hillvalley Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Why don't mixologists pay attention to those who would enjoy a crafted beverage without the booze? Not every can or wants to spend the night drinking. When out for a swanky night on the town I'd like to be able to order something classy that won't add to the pickling of my liver. Dino and Palena get credit for making their own sodas but one of them had grapefruit soda as a choice which doesn't mix well with many medications. I've tried ordering at The Passenger but got the same drink each time. I know I'm not the only one around here who either doesn't drink or is a lightweight and would enjoy a good cocktail sans alcohol. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Why don't mixologists pay attention to those who would enjoy a crafted beverage without the booze? Not every can or wants to spend the night drinking. When out for a swanky night on the town I'd like to be able to order something classy that won't add to the pickling of my liver. Dino and Palena get credit for making their own sodas but one of them had grapefruit soda as a choice which doesn't mix well with many medications. I've tried ordering at The Passenger but got the same drink each time. I know I'm not the only one around here who either doesn't drink or is a lightweight and would enjoy a good cocktail sans alcohol. I'm not a huge cocktail drinker and feel like there are several restaurants that do interesting non-alcoholic 'tails. At least I've seen some in recent months with R24 just one example at the higher end. Of course, the reality is that booze is is the big margin opportunity for any restaurant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 Then what are the other restaurants besides R24? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 I'm not a huge cocktail drinker and feel like there are several restaurants that do interesting non-alcoholic 'tails. At least I've seen some in recent months with R24 just one example at the higher end. Of course, the reality is that booze is is the big margin opportunity for any restaurant.Might be a big margin, but they get zero if someone orders nothing. Seems to me that profit on a non-alcoholic drink would be pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheezepowder Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Fritz Hahn/Washington Post had an article about restaurants that are making their own sodas that could serve as nonalcoholic options or cocktails. Bourbon Steak also has nonalcoholic cocktails on its cocktail menu. You can see their web menu here. Nonalcoholic cocktails are under the title: 0° COCKTAILS. The menu they give you at the Bourbon Steak bar doesn't list prices for their cocktails (which I find annoying). My advice is to ask the price before ordering. I think the nonalcoholic cocktail I had was around $6, but the alcoholic cocktails can be very pricey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Might be a big margin, but they get zero if someone orders nothing. Seems to me that profit on a non-alcoholic drink would be pretty good. Such a simple but great point. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I've been wanting to compile a list of places with good non-alcoholic beverages for years now, but haven't because there aren't enough of them. In the 4 years since I've had to give up hard liquor, here's what I've found: Adam Bernbach and Todd Thrasher can make a great grown-up booze-free drink. Many other bartenders will give it a good honest go, but end up with something fruity and sweet - and like hillvalley said, a lot of them don't realize how many people can't have grapefruit. Note that I mentioned two people but not the places where they work. In the dozen or so times I've asked waiters for a house-made tonic without the gin at Estadio, the reaction's been a furrowed brow and "uh, I'm not sure we can do that" or "I think we can do that, let me check". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedE Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 The brewer for the upcoming Right Proper brewpub has a side venture called WildCraft Sodas. I'm not a soft drink person by any stretch of the imagination, but this really interests me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaRiv18 Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Buffalo & Bergen (Gina, Rachel, Chris) at Union Market have all sorts of house-made sodas. You can add booze to them if you desire, but they are all great stand-alones. My wife doesn't drink at all, yet she has still accompanied me to many a bar. Porcupine is right to bring up Adam and Todd. You can also add Chantal Tseng to that list, she'll make a tea-based mocktail or something more interesting like that. Jon Harris has a variety of rotating mocktails, which are $5 at happy hour. Justin Guthrie used to accommodate, Jamie McBain, etc . . . Also, I've taken my 3 year old to hangover brunch at the Passenger before (I know, father of the year) several times. Each time, she got a different mocktail (in a rocks glass, so she could toast me). I don't know which "mixologists" other people visit, but the ones I visit take their craft seriously enough to concentrate on technique and flavors, and not alcohol-delivery devices for the masses. But to porcupine's point, I do think it is easier to interact directly with the bartender and not the waitstaff necessarily. I generally think of ordering "off-menu" in the general spirit of the phrase to be off-putting, but for mocktails most serious bartenders are happy to accommodate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMike Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 I know folks that seemed to be quite happy with their non-alcoholic drinks at Hogo. Since Passenger was mentioned, Alex at one point was experimenting with a curry soda that was quite tasty. I don't know if she's done anything past that yet though. She said she wanted to... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 The alcoholic drinks at Cuba Libra are apparently so weak that they could be non alcoholic but the mango mojito I had Friday night was excellent. Ripple also has a thoughtful selection of homemade concoctions sans alcohol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheezepowder Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Any updates/new suggestions for places that have good non alcoholic cocktails? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Any updates/new suggestions for places that have good non alcoholic cocktails? Chaia has good non-alcoholic *drinks*; not cocktails. In general, everyplace that has a really good, strong cocktail program will have a really good, strong non-alcoholic cocktail program - I speak from direct experience, having dined for many years with Matt. It's not 100% sure but it's over 90%, and what I've found interesting is that if you ask the bartender to mix you something up - you'll often get asked what type of base you like, with some examples - (s)he'll become pretty excited because it gives them a chance to show off an often-unappreciated part of their drinks program which takes a lot of thought and hard work to implement properly. I've also found, quite frankly, that just from a smell-and-taste viewpoint, I often *prefer* non-alcoholic cocktails. And, they're less expensive to boot. One of my New Year's resolutions is to take a little break from alcohol, so I'll be able to fill you in even more as the upcoming days and hopefully weeks pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyG Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I remain a little surprised that more establishments aren't offering their own creative sodas. It is easy enough to turn syrup and seltzer into a soda, and the better bar programs are all creating their own syrups anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curiouskitkatt Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Are Mocktails Gaining Momentum in D.C.? , Laura Hays for Washington City Paper. Great read. I am not sure if it's a part of my getting older, but I enjoy a less spirited drink more often then one containing alcohol. Venturing to a place that has non-alcoholic choices is a something I look for more and more in my exploration of dining establishments. With the surge of the popularity of fermentation and kombucha drinks, as well as house made tinctures, i would think places would create more drinks that are non-alcoholic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curiouskitkatt Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 On 4/3/2013 at 8:32 AM, porcupine said: I've been wanting to compile a list of places with good non-alcoholic beverages for years now, but haven't because there aren't enough of them. In the 4 years since I've had to give up hard liquor, here's what I've found: Adam Bernbach and Todd Thrasher can make a great grown-up booze-free drink. Many other bartenders will give it a good honest go, but end up with something fruity and sweet - and like hillvalley said, a lot of them don't realize how many people can't have grapefruit. Note that I mentioned two people but not the places where they work. In the dozen or so times I've asked waiters for a house-made tonic without the gin at Estadio, the reaction's been a furrowed brow and "uh, I'm not sure we can do that" or "I think we can do that, let me check". I am revisiting this challenge to find spots that serve creative non-alcoholic drinks. I think in the past, beverage managers weren't quite sure how to price out drinks without booze. I think they feared it would not make for a profitable endeavor, hence the surly eyebrow. I will be seeking out establishments that offer non- boozy selections outside sodas and juice, and will report back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curiouskitkatt Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 On 6/14/2019 at 2:48 PM, curiouskitkatt said: I am revisiting this challenge to find spots that serve creative non-alcoholic drinks. I think in the past, beverage managers weren't quite sure how to price out drinks without booze. I think they feared it would not make for a profitable endeavor, hence the surly eyebrow. I will be seeking out establishments that offer non- boozy selections outside sodas and juice, and will report back. ZeroproofDC is a list of places in the District that serves drinks sans booze. The tip was provided by Jessica Sidman of The Washingtonian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bobulescu Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 Google "Seedlip". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curiouskitkatt Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 48 minutes ago, Count Bobulescu said: Google "Seedlip". Word on the street that Seedlip is served at Mini Bar. I am trying to find more places that are serving drinks sans booze other than sodas and juices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bobulescu Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 On 6/20/2019 at 12:19 PM, curiouskitkatt said: Word on the street that Seedlip is served at Mini Bar. I am trying to find more places that are serving drinks sans booze other than sodas and juices. Can't say for sure, but there might be some distribution issues with Seedlip. Dropped by wholesaler etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curiouskitkatt Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 On 6/21/2019 at 10:40 AM, Count Bobulescu said: Can't say for sure, but there might be some distribution issues with Seedlip. Dropped by wholesaler etc. Seedlip acquired by Diageo! Forbes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bobulescu Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 16 hours ago, curiouskitkatt said: Seedlip acquired by Diageo! Forbes.com That's a good article. Can't say I'm surprised, for all the reasons outlined in the piece. The non-alcoholic category is as hot as CBD. Will be interesting to watch the transition from niche to mass market. Volume up, price? My experience is that Europeans are more susceptible than Americans to the claimed benefits of exclusivity, and the US price will end up lower. Won't be many wholesaler distribution issues in future. Who will move into the space formerly occupied by Seedlip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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