32 | HealthLinksSC.com Non-alcoholic drinks known as “mocktails” have been around for years, but, since the COVID-19 pandemic, their popularity has exploded. According to Nielson IQ, social media has been a huge promoter as celebrities and influencers regularly discuss switching to alcohol-free or low-alcohol drinks and lifestyles. From August of 2021 to August of 2022, hashtag “#mocktails” saw more than a billion hits, according to TikTok, a number which represented $395 million in consumer sales. While this is still a miniscule portion of the alcohol sales market, alcohol-free drinks have continued to rise in popularity throughout 2023. Global Market Insights predicts sales of non-alcoholic drinks to be as high as $30 billion by 2025. So how did a pandemic affect American drinking habits? In the midst of increased self-medicating with alcohol and drugs, a growing number of adults also decided to ease away from excess alcohol consumption. For some, the habit of regularly visiting bars and drinking establishments, temporarily limited by COVID restrictions, remained even after the restrictions were lifted, and the need for alcohol no longer seemed as urgent. These “sober curious” individuals began actively experimenting with the options available should they decide to cut alcohol out of their diet. Additionally, after facing the life-and-death realities presented by the pandemic, both millennials and Generation Z have been choosing healthier lifestyles, which often exclude alcohol consumption. They have been attracted to mocktail ingredients that can include a variety of new organic, sugar-free mixers, fresh fruit and herbal additives. The result is a wide range of flavorful, low-calorie and healthy alternatives to alcohol-based drinks. Mocktails are people-friendly. They are safe alternatives for pregnant women, those with specific medical conditions or those taking particular medications, designated drivers and recovering alcoholics or those choosing to abstain from alcohol for other reasons. Such inclusivity is a definite plus factor in social settings. Bartenders and mixologists have tapped into this new consumer market by becoming creative with drink names, unusual flavors, attractive glassware, garnishes and presentations. In Charleston’s bars and restaurants, patrons can find mocktails with such intriguing names as Slowburn Marg, Passionate Mule Crusher, European Outlaw, The Unknown Coast, Derby Daze, Blood Moon, Pink Clouds and Shallow End. Some establishments list their mocktail options separately, and others offer to make non-alcoholic versions of their standard offerings, when requested. While mocktails might seem to be the perfect answer for all those seeking non-alcoholic choices, especially when enjoying an evening out with friends, Warren Phillips LMSW, co-founder of Lantana Recovery in downtown Charleston, offered a word of caution: “Since some non-alcoholic drinks still contain trace alcohol, they could be a potentially dangerous trigger for the person new to recovery.” “Drinking mocktails will be a very personal decision for each recovering individual,” he continued. “In some instances, having a similar-looking but non-alcoholic drink could make the person much more comfortable in social situations. It just depends on the individual, their triggers and where they are in the recovery process. I would recommend discussing the situation and the danger of relapsing with their own therapist and peer network.” In reality, for the recovering alcoholic whose friends’ group are still active binge drinkers, holding or sipping a mocktail may not help much and may very well become a pitfall for relapse. Also, tasting beer or a former drink of choice can trigger a response called “euphoric recall,” during which past good drinking times are remembered to the exclusion of the negative moments and consequences that accompanied them. Aside from the concerns for recovering alcoholics, adding mocktails to your hosting menu offers many positive benefits and opportunities. You can customize drinks for your friends and loved ones. You can regulate the calories, keep your costs down, include everyone and promise no morning-after hangovers – and you can easily find the perfect recipes on social media – just use #mocktails. Mocktails are people-friendly. They are safe alternatives for pregnant women, those with specific medical conditions or those taking particular medications, designated drivers and recovering alcoholics or those choosing to abstain from alcohol for other reasons.
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