the other day with friends online that have only ever lived in one state about my experiences living up and down the east coast, how where I grew up (20 years) you could buy beer in a supermarket but nothing stronger than that, I moved 200 miles south and they had entire _aisles_ for wine--both sides, floor to ceiling, front to back of store--but spirits were only allowed to be sold at state-run liquor stores (where I grew up I was used to fully independent liquor stores) then I split the difference and moved 100 miles back north and now I've found out that places can't even sell _beer_ unless they have sit-down-eat places, and they have to sell it from a separate register to the grocery section, plus state-run liquor stores.

[@ShaneWalta]

@@Blutzen US alcohol laws all sound kind of weird to me. In the UK you can buy everything in standard supermarkets, and you only go to specialist stores if you want something more interesting.

[@kazeryu17]

@@ShaneWalta Us states operate like there own countries, with open borders, and the laws are different in every state. For example, in some states, it's easier to buy Marijuana than cigarettes, and you can openly smoke a blunt right in front of your neighbor who happens to be a cop, without any worry in the world. In other states, you can serve a lengthy prison sentence for the tiniest amount of resideu on your cars floorboard that came from somones shoe. Fireworks are a 4th of July staple in the US, but if you want to illegally launch them in my state, you have to take a 5+ hour road trip to another state to buy them, and smuggle them in, and hope none of your neighbors are snitches. There are many examples, some more controversial than others.

[@Goatmaster-ek8rq]

I'm Finnish and Julmust is also sold here around Christmas time, and it's a weird but nice drink. It's a soda kinda similar to apple soda but the texture is somehow different than a soda. Also it smells just like energy drinks.

[@emuaust4941]

I have the first week of the month booze free every month and have for years. I have experimented a lot with no alcoholic drinks. My go to drinks tend to all have some type of tonic, the bitterness really makes it. I drink the Lyres Italian Orange, which is closer to Campari. I mix it with some Monin Bitter Syrup, a little lime juice, a dash of orange bitters and topped with a good tonic. You would be easily convinced it was alcoholic.

[@reizak8966]

So glad you posted this! I love your vids but I quit drinking a while ago, so I've been experimenting with different things. I use kombucha a lot as a mixer instead of just seltzer and it adds a very unique flavor profile. I really just like the ritual of crafting a glass of something to sit down and enjoy while I relax in the evenings.

[@darkbro111]

I love these heavy experimentation videos, always love watching you run around the bar and figure out what does and doesn't work.

[@NiftyPants]

Trying Dry January myself for the first time so very timely. Thanks Greg.

[@nevadanate4957]

One of my favorite low/"no" ABV drinks is when I tried to strip back the Dr. Funk to its roots: .5 oz grenadine .25 oz absinthe .75 oz lime juice top with soda

[@Noon3rs]

I’ve been looking forward to a mocktail episode for a long time! Thank you!

[@TheWeePearl]

I’ve come to find that the n/a spirits that aren’t trying to replace a spirit are the best ones. There’s also that textural issue with these when making cocktails. Adding something sparkling (lots of fantastic n/a sparkling wines and beers out these days) or egg white help a lot. I do a lot of non alcoholic content on my channel and my favorites are the aperitivos.

[@jibm37]

I'm allergic to alcohol so I would love if you kept up and continued trying these out. Even if... they turn out as bad as ritual brand. Oops.

[@zechsblack5891]

What is your allergic response like? My gf drank heavily when she was a kid but something happened around when she turned 20 where she pretty much immediately goes beet red and gets extremely hot/sweaty any time she has more than a sip or two.

[@jibm37]

@@zechsblack5891 if i injest enough of it my body just shuts down and i just start dying. I know someone who had an epi-pen help stabilize me. I don't remember the specifics off hand I just avoid it like the plague but I'm still curious of what all these drinks would be like could I drink them without starting to die.

[@peggedyourdad9560]

@@jibm37 I had a bit of non-alcoholic sparkling rose wine at a Christmas eve gathering, maybe you'd like that.

[@jibm37]

@@peggedyourdad9560 I'd have to give that a shot. I'll look into that, cheers. Hopfully it won't kill me.

[@peggedyourdad9560]

@@jibm37 I hope so as well. I did look it up and apparently non-alcoholic wines are made that way by going through a process called vacuum distillation which is supposed to remove the alcohol, that being said, it still leaves behind trace amounts of alcohol so if that's an issue for you then I'm sorry I got your hopes up.

[@MrChainsawAardvark]

Thinning out some of the jams you have around the house (orange marmalade/strawberry/etc) could give a good base for non-alcoholic drink, though you would probably need things like ginger or bitter to help with the amount of sugar in fruit preserves. A drink I've been enjoying a lot has been comprised of two teaspoons of cherry jam, a tablespoon or so of lime juice, and top with hot water for a warm cherry lime-aid. Adding a bit of amaretto (for maraschino cherry) or cheap whiskey for a bit of counterbalance makes for a decent toddy.

[@Baby_boodle]

I enjoyed this episode very much! I'd be happy to see follow-up episodes covering the same topic.

[@Sirgreggumsofswillsbury]

Yeees. You hit the nail on the head. It's kind of like vegetarian or vegan food. Generally the better ones aren't trying to emulate meat - they are just something delicious on their own.

[@mikithekynd]

I love how Greg is getting more "drunk crazy" from these 0% drinks than he gets from the actual alcoholic drinks 😂

[@RockFilmsInc]

As someone who can’t drink anymore due to medical reasons I really appreciate this. Some of these sound like something fun to drink while watching your videos✌🏽

[@Cliffdog01]

My two go to Mocktails are Pinacoladas and Mojito and when I do a Mockojito at home I use an Indian Tonic instead of soda water. When I was in the Alchemy Bar on the Carnival Miracle Cruise Ship the Mixologist made me a great Ginger Mocktai of on the fly.

[@normanyeetus4176]

An alcohol free mojito is a feauxhito, surely

[@Cliffdog01]

@@normanyeetus4176 Never seen that name before but after a Google your right. I would've thought using mock in the name made more sense than faux.

[@KryptekDragon]

So happy Greg went with some ginger, I always use that for my mocktails, some good bitterness and some heat

[@vinscocktails1864]

I'm just at the beginning of the Video but seeing the bottle of Lyres Italian spritz standing there I just gotta say that it makes a great "Aperol" sour. In my opinion the Lyres spirits taste very watery and weird on their own but mixed with other ingredients they can be great

[@lyresspiritco]

Indeed, all meant for cocktails. Thrilled to hear you loved our Italian Spritz. The taste of summer without the hangover. 😍

[@stormbarrett7471]

my favorite so far has been one i found for my job, we called it the Not So Stormy Weather: 3 oz apple cider, 2 o unsweetened black tea, 0.5 oz lime juice, 0.5 oz of maple syrup, shaken and strained into a large glass with ice, topped with a decently spicy ginger beer, garnished with an orange slice! The alcoholic alternative is called the Stormy Weather and includes 1.5 oz of either vodka or rum!

[@tyghe_bright]

I'm so happy about this one! I rarely drink, but don't know what is worth spending on for good n/a beverages. (Looks like, for the most part, I'd be better off just making my own beverages without trying to imitate cocktails.)

[@tyghe_bright]

Another category that's really expanded in the last couple of years are low or no sugar soft drink alternatives. I have to be careful about my sugar intake, but diet drinks hurt my stomach. I've tried a LOT of these drinks, and IMO the two best are: De La Calle Tepache (tepache is a lightly fermented drink made from pineapple rinds) --would probably be amazing with rum Sparkling Botanicals by Rishi, in flavors like Dandelion Ginger and Elderberry Maqui, these are interesting and complex with zero sugar. Just herbs, tea, spices, and/or fruits. They have a lot more flavor than a flavored water, but probably not enough to stand up to mixing with alcohol.

[@It-b-Blair]

Right? I feel it’s the same way with meat alternatives and trying to go vegetarian/vegan and still hoping to have chicken nugget, hotdogs, or burger emulations. You can make amazing meatless food, but it’s definitely going to be different.

[@TehSkullKid]

I came up with a low-alcohol highball for a Christmas party this year, that sort of fits the bill Sylph 1 oz Cranberry Juice 1/2 oz Rosemary simple 1/2 oz Triple Sec Top with 2 oz Club Soda Garnish with sprig of rosemary You can simply substitute the triple sec for the nonalcoholic kind that’s in the grocery store to make it completely virgin. I thought it had a little tart kick and wasn’t too sweet, so it felt like you were still drinking something hard even though you weren’t.

[@Clarytee217]

Bitters and soda…. That‘s something I gotta try!

[@howtodrink]

Do it with Ango though, a lot of them don't work as nice. Twist of lime can be great there too. I also sometimes like a combo of orange and peychauds bitters.

[@Clarytee217]

@@howtodrink thanks for the advice! I finally got my hands on some angostura and have been playing around with them. Its fun to go beyond the quick and easy drinks I’m used to making behind the bar at events and actually pay attention to flavors and smells.

[@Cthulu1985]

The expert has spoken, but I'll add my two cents: yes, try it!! And yes: Ango bitters work a charm on soda or ginger ale :D

[@Clarytee217]

@@Cthulu1985 just tried Angostura and cheap lemon soda because that’s what we had around the house. Good stuff!

[@zechsblack5891]

The ango cocoa bitters is pretty good with some sodas too!

[@joslindeck5678]

I’d really love to see Greg do a Hemp cocktails episode, there’s lots of new hemp cocktail brands launching with their own “spirits” that aren’t supposed to be mimicking anything. Would love to hear his opinion on them and see a few elevated drinks made from them

[@jakemobberley704]

Trying to make 0%abv spirits seems like a fool's errand. It seems like companies are doing this to justify the high price tag and sell you a ton of water. The much more interesting thing for me is to experiment with concentrated, flavored syrups, bitters-style mixes and such. Better to just make them at home and experiment with replicating spirit-adjacent flavors like baking spice, molasses, barrel wood, honey, etc.

[@jacqueline8121]

Day 3 of my dry January. Really needed to take a moment of self reflection on my drinking habits. Thank you for this video

[@Brian_Tylor]

I would love to see a Cuba Libre matrix Different cokes like bottled, canned, glass, or fountain , maybe different brands of cola and different rums Please sir

[@stockton1856]

Hey I very much appreciate this type of content, excellent video. My mom has been sober for the past 30 years but still appreciates a nonalcoholic beer. Another thing to consider though would be kombucha, I’ve been making it for a handful of years now and I love the process, certainly homemade stuff would have an ABV that is non negligible, I personally have never tested my alcohol levels but have noticed that some bottles come out noticeably more alcoholic that others. However nearly every store bought brand in the US take the alcohol out of their product, below .5% to be able to sell them as soft drinks. Something to consider though it isn’t for everyone. But when you make it you as many flavors as you can think up or afford, as someone who doesn’t drink soda as well ( I think it’s toxic stuff and don’t like the flavor) kombucha can be a really good alternative for sodas and other nonalcoholic beverages.

[@Cthulu1985]

In fairness, I wasn´t surprised that the non-alcoholic "liquors" wouldn´t cut the mustard. There´s something about the alcohol within and the process that gives every spirit their flavor and personality, and these... I reckon they´re not much more than flavored waters.

[@TheTheninjagummybear]

Why backticks instead of apostrophes?

[@JenIsHungry]

Alcohol tastes like paint thinner so I can imagine they are better

[@pennyforyourthots]

It's probably because alcohol is really good at stripping flavor from things (which is why it's used to make extracts), so everything else tastes weak by comparison. The only thing that's probably comparable is glycerin (the non-alcoholic alternative for extracts) or something that was once alcohol like vinegar. Maybe it's worth exploring vinegar based drinks.

[@rosalie.e.morgan]

@@pennyforyourthots shrubs are one common vinegar based drink

[@alecwallisch9045]

@penny for your thots there's a multiple millenia long history of vinegar based drinks/drink flavorings called shrubs. They're actually making a comeback now as well

[@cinnamonrollypoly]

This is great for those of us who are usually the DD. This way we can still enjoy a "drink" with everyone else without having to worry about being over the legal limit.

[@MrV4nd4l]

I really think you should have named the first one the "queen's drive swizzle".

[@adamscharenbroch8976]

The Gin really shocked me. Of all the spirits for some reason I thought NA Gin would just taste like Gin. Either way great episode and learned a lot for my sober friends. Definitely have a starting point for next time they visit.

[@colinchase4859]

Have you ever done a low or no added sugar episode? Aka Drinks for Diabetics?

[@zechsblack5891]

Seems like something he would be into and good at, he complains about sugar all the damn time 🤣 Id like to see it.

[@GizmoFan1]

The Hemingway daiquiri was technically created for that? If you leave the spec as-is and don’t add syrup like a lot of people do the only sugar comes from the maraschino and whatever is in the citrus.

[@TheBgrieman]

When my wife was pregnant I came up with a tiki style mocktail called A Volcano Sacrifice (it's a virgin, get it) 3 oz pineapple juice 3 oz spicy ginger beer 1 oz lime 1 oz orgeat 3-5 dashes of Angostura Build in glass with crushed ice. For reference fevertree ginger beer would be too mild, need a bit of kick to balance the sweetness

[@Toonfish_]

It's absolutely MYSTIFYING to me why ritual would wanna simulate the burn of alcohol. The burn is the entire reason I don't drink alcoholic beverages, because my body is telling me *hey that is poison, don't drink that!*. Guess I'll stay with adding a few drops of cocktail bitters to a glass of club soda for my flavored drinks.

[@ViktoriousDead]

I bet you’ll scarf down chocolate though, feel like shit afterwards and then do it again another day. Is that poison too?

[@Toonfish_]

@@ViktoriousDead What? I didn't say alcohol is poison. (I mean objectively it is, but idc if you drink it, I use it myself as I clearly stated in my first message)

[@spacenoke]

@@ViktoriousDead what tf is your problem

[@TsukiKatana]

I also do not enjoy that. Even sodas feel burn-y to me, so I can empathize with the "Mouth, what are you doing?" sensation.

[@rosalie.e.morgan]

I like the burn of alcohol, not the full intense burn of a spirit like vodka, but like hot sake on a cold day is fantastic partially because of that feeling Edit: I also like chili peppers, spicy ginger, and wasabi

[@thetalesofdaneandco]

I'm glad Greg's back to doing enjoyable cocktails for the time being. He deserves to not intentionally suffer for content.

[@slyFOXseven]

Great video as always Greg! Regarding the dry shake for the whiskey sour, have you ever tried using one of those electric whisk/milk frother things instead of the traditional dry shake? Would it be any better/worse?

[@rumbleinthekitchen_Amy]

THANK YOU! I've been looking forward to this content since long before you announced that you were working on this.

[@rumbleinthekitchen_Amy]

Greg, will a gomme type syrup help with mouth feel? And would you consider making some of the the temperance cocktails? I love the taste of cocktails but can't always have the alcohol because of medication interactions. I also have a few people in my life who are sober and I'd love to be able to offer them some "fun" mocktails that are more than just sweet. I'm definitely looking into some of the bitter soda ideas you mentioned but it's still not the same as a fun drink shaken or stirred and served in a fancy glass.

[@shaunmorrison6448]

My girlfriend is teetotal but loves cocktails... I think we've had pretty much the same experience you've had. All the drinks the bars we've been in have made for have been great, but they were never trying to emulate existing cocktails exactly. We never had any luck at home with non-alcoholic stuff.

[@SycophanticDesignInc]

The looks of absolute sadness on Greg's making cocktail with the fake alcohols made me sad even

[@DimitriWithLemon]

Julia Bainbridge has a book called Good Drinks, which has amazing spirit-free cocktails. Many/most that don't even use non-alcoholic spirits. Couldn't recommend that book more, its amazing! Also though bitters only will not add enough alcohol to matter in terms of getting drunk. It is still an issue for anyone with religious reasons for not drinking. I have muslim friends so I have to avoid bitters when making them spirit-free cocktails.

[@flatrising9212]

PLEASE do more dry cocktails!!!

[@toddjackson3136]

Sober 25yrs, love watching the Chanel though. These types of episodes are fun Easter eggs for me!

[@jacobblumenthal2545]

I sure am Hot to Drink!

[@fletcherallen3478]

In before the title change

[@zechsblack5891]

I know its not technically dry, but it is by this channel's standards haha. I drink maybe once every year or two but love this channel and the ritual of making a cocktail. I quit buying soda and drink a LOT of alcohol free "cocktails" instead. By that I mean that i keep a stock of various bitters and tonic water and mix them with juices. Orange is good with ango, anything bitter like cranberry is awesome with tonic, ango or coco bitters, etc.

[@RjWolf3000]

I wonder if kombucha could be better altered to fill this role. like it has a touch of the abv but at a small amount it might better give you the right flavor and feel.

[@kazeryu17]

That vinegar taste though.

[@RjWolf3000]

@@kazeryu17 have you tasted alcohol?

[@kazeryu17]

@@RjWolf3000 I like the taste of alcohol in moderation. I like the essence of the specific carbs that shine through in different beverages. Admittedly, I don't like the cheap malty taste of half of the canned garbage in 7-Eleven, but that's for desperate folks. The smell of vinegar reminds me of stinky feet, or the orangeish, brown juice that collects and ferments at the bottom of a fast food garbage can. I personally can't stand the smell, and smell is a large part of taste. I have had some halfway decent kombucha that wasn't terrable, but the Vinegar taste still hits me at some point, no matter how much ginger, lemon, and hibiscus they try to hide it with. I would drink a cold combucha on a hot day if somone provided it, but it pales in comparison to a glass of mead, or a tart cider. IMO.

[@RjWolf3000]

@@kazeryu17 So... Not a shrub fan? But to my point. its all spoiled garbage that turns to poison and if you want a drink that is like one spoiled garbage poison, but not, yer best bet is a different spoiled garbage poison.

[@anna-lisalysell5077]

This is great for those of us who are TTC or pregnant and really missing the cocktails. Definitely would be interested in seeing more!

[@Lanka0Kera]

While I appreciate the content, I f' hate the today's YT's "let's change the title & pic" to *make people who haven't watched us on their subs yet watch us now*... to point of seriously considering to unsubbing the lot of you, so I can instead binge watch. I assume the "effect" works better when people consume YT content on mobile devices because it gets jarring on pc; especially when trying to find something that looked & was descriped something completely different just days ago...

[@ChaosArchives667]

Waaah

[@summersongfox5850]

My aunt and I went through a run of these last year and The Pathfinder was the best non-alcoholic liquor we tried. Good enough that we've gone back to get it and she's given it away as a gift. It's great.

[@TheaterTech43]

Always love seeing non-alcoholic options. I know they aren't the popular videos but I appreciate that you make them

[@beclops]

I’ve never drank in my life so you don’t know how excited I am that I’ll be able to actually make something I see on this channel instead of just watching in awe

[@sean.alphonse]

My own personal favorite alcohol free option especially in summer has actually been Puraqua's sparkling coconut and pineapple, and I get it at Aldi. It really does taste like a piña colada just sparkling and you could let it go flat if the bubbles aren't your thing. Another one I personally like is club soda mixed with trader joe's blood orange herbal tea which tastes like a very dry and not at all sweet mimosa which you could obviously sweeten if you wanted, but the blood orange tea is very much like the best parts of orange zest, all fragrance and taste but no sweetness; same with TJ's pomegranate white tea, very tart and flavorful and easily sweetened almost like a drier grenadine

[@andrewhalmo656]

Since it’s the new year I would love an episode where you decide your favorite drink. First go over each season and say what your favorite drink is from them. Then choose from those to be the winner. Another way you can do it is choose from each category, like pop culture (my favorite type) or historical.

[@johnoneil9188]

As somebody who does not drink a lot of alcohol I often look out for alternatives that still could be fun to drink. A cocktail I really like is the Virgin Colada, it is a Pina Colada but without the rum, I think they just add more pineapple juice to make up for the volume.

[@katieblack6943]

I just wanted to thank you for this episode. I had to stop drinking a year ago for health reasons and stuff like this is great

[@cronoz-sensei4259]

San Pellegrino has to be my pick for soda honestly. Lovely flavour and not just sweet and sour like a lot of other sodas. Sadly they arent openly sold where I live, but theyre sold over the border in Austria, so whenever we go there I always get like a crate of their seltzer and some sodas. And if anyone from SP sales is reading this; PLEASE BRING THESE TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC, our market for seltzer alone is very open for competition!!!

[@NaliaDanger]

This is the video I've been waiting for! I stopped drinking in May 2015, but I love your channel. You've made so many delicious looking drinks - finally here are some that I can actually try!

[@PeppaTeaPig]

I love this, thank you so much. Those who aren't drinking, regardless of reason, deserve to drink something just as elegant and delicious!

[@Darkendrain]

Hi Greg! As a non-drinker myself who watches a lot of your stuff from a remove, it's nice to see some non-alcoholic cocktails I can make. Thank you Greg!

[@autumnavalanche1097]

love the energy of this episode, feels rlly chill :] happy new year everyone!

[@KevinC2793]

these are some great recipes. back when I was running a bar we kept a N/A cocktail menu around for people who didn't or couldn't drink and it was super popular. we hosted so many baby showers because of it. tho I found a lot of people would get really defensive if you called a drink with even .001% abv non-alcoholic. offered one to my alcoholic uncle and he freaked out about the tiny bit of bitters in it, saying that even little tiny bit of alcohol would make him relapse.🙄 also, my favorite mocktail recipe: 1oz Lime juice, 3 dashes cherry bitters, 3oz ginger ale, 3oz cola.

[@Zwangsworkaholic]

i absolutely love sanbitter, crodino and chinotto. Italians just make brilliant sodas with actual depth of flavor, not just sweetness.