Why Nonalcoholic Drinks Cost So Much

It’s never been easier to find zero-proof drinks in Atlanta. Over the past few years, local restaurants and bottle shops have upped their nonalcoholic game, serving up spirit-free cocktails and wines, beers, and cocktails to serve a growing number of sober-curious clientele.

And while these highly-quality nonalcoholic cocktails — like a $7 espresso tonic at chef Ford Fry’s Bar Blanc — are more complex than basic juice or soda, they can be expensive to produce. Are Atlantans ready to pay $7 or more for drinks without alcohol?

“People have a perception that zero-proof drinks should be less expensive than their alcohol-filled counterparts,” says Mehrnush Sadat, owner of Soberish, a nonalcoholic bottle shop and cannabis boutique, and a nonalcoholic drinks consultant for Table & Main and The Argonaut.

Building a well-balanced cocktail that mimics the mouthfeel and taste of alcohol often requires a nonalcoholic spirit standing in for a traditional base like gin or tequila. Making the zero-proof counterpart usually requires just as much effort.

“These are often high-quality spirits that have been handcrafted in small batches using premium ingredients, resulting in costly processes to create a complex, rich beverage,” she says.

According to Jessica White, beverage director and front-of-house manager for Bread & Butterfly, many zero-proof spirits are more expensive than alcoholic ones. Compare the wholesale cost of $20 to $30 per 500-milliliter nonalcoholic bottle versus $18 (low-end) to $35 (top-shelf) for a 750-milliliter alcoholic one.

Why the high price tag? Clarke Anderson, beverage director at Rocket Farm Restaurants, says it’s because “the techniques used to produce nonalcoholic spirits, cordials, wines, and beers are similar to the real thing.”

He says that’s why many of these drinks — including St. Cecilia’s Tsarina’s Slippers (a tart, herbaceous drink with pomegranate, vanilla, and anis that clocks in at $12) — often have price tags only slightly less expensive than alcoholic drinks.

Add in that spirit-free beverages are still a developing and innovating drink category, and “there just aren’t many inexpensive, good-quality versions of nonalcoholic spirits of wine on the market,” Anderson says.

In addition to the cost of base spirits, nonalcoholic drinks — especially cocktails — are expensive because restaurants incorporate the cost of other ingredients, serving vessels, and staff labor into their prices.

“The primary costs associated with our NA cocktails stem from high-quality ingredients such as fresh juices, artisanal purees, and fruit garnishes,” says Josh Rossmeisl, founder of Your 3rd Spot. The bar also uses premium glassware, because “we strive to ensure that our zero-proof cocktails are served with the same flair and sophistication as their alcoholic counterparts.”

At Your 3rd spot, nonalcoholic cocktails like a take on the Aperol spritz and rosemary blueberry smash, are priced at $7. White, who uses hard-to-source ingredients like barks, acids, and stabilizers in her spirit-free cocktails, says it takes time and skill to replicate the flavor and texture of alcoholic drinks.

“Some of the better-made zero-proof, in-house items can take hours of prep, several different steps and components, and sometimes more than 10 ingredients,” she says.

Communicating the value of the time, quality, and effort put into these drinks can be a challenge for customers who believe alcohol is the biggest expense in a traditional, alcoholic cocktail.

“A really well-constructed spirit-free cocktail with all the elevated pieces can reflect as much value and tell as much of a story, but it really has to deliver on all the pieces of the experience for the guest to feel it at $12,” Anderson says.

Rossmeisl says it’s the responsibility of bar and restaurant employees to help diners understand the premium ingredients and expertise that go into creating a quality nonalcoholic cocktail.

Cam McMinn

And for White, it’s important to provide alcohol-alternative beverages to people who aren’t drinking, whether that’s due to sobriety, pregnancy, religious practices, or health reasons.

“I cannot put into words the joy it gives me to see someone choose a zero-proof drink prepared with as much love and care and thought as the spirits on a menu,” she says.

It also makes business sense. A restaurant can miss out on major revenue if it’s only offering water, tea, coffee, and soda as its zero-proof options. According to White, it’s taken years for alcoholic drinks to be considered luxury. She often prices her drinks at lower margins to ensure people are willing to try them and not put off by the price point.

“It is vital for restaurants to continue to grow zero-proof options and experiences for everyone,” she says. “It’s not only good business practice, but it’s important for our industry to provide a place where everyone feels welcome at the table.”