The Missing Piece: How Non-Alcoholic Brands Are Trying to Capture Booze's Most Elusive Elements

September 22, 2022

Wayne Curtis

Non-alcoholic spirits and cocktails are booming — it’s now a nearly $10 billion market in 10 key global markets (including non-alcoholic beer and wine), according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis. IWSR also notes that the market for non-alcoholic spirits grew in the U.S. by 51 percent in 2021 alone, and is forecast to grow another 14 percent this year.

“I want it to look like a drink, walk like a drink, I want it to hang out on your palate like a drink — something that can give you that lingering feeling,” says Lexie Larsen, COO and co-founder of Spiritless, which makes an alcohol-free bourbon and tequila substitute, along with a new line of canned non-alcoholic cocktails.

But how does one achieve this? For the many that have popped up in the past year alone, it’s no easy feat. Above and beyond the impact it has on one’s mood and cognition, alcohol brings a number of welcome elements to the party. From taste and texture to physical experience, here’s what alcohol contributes to booze, besides the buzz, and how non-alcoholic purveyors are striving to achieve it.

Read the full article: https://vinepair.com/articles/nonalcoholic-brands-are-booming/