If we want to discuss blessings in disguise from the pandemic, here’s one: the wide variety of non- and low-alcoholic beverages that are now available to us both in-store and at the bar. If you haven’t noticed, next time you’re out for drinks with friends, look for the “Non-Alcoholic” section of the cocktail menu and you’ll likely find a variety of NA beers or even some tempting mocktail options. While we’ve always enjoyed a refreshing glass of wine or cocktail in moderation, having non-alcoholic options that not only extend past O’Doul’s, but are sometimes better than the alcohol version, that’s what we can get behind.

Interested? Below we’ve listed out some of our favorite non-alcoholic beverages that we’re stocking up on this summer. Because at the end of the day, happy hour is about spending quality relaxation time with friends, while having a refreshing beverage (regardless of the ABV.)

Beer from Athletic Brewing Company

Image credit: athleticbrewing.com

Athletic Brewing were the ones who really spearheaded the non-alcoholic beer movement and in 2023, they’re still at the top of their game. They have excellent staples like their Run Wild IPA and the Upside Dawn Golden, and introduce seasonal options like the Chelada Nada and their Lemon Radler for those of us who like a twist of citrus in our summer beverages. Their beers taste just like beers with alcohol and contain half the calories. The perfect end-of-the-weekday wind down drink, if you ask us.

Cocktails from Seedlip

Image Credit: seedlipdrinks.com

Cocktails more your thing? Sure, there’s nothing quite like a boozy margarita, but when tequila isn’t an option, we turn to the next best thing: Seedlip Spirits. You can buy bottles of their concoctions: Grove 42 (think: margarita or a gin & tonic), Spice 94 (think: espresso martini or a moscow mule) or Garden 108 (think: a ginger highball or a bloody mary). Their website provides dozens of cocktail recipes for each of their spirits, and if you’re wanting to make it even easier, they have specific cocktail kits that give you everything you need to mix up your favorite drink.

Mixers from Ghia

Image credit: drinkghia.com

Instead of creating a non-alcoholic version of a spirit, the team over at Ghia has created a unique beverage that can stand on its own as a boozy sippable cocktail (all non-alcoholic) and as a mixer for the spirit of your choice. It’s a super interesting take on a non-alcoholic cocktail because it gives you the feeling of having an old fashioned or a manhattan… without the booze. Genius, if you ask us.