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Club sodas will only take you so far if you want an alcohol-free home bar. If you're planning on entertaining at all, don't miss out on provisions for your non-drinker friends. Flavoured tonic waters, fresh juices, herbal fizzy drinks, and sparkling teas are always useful, be it in a regular bar or a non-boozy one. But there are a few useful options that can help you out when you have a party to plan on short notice.
Alcohol-free wines, gins and rums are key but it can be a challenge sourcing them within a few days. Some non-alcoholic beverages mimic traditional spirits or cocktails and not all 0.0% ABV drinks have to be basic. Non-boozy drinks can be elevated and complex too, if you have the right ingredients at hand.
Fresh juices, syrups and limes, are essential and some barware is important if you are serving drinks. Shakers, curved rocks glasses, strainers, muddlers and a basic ice station will help you mix better drinks. Flavoured floats, herbal waters and sugar-free mixers are always welcome. And if you want to kick things up a notch, here are some options you should consider for your zero-proof home bar.
Botanical fizzy drinks
While stocking up on non-alcoholic beverages, pay some mint to sugar and calories. Chances are your guests will opt for calorie-conscious options if they're not big on booze. Botanical soft drinks that are infused with lemongrass, hibiscus, ginger, herbs and fresh-pressed florals are high in flavours and usually tend to have balanced sugar content. A rose lemonade or botanical elderflower drink will most likely be devoid of artificial sweeteners and will contain minimal sugar.
Ginger beer
Although traditional ginger beer used to be a fermented mixture of ginger, water, sugar, cream of tartar, and yeast, modern ginger beer is carbonated and not fermented. Ginger beer typically has a stronger, more discerning mouthfeel than ginger ale and it's also more useful as a mixer. There are several homegrown Indian brands that sell bottled or canned ginger; citrus-forward craft ginger ales are also good options.
Alcohol-free beers can also be a good way to go. They are usually made with a technique called cool vacuum distillation which removes the alcohol post-fermentation, so it retains its original taste but with 0.0% ABV.
Sparkling teas
Tea-based fizzy coolers are party must-haves, no matter what the season. They're made with carbonated water and are packed with flavoured teas, so they can easily replace the Long Island Iced teas. You can also find loose leaf iced teas in flavours like matcha or blue pea that work well for infusions.
Alcohol-free cider
Fall is the best time to explore some ciders for your home bar. A classic fresh-pressed cider infused with fresh fruit juice can be the perfect non-boozy drink for after-dark parties. Non-alcoholic ciders are less sweet so they can be used for spiced drinks. Besides apple, pear and berry ciders are also popular alcoholic ciders.
Non-alcoholic bitters
Stocking up on bitters is always a good idea if you're curating a non-alcoholic bar. They can liven up a basic tonic drink and are often made artisanally. Bitters are a good way to add flavour to mocktails, infused drinks or teas. For winters, aromatic bitters and craft bitters with herbs and spices are ideal.
Garnishes
Non-boozy drinks can use fancy garnishes as well. A simple flavoured float or tonic water can be easily dressed up with interesting ingredients. Dried lemons, limes, oranges, edible flowers, dried fruits can work wonders if you want to create some cool mocktails. Don't forget bar staples like salt, sugar etc that can balance fruit juices.
