What to Buy First: Building a Non-Alcoholic Shelf From Nothing
The first bottles to buy, in order, what each one makes, and what to pick up at the grocery store.
Start with what you already like to drink. If that’s wine or beer, buy one bottle or a mixed case of those first. If it’s cocktails, three bottles cover most classic recipes: a gin alternative, a bitter aperitif and an agave spirit. Add a few things from the grocery store, and you can make a gin and tonic, a spritz, a Negroni and a margarita on day one. Here’s the order we’d buy in, and what each bottle makes.
The first bottles to buy
- 0.0%
- Never Alcoholized
- Spain
- <0.5%
- Never Alcoholized
- United States
See every non-alcoholic spirit →
Start with what you drink now
If you drink wine
Buy one bottle in the style you already like. See which non-alcoholic wines come closest to wine, or browse every wine.
If you drink beer
A mixed case is the cheapest way to find a style you like. Browse every beer.
If you drink cocktails
Build the three-bottle shelf below. New to them? Start with what a mocktail is.
The three-bottle cocktail shelf
| Bottle | What it makes |
|---|---|
| 1. Gin alternative | Gin and tonic, Collins, gimlet |
| 2. Bitter aperitif | Spritz; with the gin, a Negroni |
| 3. Agave spirit | Margarita, Paloma |
| 4. Vermouth or whiskey | Manhattan, Old Fashioned |
Choosing between brands? See the guides to gin, tequila and whiskey. For a fourth bottle, a vermouth such as Roots Divino Rosso, made from wine, rounds out a Negroni or a Manhattan. If your home needs everything at 0.0%, Mommos London Dry and the Mommos Aperitive Bitter are both 0.0% and make a Negroni together.
From the grocery store
We don’t sell these; any supermarket does:
- Tonic, soda water and ginger beer. They aren’t interchangeable; here’s how they differ.
- Lemons and limes. Fresh juice makes the biggest difference of anything on this list.
- Sugar, for simple syrup.
- Plenty of ice. Without alcohol, cold matters more; see what the recipes mean.
Small extras that go a long way
- Bitters. Classic cocktail bitters are made with alcohol; All The Bitters are 0.0%. A dash finishes an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan.
- Grenadine, for a Shirley Temple, or make real grenadine yourself.
- Orgeat, the almond syrup in a Mai Tai. The Yes Cocktail Co. orgeat is seasoned with almond bitters that contain alcohol, and the bottle says so.
Before you open everything
- Open one bottle at a time. Most non-alcoholic spirits don’t keep as long as spirits with alcohol; Lyre’s, for example, should be refrigerated and finished within twelve weeks of opening. See how long each one keeps.
- Try before you commit. A sampler or small flasks let you find what you like before buying full bottles; see sets and samplers.
- Want the drink without mixing? The Lyre’s RTD Combo Pack is ten ready-made cocktails in cans.
Then pick a recipe from 25 zero-proof cocktail recipes.
Shop by what matters to you
Common questions
What non-alcoholic spirit should I buy first?
A gin alternative. It makes a gin and tonic, a Collins and a gimlet, and with a bitter aperitif, a Negroni.
What do I need for a non-alcoholic home bar?
Three bottles (a gin alternative, a bitter aperitif and an agave spirit), plus tonic, soda, ginger beer, lemons, limes, sugar for syrup and plenty of ice. Bitters and grenadine are useful extras.
How long do non-alcoholic spirits last once opened?
Less than spirits with alcohol. Lyre's, for example, should be refrigerated and finished within twelve weeks of opening, so open one bottle at a time.
Can I build a shelf that's all 0.0%?
Yes. Mommos London Dry and Aperitive Bitter are both 0.0% and make a Negroni together; All The Bitters are 0.0% too. Check each label, since many non-alcoholic spirits are under 0.5%.
