Alcohol-Free Cocktails Vs Mocktails — What’s the Difference?

Jessa Frances
3 min readSep 11, 2023
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

When I first entered into the alcohol-free beverage scene, I quickly learned that almost everyone in the space hated the term “Mocktail”. “We’re not ‘mocking’ anything!” They would say, exasperated.

By calling it a ‘mock’tail, they’re implying that what we’re drinking is fake or less than, and we don’t want to be excluded or separated just because we don’t want to get drunk! We don’t want something that not as good as what everyone else is getting just because it’s free from booze.

We’re adults that want a high-quality non-alcoholic drink that provides flavor and inclusion.

It was so beautiful to me. This idea of owning your relationship with alcohol, and basically, controlling yourself rather than letting our societies ideals control you!

So, what makes the difference?

More often than not, when you go into a bar, restaurant or other hospitality spot, if you don’t want alcohol you are going to be offered basic waters, teas, and lemondades. If you ask for a ‘mocktail’ you might get a shrug from the bartender saying, “Sure. What kind of flavors do you like?” and they will try and whip you up some different juices and soda water with a lime wedge for flare.

But what if you want something that’s truly elevated, something that isn’t just sugar and bubbles?

Photo by Stanislav Ivanitskiy on Unsplash

I want to be healthy. We all do. I want to be happy. I think we all want that, too, and the truth about alcohol is out. It’s not healthy and although we may feel happy at first— it’s not making us any happier long-term. It’s actually making things worse!

As I am writing this, I am sitting and sipping on an espresso martini — an alcohol-free espresso martini! Mixed with Rasāsvāda’s Black Ginger, espresso and simple syrup, it’s easy, delicious, elevated and the best part is that it’s incredibly healthy and beneficial to my wellbeing.

Beneficial How?

Made exclusively from plants, products like Rasāsvāda are giving us the chance to change the way we look at adult drinks. Healthier alternative spirits are making major sales and popping up in more and more stores and on the menus of places that care.

The best part about some of these products is that they can be deemed as ‘functional’ meaning that they use botanical ingredients meant to fight stress, fatigue, anxiety and more. So, not only are we cutting out alcohol (and the calories that come with), but we’re actually putting something into our bodies that helps us heal and thrive.

I’ll go ahead and call that a win!

Just as a chef crafts his meals, bartenders craft their cocktails, and with the right alternative spirits and mixers, they can make drinks that will pair well with your meals and elevate your experiences and never make you feel separate or disappointed by a mock-up bubble juice again.

Personally, these products have made mindful drinking and owning my relationship with alcohol so much easier. I went from drinking entirely too much, and feeling awful about myself to taking control of my habits and owning how I show up and feel in the world.

If you are ‘sober-curious’ and looking to start trying something new, reach out or visit your local NA bottle shop — they’re popping up everywhere!

Cheers,

Jessa

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Jessa Frances

Writer, Hiker, Gypsy, Mama. I’m a dance in the rain kind of optimist. I was born a wild child- and remain one.