Sweet & Social: Go Spirit-Free

It’s not easy to design a drink menu that resonates with an entire generation, from kids to young adults. But spirit-free cocktails and nonalcoholic beverages demonstrate success in reaching a wide audience, from older Gen Z consumers choosing to either cut back or abstain (participating in campaigns like Dry or Damp January) to teenagers who haven’t reached the legal drinking age yet crave unique, premium beverage options. According to Datassential,
48 percent of Gen Z consumers say they love or like zero-proof drinks.

Chicago’s boho-chic Beatnik commits fully to the spirit-free preferences of Gen Z consumers, menuing nearly as many nonalcoholic options as spirited cocktails, in addition to a full zero-proof wine list. These drinks are as colorful and thoughtfully crafted as their traditional counterparts, featuring unique glassware and intricate garnishes, and exhibiting a range of flavor profiles. For example, there’s the frozen Pride Before the Fall, featuring a flavor combination of banana, Earl Grey and five-spice orgeat; the hot Moroccan Mulled Wine mixing nonalcoholic red wine and ras el hanout; the No-Quito served in a Thai young coconut; the Pretty in Pink (filling the requisite pink drink category), boasting a charred grapefruit and smoldering rosemary garnish; and Green Means Go, a more savory, vegetal option that mixes avocado, cucumber, lime, yuzu kosho, cilantro, matcha and oat “milk.”

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