Non-alcohol drinks have taken off at Canadian stores in 2023, and there are now plenty of options to choose from that’ll deliver cocktail-level flavour without the boozy aftertaste or next-day hangover.
Several beverage brands have launched their own alcohol-free drink lines in recent years to meet growing interest in Canada, and you can actually buy most of them without visiting a liquor store. Many of these brands lean into the herbal flavours of various booze-forward cocktails, so you can now find plenty of fresh-tasting zero-alcohol options that aren't a 0% beer.
Some of the best options are available in the drink aisles at your local grocery store, while others can be found at health and wellness shops in your city. You can also order all of these online, so there's nothing stopping you from giving them a try.
The only thing that might slow you down is what to call these drinks, because you’ll see every combination of “zero-proof,” “alcohol-free” and “mocktail” on these cocktail labels. However, that last term is starting to fall out of favour because there's nothing to mock with the drinks on the market today.
There are plenty of tasty alcohol-less options at the grocery store for you in 2023, whether you’re fully on the sober train, cutting back on your booze intake or simply looking to enjoy a few drinks one evening without paying for it the next day. You can even use these drinks as "just add alcohol" options if you feel like it, because they're all flavour-forward by nature.
Here are several elevated zero-alcohol cocktails and spirits you can add to your grocery shopping list, whether you're marking Sober October, planning a Dry January, looking for a pregnancy drinking option or simply on the hunt for something different.
Aelo
Canada-based Aelo offers four different canned cocktail options, and while each one might sound like a sweet alternative to a boozy bar drink, they're actually sugar-free.
Aelo offers four zero-proof cans to cover a wide range of tastes among cocktail fans, with a Gin & Tonic, Aperitivo Spritz, Peach Bellini and Lime Margarita available. These flavours also might taste familiar if you're a fan of OPUS, and that's no accident; Aelo rebranded itself from OPUS earlier in 2023.
You can find Aelo at various locations across the country, from liquor stores in B.C. to certain Loblaws and health food stores in Toronto.
Ceder's
If you're looking for the comforting florals and sharp botanicals of a gin without the alcohol, Ceder's is the non-alcoholic spirit for you. This international brand specializes in gin-like spirits made with juniper, and they've come up with several different blends that highlight flowery, herbaceous and citrusy flavours.
This spirit is perfect for mixing up your own alcohol-free version of a gin cocktail, such as a G&T or martini.
You can buy Ceder's online in Canada
Ab0ve
Ab0ve's non-alcoholic canned cocktails offer up plenty of zero-proof spins on your classic bar cocktails, whether you're looking for a mojito, a gin & tonic or a whiskey & cola flavour.
You can find cases of this Toronto-based brand at Loblaws.
Betty Buzz
Ryan Reynolds isn't the only one in his household with an eye for making drinks, but where the Deadpool actor is all about his Aviation Gin, wife Blake Lively has her premium non-alcoholic Betty Buzz brand.
Lively's Betty Buzz touts itself as a non-alcoholic sparkling mixer that can be enjoyed on its own or mixed with alcohol. In fact, she recently launched alcoholic versions of this line as Betty Booze based on the success of the Buzz brand.
You can get Betty Buzz in five flavours: Tonic Water with Quinine, Grapefruit, Lemon Lime, Ginger Beer and Club Soda. They're hard to find at Canadian grocery stores but you can get them through Amazon Canada and other natural food suppliers online.
Walter Gregor's Tonic Water
I have to admit: my first sip of Walter Gregor's Tonic Water was not what I expected. For some reason I though it'd be fairly neutral in taste, but that definitely wasn't the case. This zero-alcohol Scottish option is sweet and popping with botanical flavours. It's the kind of thing you sip and savour, and not all like a soft drink.
These tonic waters come in five flavours: Original, Mint & Cucumber, Spiced, Apple & Cinnamon and Scottish Raspberry. You can order a 24-pack through their website or grab a four-pack for a taste at Well.ca.
St. Agrestis
St. Agrestis sells plenty of pre-mixed bottled cocktails, but they also really lean into the "mocktail" side of things with their "Phony" lineup. This Brooklyn-based distillery offers several different zero-alcohol cocktails, but the Phony Negroni is absolutely their big winner.
"Definitely one of the best non-alcoholic products out there," reads one of the hundreds of five-star reviews on their website.
"Surprisingly similar to the real thing," adds another user. "A bit on the sweeter side, but we add a little citrus and it balances out very well!"
St. Agrestis has also developed a variation called the Phony Mezcal Negroni, as well as the Amaro Falso.
You can get these shipped to Canada for a flat rate or buy them through Canadian sellers like The Sobr Market.
Seedlip
Seedlip appears on many of the top non-alcoholic spirit lists out there, and there's a reason why: this distilled drink is a great sugar-free substitute for gin that can provide plenty of flavour for any cocktail you want to make.
Seedlip comes in three flavours: the citrus-forward Grove 42, the allspice and cardamom-infused Spiced 94 and the Garden 108 variety, which is packed with green-tasting flavours such as thyme, spearmint and peas (yes, peas!).
You can buy Seedlip through Amazon Canada.
De Soi
Blake Lively isn't the only celeb with a zero-alcohol canned cocktail. Katy Perry's De Soi is a line of non-alcoholic aperitifs geared toward the wellness-focused sipper, with ingredients such as ashwagandha, lemongrass, reishi mushrooms and myrrh.
If you love a green smoothie in the morning with plenty of herbs and roots mixed in, then you'll probably want to give De Soi a try later in the day. De Soi currently comes in four flavour blends: Champignon Dreams, Golden Hour, Purple Lune and Tres Rose. You can buy packs of these drinks through Amazon Canada.
Narcity may receive a small commission if you buy something from this article, which was created independently by Narcity's Editorial team just for you.
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