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There’s Nothing “Mock” About These Cocktail-Worthy Nonalcoholic Spirits

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Bottle of Spiritless Kentucky 74 on a table with mixing glass


We know all the worthy reasons for considering those nonalcoholic craft spirit options on the other side of the shelf. It’s just the pallid options we’ve been having some issues with—until recently. Whether you’re hosting a booze-free night, demonstrating solidarity with your pregnant wife, playing designated driver, looking to enjoy a happy hour sans hungover chaser, etc., gone are the days when nonalcoholic (NA) spirits are a lackluster mocktail party pooper. Don’t believe us? Here’s some zero-proof proof—our favorite nonalcoholic spirits that are (no-joke) worth adding to your bar—and even giving to a friend this holiday season. Yes, they’re that tasty and buzzworthy.


Spiritless Kentucky 74
Amy Campbell Photography

1. Spiritless Kentucky 74

When it comes to booze-free bourbon, Austin, Texas, based Spiritless is an industry leader with their playfully-named Kentucky 74—a Best Nonalcoholic Spirit gold medalist at the 2021 L.A. Spirits Awards. The intensive formulation process starts with a high-proof, rapidly-aged spirit before undergoing distillation to eliminate all but 0.5% (max) of the alcohol. When all is said and distilled, the spirit bestows those caramel, vanilla, and oak notes you expect in a fine bourbon—just without the ensuing headache. For a lower-proof cocktail (but not quite this low), swap half of your go-to bourbon with this palate pleaser.

[$35 per 750ml bottle; spiritless.com]

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Bottle of Salcombe Distilling Co. New London Light beside cocktail

Salcombe Distilling Co. New London Light
Salcombe Distilling Co.

2. Salcombe Distilling Co. New London Light

This buzzy NA beverage just won the “Mindful Drinking” category in the 2021 People’s Choice Spirits Awards. Crafted with natural ingredients and inspired by gin-making principles, its juniper, ginger, and habanero pepper notes really shine thanks to the brand’s careful distillation, maceration, and extraction processes. You’ll enjoy the taste and nose of citrus, cardamom, and herbs like rosemary and sage in this versatile zero-proofer. Fun fact: The specific botanicals used in the blend were also chosen due to their involvement in the trading routes that traveled through Salcombe and the coast of England in the 1800s, when exotic fruits and spices were shuttled between England and the Americas.

[$35 per 750ml bottle; us.salcombegin.com]

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Three bottles of DRY, Botanical Bitters & Soda

DRY, Botanical Bitters & Soda
DRY Soda Co.

3. DRY, Botanical Bitters & Soda

Bitters fans will appreciate these temperance cocktails that are a swirl of botanicals, herbs, and citrus without any booze. Currently, Aromatic (orange peel, cinnamon, clove), Bright/Herbal (ginger, lavender, orange, cardamom, sage, lemon, and grapefruit), Sweet/Spicy (jalapeño, habanero, citrus, and lemongrass) are on offer—all of them free of sugar, gluten, and caffeine. Start with the variety pack to sample all three flavors.

[$40, 12-pack; amazon.com]

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Bottle of Lucas Bols Damrak VirGin 0.0

Lucas Bols Damrak VirGin 0.0
Lucas Bols Damrak

4. Lucas Bols Damrak VirGin 0.0

This teetotaler tipple is distilled in Amsterdam from 10 botanicals, including Valencia and Curaçao orange peels, ginger, lavender, cinnamon, and lemon peel. Gin enthusiasts will appreciate its refreshing quality—along with zilch calories and sugar to boot. NA-gin and tonic, here we come. If you’re mixing up cocktails for non-drinking and drinking guests, consider keeping a bottle of Damrak Amsterdam Gin on hand too.

[$25 per 700ml bottle; damrakgin.com]

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Four cans of SPIRITY Cocktails

SPIRITY Cocktails
Courtesy of SPIRITY Cocktails

5. SPIRITY Cocktails

Whether you go for the Mindful Mule, Mindful Negroni, Mindful Margarita or Mindful Apricot Sour, you’re sure to become a fast fan of this enticing (and have we mentioned mindful?) nonalcoholic cocktail using spirits distilled from tea. Pu’er tea undergoes the same biological process that happens in grape skins during red wine production—and offers the same complexity and depth of flavor with every sip. Our go-to? The Mindful Negroni, which pops with cardamom, allspice, cloves, and matured herbal botanicals. Note: each can contains less than 0.5% ABV, making it a nearly zero libation if not quite.

[$14, 4-pack; amazon.com]

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3 brown bottles of VYBES Adaptogenic Elixir

VYBES Adaptogenic Elixir
Courtesy of VYBES

6. VYBES Adaptogenic Elixir

Apricot lemon, watermelon lime, pineapple ginger. These inspired flavors make for a tough decision when it comes to a sparkling elixir crafted with adaptogenic herbs to support your mood, immunity, and energy. These so-called “mind and body” elixirs contain ingredients like ashwagandha root extract, rhodiola extract, elderberry extract, L-Theanine, red ginseng root extract, vitamin C, and zinc to transform happy hour to a deliciously joyful one. Serve neat or on the rocks.

[$30, 6-pack; idrinkvybes.com

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Bottle of The Pathfinder on a table beside a cocktail

The Pathfinder
Courtesy of Quaker City Mercantile

7. The Pathfinder

This new fermented and distilled hemp-based NA elixir uses copper pot distillation and a slew of truly wild natural ingredients—think Douglas fir, sage, juniper, saffron, angelica root—to create something singular and nuanced. The bottle’s spirited proclamation: “immediate relief for malaise and ennui, cold feet and hot tempers, weak knees and low spirits.”

[$35 per 500ml bottle; drinkthepathfinder.com]

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Bottle of Zenbarn Farms Hierba

Zenbarn Farms Hierba
Courtesy of Zenbarn Farms

8. Zenbarn Farms Hierba

Made with Vermont CBD extract, you can enjoy this zero-proof spirit chilled or mixed into your favorite cocktail recipe. The libation is made with Woodnose Drinks’ organic maple syrup—which is aged in bourbon barrels, and then paired with Zenbarn Farms’ craft-grown hemp flowers, botanical OG Kush terpenes, and Fair Trade coffee. The flavor profiles reach somewhere between Amaro, Kahlúa, and a shrub. Our best description: earthy espresso martini with a pleasant cannabis nose.

[$65 per 750ml bottle; zenbarnfarms.com]

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Three tall cans of LEVIA: THC infused seltzer water

LEVIA: THC infused seltzer water
Courtesy of LEVIA

9. LEVIA – THC infused seltzer water

Boozy seltzer has been having its extended moment. Now you won’t miss the alcohol in this delightfully refreshing, cannabis-infused beverage that contains 5mg of THC per 12-ounce can—minus any calories or sugar. Currently, there are three flavors: “Achieve” is raspberry-lime with a Sativa blend; “Celebrate” is a lemon-lime hybrid; “Dream”—our favorite—does its jamberry with an indica blend to help you zen out before bed.

[$7 per can; levia.buzz]

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Bottle of Mingle Mocktails between two cocktails

Mingle: Makes a mean (but friendly) mule.
Courtesy of Mingle Mocktails

10. Mingle Mocktails Moscow Mule

This gluten-free, low-calorie drink can be enjoyed as a festive nonalcoholic cocktail in a snap. Simply serve chilled in a copper Moscow Mule mug and garnish with lime wedges and a few sprigs of fresh mint. Featuring all the right ginger- and lime-forward notes, Mingle is our vote for the perfect crowd-pleaser at a party—and always ready for a topper of vodka or bourbon if needed. Check out their range of sparkling mocktail offerings here.

[$13 per 750ml bottle; minglemocktails.com]

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Bottle of For Bitter For Worse Smoky no. 56

For Bitter For Worse Smoky no. 56
Courtesy of Polara Studio3

11. For Bitter For Worse Smoky no. 56

This Portland, Oregon company devised its own patent-pending “reverse bootlegging” process to create these drinks—so it’s safe to say they take the whole zero ABV thing pretty seriously. Here you’ll get a good burst of smoke from lapsang souchong—the famed Chinese black tea created over smoldering pine boughs—which is mellowed out by sweetness from organic maple syrup. How do the makers describe Smoky no. 56? “It’s its own thing.” Bloody Mary aficionado? Use it to make one heckuva Smoky Mary.

[$28 per 750ml bottle; forbitterforworse.com]

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10 Best Porters to Drink Right Now

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A bottle of Deschutes Black Butte Porter




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Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

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Barbell Back Squat


The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.

“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.

If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.

Directions

Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.

Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

Circuit 1

Marius Bugge

A. Barbell Back Squat

Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts renegade row
Marius Bugge

B. Renegade Row

Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side

Circuit 2

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing renegade row Dumbbell Bentover Row in gym
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bentover Row

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 
Marius Bugge

B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 

Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 3

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat

Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Marius Bugge

B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift

Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Circuit 4

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing pullup
Marius Bugge

A. Pullup

Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Marius Bugge

B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press

Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top.
Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 5

A. Dumbbell Pushup

Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop
once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps

B. Biceps Curl

Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps


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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout

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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout




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