Cheers to the Mocktail Movement!
By: Katie Frankhart
A 2021 consumer survey showed that 22% reported cutting back on consuming alcohol and drinking less. By the end of 2022, more than a third of U.S. adults of legal drinking age decided to go sober for an entire month as part of a popular challenge known as "Dry January.” Searches for “fancy non-alcoholic drinks” increased by 220% on Pinterest, and non-alcoholic beverage sales spiked by 33%.
In 2023, it’s still 5 o’clock somewhere, even for the sober-curious and non-drinkers.
Post-work happy hours. Wedding ceremony cocktail hours. The perfect wine pairing for an anniversary dinner. The celebratory clink of glasses and “cheers” to a promotion, an engagement, reunited family, and nostalgic friends. Data shows that more consumers are seeking these shared moments of joy and dining experiences without the hangover, health hazards, or breach of lifestyle and personal values.
As part of this “sober-curious” movement, more and more people choose not to consume alcohol for personal, medical, or religious reasons. Some younger adult customers can’t legally drink and are more aware of the potential negative consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. Designated drivers typically aren’t consuming alcohol while dining out. Some people simply don’t have a taste or desire. But they all still want the experience.
As a result, consumers are seeing restaurants and cocktail bars provide more of these offerings, by tapping into a sweet spot of opportunity for owners and operators who are eager to adopt the mocktail trend and keep up with the pace of the liquor sales that keep business booming.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association advocated for solutions and new legislation to lift Michigan’s Prohibition-era liquor restrictions, like legalizing to-go cocktails and delivery of mixed drinks, allowing patio dining with less strict permits, and establishing social districts for outdoor drinking.
While all of those options still exist and are important to the industry, In the post-pandemic era, the Association remains committed to helping members adapt to another emerging trend driving a shift in the industry’s alcohol landscape: the rise of the mocktail.
In 2023, it’s still 5 o’clock somewhere, even for the sober-curious and non-drinkers.
Post-work happy hours. Wedding ceremony cocktail hours. The perfect wine pairing for an anniversary dinner. The celebratory clink of glasses and “cheers” to a promotion, an engagement, reunited family, and nostalgic friends. Data shows that more consumers are seeking these shared moments of joy and dining experiences without the hangover, health hazards, or breach of lifestyle and personal values.
As part of this “sober-curious” movement, more and more people choose not to consume alcohol for personal, medical, or religious reasons. Some younger adult customers can’t legally drink and are more aware of the potential negative consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. Designated drivers typically aren’t consuming alcohol while dining out. Some people simply don’t have a taste or desire. But they all still want the experience.
As a result, consumers are seeing restaurants and cocktail bars provide more of these offerings, by tapping into a sweet spot of opportunity for owners and operators who are eager to adopt the mocktail trend and keep up with the pace of the liquor sales that keep business booming.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association advocated for solutions and new legislation to lift Michigan’s Prohibition-era liquor restrictions, like legalizing to-go cocktails and delivery of mixed drinks, allowing patio dining with less strict permits, and establishing social districts for outdoor drinking.
While all of those options still exist and are important to the industry, In the post-pandemic era, the Association remains committed to helping members adapt to another emerging trend driving a shift in the industry’s alcohol landscape: the rise of the mocktail.
Embracing the trend
Upscale Michigan restaurants and bars are already bandwagoning the mocktail trend, capitalizing on customers’ changing tastes and preferences. They’re offering a variety of creative mixtures featuring fruit juices, teas, and staple non-alcoholic bar mixers to provide a healthier alternative to traditional alcoholic drinks, free from the negative health effects.
“The shift towards mocktails can be seen as part of a broader trend towards healthier, more mindful living, and a desire for greater creativity and variety in food and drink choices,” says Nya Marshall, founder and owner of Detroit-based IVY Kitchen + Bar. Noticing the shift in their customer’s preferences, IVY’s talented bartenders welcomed the trend by coming up with new and sophisticated non-alcoholic concoctions to pair with their contemporary American cuisine.
“By offering mocktail alternatives, upscale restaurants can attract a wider range of customers and create a more diverse, inclusive customer base and still provide them with a memorable dining experience,” she says. “This can help increase customer loyalty and drive revenue growth over the long term.”
Frame, FRAMEbar, and the Frame BIG TOP are the brainchild of Cari and Joe Vaughn, drawing on their experiences of 25+ years working and producing hospitality shoots for commercial clients, national magazines, chefs, and art directors from around the country. Collectively, Frame has hosted hundreds of “experiences,” from multi-course dinners by a rotating cast of chefs and workshops to a mixologist-led course on coffee and cocktails.
FRAMEbar (formerly Joe Bar), the couple’s popular bar and eatery in Hazel Park, takes the Frame concept and allows talented chefs an opportunity to show off their menus for monthlong residencies in the front of the building. The chosen rising chef curates each month’s menu with a selection of wines and cocktails curated by Frame’s sommelier and mixologist to round it out.
Many nightly guests at FRAMEbar are choosing herbal elixirs as an alternative to booze, which has compelled the bar team to flex their creativity and create tasting notes and innovative drinks to pair with their rotating chef's menus.
“Our creative bar team takes zero-proof and bougie very seriously, making house-made zero-proof spirits for each nightly rotating bar program. It is the ultimate Frame way to create N/A drinks as creative and intense as our spirit-infused cocktail menu,” says Cari Vaughn, one half of the mind behind Frame’s concept.
Both Vaughn and Marshall say other restaurants and bars can embrace the mocktail trend by investing in a diverse mocktail menu and creating unique and interactive experiences to pair with it.
Upscale Michigan restaurants and bars are already bandwagoning the mocktail trend, capitalizing on customers’ changing tastes and preferences. They’re offering a variety of creative mixtures featuring fruit juices, teas, and staple non-alcoholic bar mixers to provide a healthier alternative to traditional alcoholic drinks, free from the negative health effects.
“The shift towards mocktails can be seen as part of a broader trend towards healthier, more mindful living, and a desire for greater creativity and variety in food and drink choices,” says Nya Marshall, founder and owner of Detroit-based IVY Kitchen + Bar. Noticing the shift in their customer’s preferences, IVY’s talented bartenders welcomed the trend by coming up with new and sophisticated non-alcoholic concoctions to pair with their contemporary American cuisine.
“By offering mocktail alternatives, upscale restaurants can attract a wider range of customers and create a more diverse, inclusive customer base and still provide them with a memorable dining experience,” she says. “This can help increase customer loyalty and drive revenue growth over the long term.”
Frame, FRAMEbar, and the Frame BIG TOP are the brainchild of Cari and Joe Vaughn, drawing on their experiences of 25+ years working and producing hospitality shoots for commercial clients, national magazines, chefs, and art directors from around the country. Collectively, Frame has hosted hundreds of “experiences,” from multi-course dinners by a rotating cast of chefs and workshops to a mixologist-led course on coffee and cocktails.
FRAMEbar (formerly Joe Bar), the couple’s popular bar and eatery in Hazel Park, takes the Frame concept and allows talented chefs an opportunity to show off their menus for monthlong residencies in the front of the building. The chosen rising chef curates each month’s menu with a selection of wines and cocktails curated by Frame’s sommelier and mixologist to round it out.
Many nightly guests at FRAMEbar are choosing herbal elixirs as an alternative to booze, which has compelled the bar team to flex their creativity and create tasting notes and innovative drinks to pair with their rotating chef's menus.
“Our creative bar team takes zero-proof and bougie very seriously, making house-made zero-proof spirits for each nightly rotating bar program. It is the ultimate Frame way to create N/A drinks as creative and intense as our spirit-infused cocktail menu,” says Cari Vaughn, one half of the mind behind Frame’s concept.
Both Vaughn and Marshall say other restaurants and bars can embrace the mocktail trend by investing in a diverse mocktail menu and creating unique and interactive experiences to pair with it.
The cocktail for the perfect mocktail
Adopting the trend means investing time and effort in creating a diverse and appealing mocktail menu — one that caters to customers' tastes and preferences. The menu should use fresh ingredients, experiment with different flavor combinations, and incorporate unique twists into classic recipes.
“As mixologists, we are constantly experimenting with new flavors and ingredients, leading to a wide range of interesting and delicious mocktails,” Marshall says. “This helps make mocktails more appealing to those who may have previously seen them as a bland or boring alternative to traditional drinks.”
She adds that a mocktail should have a complex and interesting flavor profile that makes them enjoyable to drink, just like an alcoholic beverage. It’s an art she says is achieved through careful recipe development and experimentation.
“A good mocktail should have a complex and interesting flavor profile, an enjoyable texture, an appealing presentation, and a well-balanced combination of ingredients that complements and enhances each other.”
Adopting the trend means investing time and effort in creating a diverse and appealing mocktail menu — one that caters to customers' tastes and preferences. The menu should use fresh ingredients, experiment with different flavor combinations, and incorporate unique twists into classic recipes.
“As mixologists, we are constantly experimenting with new flavors and ingredients, leading to a wide range of interesting and delicious mocktails,” Marshall says. “This helps make mocktails more appealing to those who may have previously seen them as a bland or boring alternative to traditional drinks.”
She adds that a mocktail should have a complex and interesting flavor profile that makes them enjoyable to drink, just like an alcoholic beverage. It’s an art she says is achieved through careful recipe development and experimentation.
“A good mocktail should have a complex and interesting flavor profile, an enjoyable texture, an appealing presentation, and a well-balanced combination of ingredients that complements and enhances each other.”
She points to the three elements of the perfect mocktail that delivers the same experience as an alcoholic beverage:
Taste
Most mocktails begin with a base of club soda, tonic water, ginger ale, sparkling juice, or ginger beer in lieu of spirits. Marshall says bartenders can perfect the taste by using fresh, high-quality ingredients such as fresh herbs, fruits, spices, and unique touches like house-made syrups or bitters. “Balance the sweetness and acidity of the drink using multiple ingredients and layering the flavors.”
Texture
“Elements like bubbles from a sparkling base or a frothy head from egg whites can mimic the mouthfeel of an alcoholic drink,” Marshall says. Muddled fruit or citrus zest can add a refreshing texture to an elevated mocktail.
Presentation
Serving mocktails in creative glassware — from tumblers and mason jars to chilled glass goblets — with fun garnishes can make the mocktail visually appealing and add to the overall experience. Shake, stir, and mix them the way you would an alcoholic beverage. Decorate with a smoky top, salt or sugar rims, floral elements, or funky straws.
“Mocktails that match the complexity of the classic cocktails keeping the non-alcoholic offerings just as labor-intensive and priced accordingly,” Vaugh adds. FRAMEbar’s mocktails range from $13 and up.
Taste
Most mocktails begin with a base of club soda, tonic water, ginger ale, sparkling juice, or ginger beer in lieu of spirits. Marshall says bartenders can perfect the taste by using fresh, high-quality ingredients such as fresh herbs, fruits, spices, and unique touches like house-made syrups or bitters. “Balance the sweetness and acidity of the drink using multiple ingredients and layering the flavors.”
Texture
“Elements like bubbles from a sparkling base or a frothy head from egg whites can mimic the mouthfeel of an alcoholic drink,” Marshall says. Muddled fruit or citrus zest can add a refreshing texture to an elevated mocktail.
Presentation
Serving mocktails in creative glassware — from tumblers and mason jars to chilled glass goblets — with fun garnishes can make the mocktail visually appealing and add to the overall experience. Shake, stir, and mix them the way you would an alcoholic beverage. Decorate with a smoky top, salt or sugar rims, floral elements, or funky straws.
“Mocktails that match the complexity of the classic cocktails keeping the non-alcoholic offerings just as labor-intensive and priced accordingly,” Vaugh adds. FRAMEbar’s mocktails range from $13 and up.
Serving up the experience
A complex, diverse mocktail menu is only part of embracing the non-alcoholic trend. Restaurants and bars looking to make up for dips in alcohol sales must create unique and interactive experiences that put the N/A drinks in customers' hands.
Promoting the menu on social media platforms can be a powerful tool for driving traffic to the restaurant or bar and encouraging customers to try the non-alcoholic options. Marshall suggests creating visually appealing posts, partnering with influencers or food bloggers, and offering exclusive promotions or discounts to customers who order mocktails.
Emphasizing the health benefits of mocktails can be a selling point for customers. Showcase the mocktails on menus, social media, or in-house signage and highlight that they are typically healthier, free of hangover symptoms, and made with fresh ingredients.
A complex, diverse mocktail menu is only part of embracing the non-alcoholic trend. Restaurants and bars looking to make up for dips in alcohol sales must create unique and interactive experiences that put the N/A drinks in customers' hands.
Promoting the menu on social media platforms can be a powerful tool for driving traffic to the restaurant or bar and encouraging customers to try the non-alcoholic options. Marshall suggests creating visually appealing posts, partnering with influencers or food bloggers, and offering exclusive promotions or discounts to customers who order mocktails.
Emphasizing the health benefits of mocktails can be a selling point for customers. Showcase the mocktails on menus, social media, or in-house signage and highlight that they are typically healthier, free of hangover symptoms, and made with fresh ingredients.
Hosting events and classes like mixology classes or tastings that showcase the mocktail menu “can create excitement and encourage customers to try new drinks,” Marshall says. Vaughn adds that a constant change in FRAMEbar’s programming and menus means guests get a new drink experience with a unique concept every night. These types of experiences are designed to engage both new and loyal customers.
FRAMEbar is hosting the upcoming two-hour Ready-To-Drink Cocktail-Making Workshop with Jake Miller of Detroit’s Time Will Tell. Miller will lead participants through bottled cocktails recipes that can be modified to be non-alcoholic and enjoyed all summer.
FRAMEbar is hosting the upcoming two-hour Ready-To-Drink Cocktail-Making Workshop with Jake Miller of Detroit’s Time Will Tell. Miller will lead participants through bottled cocktails recipes that can be modified to be non-alcoholic and enjoyed all summer.
Collaborating with non-alcoholic beverage brands and guest bartenders can expand the mocktail menu and provide unique flavor profiles. “These partnerships can also provide opportunities for cross-promotion and increased visibility,” Marshall says.
Offering food pairings with the mocktail menu can enhance the dining experience and make the mocktails more appealing. “Servers and bartenders should be trained to effectively communicate the mocktail menu and ingredients and suggest food pairings that complement the flavors,” Marshall says. “By educating staff on the unique features of each mocktail and teaching them how to recommend the right one, restaurants and bars can increase mocktail sales."
The mocktail movement only promises to gain traction; the number of consumers who report taking part in Dry January increased a sharp 21% from 2019-2022 alone, and nearly three-quarters said they would continue drinking alcohol-free beer, spirits, and mocktails heading into 2023.
Adopting the trend is no longer an option for owners and operators — it’s a prerequisite for welcoming a new age of the industry and its consumers.
Offering food pairings with the mocktail menu can enhance the dining experience and make the mocktails more appealing. “Servers and bartenders should be trained to effectively communicate the mocktail menu and ingredients and suggest food pairings that complement the flavors,” Marshall says. “By educating staff on the unique features of each mocktail and teaching them how to recommend the right one, restaurants and bars can increase mocktail sales."
The mocktail movement only promises to gain traction; the number of consumers who report taking part in Dry January increased a sharp 21% from 2019-2022 alone, and nearly three-quarters said they would continue drinking alcohol-free beer, spirits, and mocktails heading into 2023.
Adopting the trend is no longer an option for owners and operators — it’s a prerequisite for welcoming a new age of the industry and its consumers.
