For many a drinker, the new year brings with it an opportunity to embrace a healthier lifestyle and dial down the carnage of the previous holiday season.
It’s true: by week 3 or 4 of self-enforced sobriety (I’m reliably informed in Australia this is called ‘dry January’) you may be feeling the itch to fix yourself an Americano, or reach for the nearest glass of rosé.
But to borrow the words of the late great Teddy Roosevelt, all credit goes to the individual “who strives valiantly” to take some time off hard liquor — whether that’s in service of health, self-improvement, or plain old curiosity. More power to you.
All that said, abstaining from alcohol needn’t be a serious, socially trying affair. Below, the BH staffers have pulled together to give you our shortlist of the best zero-alcohol drinks worth enjoying this summer. Beers notwithstanding — we have a whole separate list for that.
RELATED: The 15 Tastiest Non-Alcoholic Beers Worth Trying In 2024
The Best Zero Alcohol Seltzers, Wines, & Pre-Mixes In 2024
Lyre’s Premix G&T
SPECS
- Classic, refreshing juniper flavour
- Sold as a case of 24
- Can size, 250ml
One of four core flavours in Lyre’s best-selling RTD range, these boozy free gin & tonics emulate the classic, London-Dry-backed mixer.
We find that they’re best enjoyed in an oversized tumbler: filled with plenty of ice, and garnished with a round of grapefruit.
The absence of anything ethanolic means you can taste more of the juniper and orange citruses that gin distilleries typically write into their tasting notes. Meanwhile, Lyre’s choice of tonic is typified by large, satiny air bubbles — helping to achieve a dry and refreshing finish.
NOOT Negroni Spritz
SPECS
- A balance of bitter and sweet flavours
- Loaded with proprietary herbal extracts
- Sold as a case of 24
- Can size, 250ml
Not quite an Aperol spritz nor a Negroni, Noot’s pre-canned cocktail still manages to harness the best of both worlds (minus the hangover).
Zesty orange and floral notes resound across the palate; tapering to a mildly bittersweet finish. Despite that flavour, body-conscious teetotalers will be thrilled to know this Negroni Spritz is made with zero sugar — boasting a low-calorie count to go with your zero alcohol enjoyment.
The addition of ‘Nootropics’ (a blend of proprietary “cognitive enhancers”) means that you’ll even get that little buzz we associate with one’s first two or three hard libations. You know: without all the blacking out and loss of motor function.
TINA x Icebergs
SPECS
- Gingko, lotus flower, and pink guava
- Low-sugar
- Sold as a case of 24, 4-pack, or by can
- Can size, 330ml
If you thought collab culture was constrained to the world of restaurants, think again.
TINA — the Melbourne-based seltzer outfit, established in 2021 — has teamed up with Icebergs, the most iconic of Bondi dining destinations, for an alcohol-free refresher — packed with more premium ingredients than your average bar-bought drinks.
A “love letter to the ocean”, this salted soda-style recipe is made using ginkgo, saltbush, lotus flowers, and pink guava. Low in sugar and calories, it’s the epitome of a summer hero: made for easy drinking; morning, night, and noon.
Polka De-Alc Sparkling Rosé
SPECS
- Made with native Davidson Plum
- Sparkling
- Sold as a pack of up to 12, or individually
- Bottle size, 750ml
Considering just how social the Aussie drinking experience tends to be — particularly at the height of summer — ours wouldn’t be a compelling list of the best zero-alcohol drinks in 2024, without the addition of a decent sparkling wine.
Polka has been making some great additions to this category over the past three years; probably because all of the brand’s wines are de-alcoholised versions of the real thing.
The sparkling rosé, similar in shade to a non-vintage Brut, is our pick of the bunch. Made using de-alc South Australian wine (that’s then flavoured with native Davidson plum) it’s tart, mildly astringent, and brimming with crunchy red fruit flavours.
Serve chilled in a coup glass, or alternatively, use it as a base for your favourite spritzer.
Ghiddy Vermentino
SPECS
- Ode to the Sardinian variety of Vermentino
- Made in Marrickville, Sydney
- Sold individually
- Bottle size, 750ml
A riff on the kind of natty, personality-first wines that NotWasted has long specialized in, Ghiddy’s Vermentino is a fitting tribute to the eponymous Mediterranean grape variety — in every way except ABV.
Crafted right in the heart of Sydney’s inner west, this non-naughty juice emulates the briny freshness so characteristic of Sardinian Vermentino by using a range of fresh seasonal produce.
Pineapple, honeydew melon, verjus, and a splash of agave yield a base of flavour; and Ghiddy go above and beyond by adding a range of “functional” aromatics like lemon balm and chamomile.
At last: a glass of wine that truly does calm, as opposed to anaesthetising, your nerves.
Crodino Biondo
SPECS
- Traditional non-alcoholic aperitivo
- Released in Italy in 1965
- Sold as a 4-pack or case of 24
- Bottle size, 175ml
If you’re partial, on a sweltering afternoon, to a chinotto or aranciata rossa it should be an easy hop into the realm of the booze-free Crodino Biondo.
First released in 1965, it bears the distinction of being the most well-known “non-alcoholic Italian aperitivo” abroad. Translation: you should enjoy it like an Americano or fusettone, in oversized stemware with garnishes of your choice.
Made with a proprietary infusion of spices, herbs, and aromatic woods; Crodino offers up lively orange notes complex enough to charm the palates of refined adult drinkers.
Four Pillars Bloody Bandwagon
SPECS
- Based on Four Pillars’ Bloody Shiraz
- Alcohol-free Syrah wine base
- Sold individually
- Bottle size, 700ml
Four Pillars’ latest sensible spirit is perfect for those moments when you can’t decide between a zero-alcohol glass of wine or a cocktail.
Crafted using the same Yarra Valley grapes (unfermented, of course) with which the brand crafts its award-winning Bloody Shiraz gin, ‘Bandwagon’ is then flavoured with a certifiable buffet of distinctive Aussie botanicals.
Lavender, lemon myrtle, juniper, and pepper berries help to paint an intensely flavourful portrait: the kind one can see working in the context of home mixology. We like serving our Bandwagon vaguely Margarita-style: shaken over ice with plenty of lime juice, then fine-strained into a coupe.
Are you keen on something stronger than a non-alcoholic beverage? Here are a handful of Buyer’s Guides and similarly spirited stories to whet your appetite…
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