Over the past several years there’s been a noticeable shift in the general public’s drinking habits: Consumers, particularly younger legal-drinking-age ones, are drinking less alcohol. “Spirit-free and lower alcohol content cocktails are gaining popularity at an astounding speed,” notes Sarah Kornegay, bar supervisor at The Katharine Brasserie & Bar in the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “I believe this is due in large part to the ‘sober curious’ movement, a lifestyle choice popular among Gen Z that gained momentum via social media and encourages participants to consume alcohol in a more mindful way. This takes many forms, including limiting the days on which one drinks to choosing cocktails that contain smaller amounts of alcohol.”
Indeed, what was once perhaps a more niche trend in the past has become a full-blown movement. “Drinking less used to be something the bar industry really only noticed for ‘Dry January’ or ‘Sober October’ but it’s now a lifestyle choice that all bars and bartenders actively work to accommodate to foster an inclusive environment,” says Haley Traub, general manager and beverage director at New York City cocktail bars Attaboy and Good Guys. Ria Kim, maître d’ and beverage director at Smoke Door in Lake Tahoe, California, also points to the Dry January and Sober October campaigns as paving the way for current mindful drinking trends. “While cutting out alcohol entirely is a choice for some, others might be encouraged by these prompts to drink a bit less, which has contributed to the rise of lower-alcohol cocktails,” she says.
Although Gen Z consumers are certainly leading the charge when it comes to lighter drinking habits, consumers of all ages and demographics seem to be generally more health-conscious these days, especially since 2020, notes Kevin Maxey, executive chef and owner of Pendolino in Sandy Springs, Georgia, just north of Atlanta. “I think it’s related to people wanting to get away from bad habits they developed during the early Covid-19 days,” he explains. “People got used to having that little break in the afternoon of something fruity and refreshing to sip on but are now realizing they don’t need a high-abv cocktail to fulfill this ritual or craving.”
No matter the reason behind the shift, it’s clear that low-abv cocktails have staying power. “There’s really no end in sight to it,” Maxey says. “It’s likely to stick around for quite a while and there will be a newer generation of people who have been exposed to healthier drinking habits and low-abv cocktails from a younger age.”
Supply Meeting Demand
Kornegay points out that Highball cocktails, where enough non-alcoholic mixer is added to the spirit base to bring the alcohol content of the drink down, have long been a popular choice for a lighter drink. “Over time, though, Spritz-style cocktails grew in popularity, and they remain, in my experience, the most popular low-abv option today,” she says.
A blend of Aperol aperitif, sparkling water, and Prosecco, the Aperol Spritz has taken the U.S. bar industry by storm in recent years, and now twists on the drink—such as the Hugo Spritz, where Aperol is replaced with St-Germain elderflower liqueur—are growing more common. At Tana in New Orleans, lead bartender Dean Barbee’s HuGo Girl ($12) features equal parts St-Germaine and Belle de Brillet pear liqueur, plus club soda and Eufloria Prosecco. “Spritz cocktails are a delicious and refreshing way to enjoy a well-balanced, low-abv beverage,” notes Tana beverage director Amber Garcia. “In recent years, people are sipping more to enjoy the flavors of a cocktail rather than to feel the effects of the alcohol. From restaurant menus to trendy cocktail bars, low-abv cocktails are not just an alternative; they have become a mainstay.”
At Pendolino, Maxey notes that plays on a simple Spritz build are very popular with guests seeking low-abv options. “Just by adding a bit of sparkling water and sparkling wine you’re down to around 7% abv, versus a Negroni that’s almost at 45%,” he says. “With Spritzes and other low-abv cocktails the alcohol components are used more as enhancements rather than the base.” His Mamma Mia ($14) blends Hanson of Sonoma Organic Meyer Lemon vodka, Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit soda, and Poggio Costa Brut Prosecco, while his Roman Holiday ($15) mixes Bordiga gin, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto bergamot liqueur, lime juice, house-made mint and lime cordial, Fever-Tree club soda, and Poggio Costa Brut Prosecco. Maxey adds that as more people jump on the mindful drinking bandwagon, bartenders have gotten more creative with their offerings. “Bartenders are now spending more time and energy making extractions and infusions, because they now have a bigger audience for these low-abv cocktails that allows for it,” he says.
There’s also many more interesting low- and no-abv products available today helping bartenders keep the category interesting, notes Traub of Attaboy and Good Guys. “As brands and distillers focus more on lower-abv ingredients, the landscape of low-abv cocktails has become much broader and more exciting,” she says. “Additionally, bartenders continue to get creative and innovative with how they’re using no- and low-abv ingredients to craft low-abv cocktails that are just as delicious and exciting as the high-octane ones.”
Indeed, like any cocktail movement or trend, the longer it sticks around the more bartenders experiment to keep up with consumer interest. “Up until a couple of years ago, consumer demand wasn’t very high for lower alcohol or non-alcoholic cocktails, but we’ve seen such an increase recently and this has created an opportunity for us to play with a wide variety of ingredients and experiment with balancing out spirits with a higher ratio of other ingredients,” Smoke Door’s Kim says. “The low-abv selections at bars have become much more creative and sophisticated due to the demand.” Her Shiso Daiquiri ($15) comprises Kubota Junmai Daiginjo sake, pineapple juice, house-made shiso syrup, and fresh shiso leaves, topped with soda water and house-made pineapple whip.
Similarly taking a classic recipe and replacing the traditional spirit base with something lighter, the Rosé Paloma ($14) at Coral Club in Nashville, Tennessee features From The Tank rosé, lime juice, Jarritos grapefruit soda, and a pinch of salt. The drink was created by Brice Hoffman, Coral Club’s co-owner and director of hospitality, and Matthew Izaguirre, co-owner and bar manager. “Traditionally, low-abv drinks like Spritzes and Sherry-based cocktails were enjoyed as aperitifs, but lately there’s been a surge in people ordering crushable drinks and it’s been on us as bar owners to be able to create drinks that rival any spirit-forward cocktail,” Hoffman says. “You can’t just serve soda water with a splash of cranberry and a lime wedge. It’s important to have well-thought-out low- and no-abv drinks now. This evolution includes using wine, fortified wines, liqueurs, and an ever-growing supply of non-alcoholic spirits to create flavorful drinks without high alcohol levels.”
Tricks Of The Trade
Hoffman adds that vermouth, Sherry, amaro, and aperitifs are particularly popular in low-abv drinks today. “Bartenders gravitate toward vermouths like Carpano Antica, Sherries like Lustau, and things like Aperol and Campari—Spritzes, Highballs, and other cocktails with these ingredients offer a great balance of sweetness, bitterness, and acidity,” he says. His Campari Daisy ($14) mixes equal parts Campari and Cocchi Americano aperitifs, pineapple and lime juices, and cane syrup.
Like with any cocktail, balance is the most important thing when making low-abv drinks. “If you’re using a liqueur as the base spirit rather than a traditional high-proof spirit, it’s important to remember that the liqueur is most likely going to bring a lot of flavor to the drink and this should factor heavily into what ingredients you consider mixing with it,” The Katharine’s Kornegay advises. “For instance, if you’re using a sweet liqueur or Sherry, the quantity of sweetening agent will need to be decreased compared to how much would be used in a spirit-based cocktail. Also, liqueurs and Sherries tend to sit heavier on the palate. When mixing them in a cocktail, you should consider how you want to handle this—either by leaning into it and making the cocktail rich and decadent by using something like egg white, or by counteracting it by using a lightening agent like effervescence.” Her Sombre ($16) opts for the latter: It features Monegengro amaro, González Byass Pedro Ximénez Sherry, cranberry juice, muddled rosemary, Angostura bitters, and soda water.
“Wine and wine-based products are huge for low-abv drinks and can pack a lot of flavor,” notes Traub of Attaboy and Good Guys. “As Good Guys is a wine and aperitivo bar, we have lots of room to play around with lower-abv amari to create complex flavor profiles without too much buzz.” Her Perry Street ($21) blends Clear Creek Cranberry liqueur, St. Agrestis Paradiso aperitivo, La Battagliola Lambrusco, fresh orange juice, and Fee Brothers Lime bitters. At Tana, Garcia’s Evenings in Bordighera ($14) also features wine and wine-based products, mixing equal parts Cardamaro amaro and Montelobos mezcal, plus fresh lemon juice and Dolce Fiore
Lambrusco. “Amaro is a great low-abv spirit to use in cocktails—with its complex, bitter flavor profile, it adds depth and balance,” Garcia says.
At Mister Paradise in New York City, the Soft Arms ($17) features several spirits, most of which are low-abv, and in small enough quantities to keep the drink’s overall abv on the lower side. It comprises a ¾ounce each of Hermann J. Wiemer Riesling and Dolin Blanc vermouth, a ½ ounce each of Lustau Fino Sherry and Svöl Swedish-Style aquavit, plus simple syrup, fresh cucumber, and Yamasan yuzu juice vinegar, topped with a few drops of dill-infused olive oil. The drink was created by Darwin Pornel, director of operations for Paradise Projects, the hospitality group behind Mister Paradise, who adds that although naturally low-abv spirits are common in low-abv drinks, one shouldn’t feel limited by that.
“I think there’s a misconception that all low-abv drinks need to feature an aperitivo or fortified or aromatized wines as the base, but I think there’s a really good opportunity to get creative,” he says. “I’m seeing a lot of cool Highball variations, or drinks that are being adjusted and made to fit in the Highball category.” At Mister Paradise, co-owner Will Wyatt’s Dirk Diggler ($18) is a force-carbonated Highball of vanilla-infused Grey Goose vodka and house-made passion fruit and Champagne soda.
Similarly a unique Highball, Kim’s Purple Rain ($18) at Smoke Door is a take on the Gin Fizz that mixes lavender-infused 135º East Hyogo Dry gin, house-made blueberry syrup, lemon juice, egg white, and soda water, topped with house-made strawberry shiso powder. “Using natural ingredients to make shrubs, juice, and other mixers is key for us because in many low-abv cocktails those are the stars, so to speak,” Kim says. “Since these drinks are less boozy it’s really important to use the freshest ingredients at their peak to make the drinks really compelling and ultimately—delicious.”
Like Pornel, Kornegay agrees that traditional spirits don’t need to be completely excluded from low-abv cocktails. “If the intention is to make a drink that sits lower on the abv scale but you’d still like to use a higher proof spirit, just consider using a smaller quantity than you normally would,” Kornegay says. For example, her Golden Hour ($18) is a lighter take on the Whiskey Sour thanks to her use of just 1 ounce of Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon along with honey syrup, lemon juice, egg white, and a pinch of salt. And at Smoke Door, Kim keeps the abv low in her Kumbu Sake Margarita ($15) by using just an ounce each of Cazadores Blanco Tequila and seaweed-infused Denshin Yuki Junmai Ginjo sake, plus a touch of Grand Marnier orange liqueur and lime juice.
“I believe that craft cocktail bars will be more intentional about adding low-abv cocktails to their menus and highlighting them just the same as they do more traditional cocktails,” Kornegay adds. “I also anticipate that more cocktail bars will list the abv of cocktails on their menus in order to help guests make informed decisions.” Traub also sees low-abv cocktails growing more prevalent, adding that more spirit producers could get on board too. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw mainstream spirits brands get into producing lower-abv options to keep up with the shift in consumers,” she says. “It’s becoming a year-round focus, not just a New Year’s resolution, and it’s important that everyone in the bar industry focuses on inclusivity for the whole range of guests.”
