What's the Point of Having a Low or No Alcohol Drink?

Drinking less intoxicating drinks, or completely alcohol-free drinks, means being able to pay attention to the things that matter in a world where we’re constantly distracted otherwise.

For cocktail aficionados, the trend toward low-ABV cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks can seem puzzling. Spirits provide the backbone that cocktails are built around — what is a Sazerac without rye whiskey? A daiquiri without rum?

There was a time, in my twenties, when consuming three to four cocktails a night was the norm, not the exception. As a drinks writer living it up in New York City in the late-aughts, I was fortunate enough to witness the cocktail renaissance that swept the city. Mojitos were out and Manhattans were in. I was invited to spirits tastings, brand launches, bartending contests, distillery tours, you name it. That all changed for me in 2011, in the most wonderful ways possible — marriage and, subsequently, pregnancy.

Suddenly, I traded bubbly Champagne for bubbly water. Early in my pregnancy, I still wanted to experience the excitement that came with being out and about in New York, so long as I was feeling okay. I’ll never forget how I whispered to a friend the words “I’m pregnant” at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, a festival of all things spirited at the time, when I had to politely turn down her invitation for a drink. A month or so later, I somehow managed to attend a press tour of the Beefeater Gin distillery in London without taking one sip of the lovely stuff — fortunately, my hosts were extremely gracious when I revealed why I wasn’t imbibing. I also pulled off my annual cocktail party, the Holiday Spirits Bazaar, at 32 weeks pregnant. (I don’t recommend doing that, by the way.)

In those early days, I drank many overly sweet mocktails — often variations of muddled fruit, citrus, club soda, and perhaps an herb garnish. I appreciated the bartenders’ attempts to cater to my palate, but often I felt like I was drinking chunky lemonades. And then came the post-baby period. No one really tells you about all the changes that will happen to your body. For me, all of that time staying off alcohol meant that my tolerance had gone down — way down.

Now, I enjoy an occasional glass of wine or a neat pour of whiskey, and I can even handle one or two cocktails during the occasional night out — I usually gravitate toward a spritz. But, any more than that, or if I end up mixing — beer, followed by wine, followed by a cocktail — I’m going to have a terrible headache the next day. That can translate into a serious interruption to my professional and personal life. Call me an old lady, but it’s no longer worth the hassle for me.

So here I am, a former drinks blogger with a cocktail tasting events platform for over a decade now, and I hardly drink. I’m buoyed by the low-ABV movement that has emerged, thanks to a combination of factors — wellness trends, better ingredients, and a maturity of the beverage industry. Drinking less intoxicating drinks, or completely alcohol-free drinks, means being able to pay attention to the things that matter in a world where we’re constantly distracted otherwise.

For me, the LANA (Low Alcohol, No Alcohol) movement is not a mandate. I’m far from a teetotaler, and I’m not here to lecture. For those that are living a sober lifestyle, I don’t recommend exposing yourselves to low-ABV drinks or even mocktails that are reminiscent of the hard stuff. I would hate for this movement to derail anyone’s hard-won recovery.

But for those of us that are seeking moderation and balance in our consumption of alcohol, the low-ABV movement is a game-changer. Gone are the days of carrying around a plain club soda or a chunky lemonade at social events. Every day it seems a new beverage brand launches, showing us that there is, indeed, a better way.