Step inside many restaurants and bars these days and you will find what is quickly becoming more than just a fad. Gone are the days of making an unusual or awkward ask for a drink, minus the alcohol. There’s a deliberate and growing push in North Georgia to meet customers where they are when they go out for the night. That means offering a zero-proof option for those who abstain from alcohol, whether as designated drivers or a lifestyle choice.
The zero-proof process involves extracting the alcohol from drinks and providing a more distilled and filtered taste and is growing in popularity in everything from wine to liquor. Brands like Oddbird specialize in non-alcoholic wine while Ritual Zero Proof crafts alternatives for tequila, whiskey, rum, gin and even an aperitif. But even without these specialty products, the key to a good zero proof beverage is simple—fresh ingredients with complex flavors.
As more and more restaurants, and even wineries and breweries, expand their menus to offer spirit-free drinks, it’s a win for customers who want to enjoy a fancy drink without the liquor and a win for owners, who can use fresh and fun ingredients already on hand.
Setting a New Standard
One eatery that’s setting the bar high with its zero-proof beverage program is The Café at Scottsdale Farms. A staple in this Milton community, the 65-acre family-owned farm opened to serve the public in 2000. Today, Scottsdale attracts consumers for a variety of reasons, from a wide selection of plants, trees and shrubs in its garden center to well-appointed gifts and decor inside the barn, and even a fun-filled pumpkin patch in the fall. But it’s newest draw is the recently renovated Café.
When visualizing the Café and coffee bar, which reopened last spring, General Manager Joshua Read and Executive Chef Tyler Williams decided on a food concept that would provide an intimate dining experience. At the same time, their menu doesn’t include any alcohol—and it’s by design. The Café is part of the zero-proof trend that’s popping up across the region and nation. For example, the popular Grapefruit Mimosa has the look and taste of cocktail but uses non-alcoholic champagne. The key to a well-crafted alcohol-free beverage is fresh and unexpected elements, which is in line with The Café’s commitment to mindfully sourced ingredients from local farmers and artisans and a carefully curated menu.
“We don’t have a liquor license and I’m sober,” Williams said. “We are just seeing our Mocktail program as an opportunity to be creative and provide a lovely brunch experience and hopefully a lovely day.” The renovations to The Café connect the kitchen and the coffee bar in an effort to bring “increased energy.” Williams said. Pair a Botanical Spritz, which offers a seasonal riff on a spirit-free cocktail, with a Harvest Special like quiche made with the farm’s own eggs to see what he means.
Craft (Non) Cocktails
A similar approach is underway at the Foundation Social Eatery in Alpharetta, where the goal is to offer simple yet sophisticated meals for people who are dining in or getting takeout. Part of that includes the drinks they offer and being deliberate with their approach to embrace the zero-proof trend. The restaurant’s menu includes a “Spirit Free” section with offerings such as the Non-Gin Sour (Ritual Zero Proof Gin alternative, lemon, earl grey syrup, egg whites and bitters) and the Phony Negroni (St. Agrestis non-alcoholic negroni and orange).
Foundation Social Operating Partner Nick Hassiotis says non-alcoholic drinks are a growing category for a reason.
“Generally speaking, you can make some amazing spirit-free/non-alcoholic/zero-proof cocktails with ingredients that most bars would already have,” he said. “There is no denying that there is a portion of the population that doesn’t consume alcohol whether it’s for religion, health, sobriety, or any other reason. And those people still want to have a balanced drink that is exciting and nuanced and just happens to not have alcohol”
At NoFo Brew Co in Cumming, everything on the craft cocktail menu can be made into a mocktail.
“Ours just happen to have some special twists because most of our recipes are crafted in house,” said Marketing and Events Manager Bree Sanders. The use of housemade syrups makes each drink fun, even without the alcohol. “For example, our Happy Camper cocktail consists of vodka, [housemade] strawberry purée/simple syrup, lemon, and strawberry lemonade. For the mocktail version, we will simply replace the vodka with extra strawberry lemonade, or soda water,” Sanders said.
Similarly, Roo Mountain Vineyards in Ellijay offers a selection of spirit-free cocktails like mojitos and gin & tonics, along with non-alcoholic wine and beer. Roo Mountain’s gorgeous tasting room and rooftop garden bar is a popular spot for group gatherings like bachelorette parties, where different members of the group may be looking for different options when they come in.
As this mindset, taking root at more and more food and beverage destinations in North Georgia, means you can abstain from alcohol without abstaining from fun. We’ll cheers to that!
