John Lisbonn is the editor of AFSips, a practical guide to non-alcoholic drinks for adults. AFSips covers NA beer, alcohol-free wine, zero-proof cocktails, hosting, restaurant ordering, and drinking less without making it weird. Visit afsips.com.
The best alcohol-free drink may not taste exactly like beer, wine or whiskey. Instead of searching for a perfect imitation, choose drinks based on what you actually want them to do — refresh you after work, complement a meal, create a pre-dinner ritual or give you something satisfying to sip slowly.
AF Sips editor John Lisbonn breaks down why non-alcoholic beer, alcohol-free wine, and zero-proof cocktails have improved so much in recent years. From better brewing and more balanced NA wines to less sugary mocktails and grown-up packaging, the alcohol-free drink category is finally being made for adults who care about taste, ritual, and real-life drinking occasions without the booze.
Bringing non-alcoholic drinks to a party does not have to be awkward. The trick is to make NA options cold, visible, adult, and easy to serve, whether that means non-alcoholic beer, sparkling drinks, canned spritzes, or a solid ginger beer in the cooler.
