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Who needs booze when you have these?
It's safe to say we're in the middle of a nonalcoholic beverage renaissance. Long gone are the days of settling for plain soda or seltzer; now there are plenty of options for booze-free cocktails. There are even stores dedicated to selling alcohol substitutes that taste as good as the real thing. Whether you're substance free, California sober, or just looking for a refreshing nonalcoholic drink, there's something for everyone these days.
We rounded up some of the most popular canned mocktail brands and tried them all. After an extremely scientific taste-test of nine brands and over two-dozen flavors, our team of experts ranked them all from worst to best. So next time you want to crack open a mocktail, check out our picks below.
Leilo uses kava, a root found in the South Pacific known for its relaxing properties, as the base of their botanical beverages. They come in six different flavors (including one with an extra boost of melatonin) so you can take the edge off without any added alcohol.
We liked the fizz that came with each sip, but the flavor was a bit too artificial for our liking. One of our tasters described their Sparkling Tango Berry as "if Sunny-D took performance-enhancing flavor boosters."
If you watch RuPaul's Drag Race, then you've probably seen the queens untuck in the werkroom while sipping on House of Love cocktails. We've already reviewed their alcoholic varieties, but this time we tasted their two booze-free options.
The Ginger Mule and Colada flavors both tasted like a "beach vacation," but we all agreed that these cocktails need to be served on ice—maybe even with an extra splash of seltzer. The sweetness was overwhelming for many of us, but if you're into sweet drinks it's a decent pick.
Did you know that you can use hops for something besides beer? Lolo Hops relies on the bitter flowers to make their sparkling nonalcoholic beverages.
Each can smelled, in the words of one tester, "dank"—which makes sense because the hops plant is related to the marijuana plant. The flavor, however, is extremely subtle. The taste is so mild that some of us thought it tasted "like an even blander La Croix." We picked up on some of the added flavors, like pomelo, yuzu, and sage. But for the most part, it just tastes like water.
This brand was crafted by New Orleans-based bartender Jesse Carr. Each can of Mockly is made with a unique blend of fruit, herbs, and botanicals that rivals a drink at a swanky cocktail lounge.
We liked some of the flavors, especially the Love Bite with pomegranate and ginger. The Earl Diablo, however, is one of the more out-there flavors and divided our team of tasters. The combination of Earl Grey tea, chili, and coconut water struck many of us as unpleasantly odd. But if you have an adventurous palate, it's worth a shot.
Crisp & Crude combines real fruit, botanicals, and sometimes hemp extract for their line of relaxing and refreshing nonalcoholic drinks. Each can is inspired by classic cocktails, but are completely booze-free.
While we didn't find that these drinks were a good substitute for their alcoholic counterparts, our tasters still enjoyed them. Our favorite was by far the Paloma Daydream—it fuses grapefruit juice with smoky charred oak and a pinch of salt for a balanced beverage that wasn't too sweet.
Hella Cocktail Co. uses their own artisanal bitters to craft their line of nonalcoholic drinks. They have six flavors, which can be enjoyed on their own or added to a spritz.
Our team of tasters loved the majority of the brand's flavors, especially the Grapefruit and Ginger Turmeric. They certainly taste bitter (it's in the name for a reason), but it's subtle enough to let you appreciate the added aromatics. There was one can, however, that we seriously disliked. The Classic Dry Aromatic is so overwhelmingly bitter that one taster said, "It blew out my entire palate."
This brand is for the California sober gang. Flyers Cocktail Co. swaps the buzz of alcohol for cannabis. Each can has CBD and small amounts of THC.
We loved how their flavors are loosely inspired by classic cocktails, like their Tokyo Marg. They each have a nice amount of bitterness and aren't overwhelmingly sweet. Our top choice is by far the Sydney Spritz, which one taster compared to "McDonald's Sprite." As for the THC aspect, some of our team felt a little tingly, but the effects were mostly negligible.
Ghia is at the forefront of the nonalcoholic beverage movement. Their booze-free botanical aperitif is a staple on many Delish editors' bar carts because of its light, gingery flavor. For those who don't want to mix up their own mocktail, Ghia also has pre-mixed canned drinks.
These drinks are by far the most sophisticated of the bunch. From the labels to their complex flavors, we loved everything about them. With each of the three varieties, ginger is one of the dominant notes. If you're a ginger-lover like we are, this is a must-buy.
Lyre's is dedicated to making booze-free alcohol substitutes that are as good as the real thing. They sell their own nonalcoholic spirits based off the flavors of gin, bourbon, and even absinthe. They also combine these with other flavors to make canned mocktails.
If you want mocktails that closely resemble their alcoholic inspirations, look no further. Our entire team is obsessed with these drinks. We described the Amalfi flavor as "a Campari lover's delight" and the G&T as "a perfect dupe" for a classic gin and tonic. We were completely blown away and can't recommend this brand enough.