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Pensacola: Zero-Proof, 100% Flavor!

Whether you're embracing a sober lifestyle (that’s me), taking a temporary break (Dry January and sober October), expecting a child, unable to drink, or simply seeking a new experience, Pensacola has many creative alcohol-free options to allow you to sip without the buzz while feeling included in the party!

I've meticulously organized this post by alcohol-free option type and geographic location, ensuring you can easily navigate to your preferred spot. Let's embark on a journey through mocktails, alcohol-free beer, wine/champagne, and innovative adaptogen drinks.

Mocktails: Crafting Complexity without the Buzz

You’ll find that many restaurants and bars are adding alcohol removed spirits to their mocktails to shake up a more complex and layered flavor profile. The options are plentiful–vodka, rum, gin, tequila, whiskey, aperitif, bitters, and beyond all have an alcohol-free alternative option featured in many of the mocktails highlighted below!

For mocktails head to Union Public House for the sultry rhythm made with Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic tequila, notes of hibiscus, lime and honey. This mocktail is one I have enjoyed many times! It’s well balanced and smokey.

Brother Fox’s Sunday brunch menu offers both alcohol free Aperol spritz and mimosas to keep the Sunday Funday party going without the hangover. Brother Fox’s dinner menu features standout mocktails as well, including a peach old fashion.

Drift boasts a Cos “no” is the perfect mocktail to sip on while enjoying beautiful Pensacola Beach and catching a sunset. Salt has an Herb Your Enthusiasm features NA-gin, basil, grapefruit, lemon, and ginger beer.

George Bistro's standout mocktail is their zero-proof espresso martini featuring Lyre’s Coffee Originale, vanilla simple, and their delicious handcrafted espresso and their sister restaurant, Pearl & Horn, has a zero proof spritz featuring Lyre’s Italian Orange, Lyre’s Classico Non-Alcoholic Sparkling, soda water and garnished with an orange slice.

Agapi’s cocktail menu features three mocktail options: no-jito, orange you spritzy, and a berry mule. Wine Bar rolled out a large non-alcoholic menu in recognition of Dry-January mostly centered around mocktails with standouts being their nah-garita, painless killer, and a palomost all crafted with NA-spirits. Wine Bar’s mocktail menu is the largest mocktail offering we have found in Pensacola!

Other spots to enjoy a mocktail include The Kennedy, The Well, Old Hickory Whiskey Bar, Garden & Grain, and Mrs. Jones Cold Brew. The Pacific Kava Bar specializes in alcohol free drinks!

Alcohol-Free Beer: A Crafted Quench

If you’re wanting to grab a non-alcoholic beer, many of the larger beer companies offer a zero-proof alternative to staples like Corona, Heineken, Guinness, Sam Adams, and Budweiser. There are also many newer brands emerging on the market to include: Athletic Brewing Company, Gruvi, Best Day Brewing, and Untitled Art that offer craft beer options.

Pensacola Bay Brewery, The Handlebar, Wisteria, and Alga all carry the popular Athletic Brewing Company brand with a variety of beer types: IPA, Hazy IPA, Golden, or their Lite alcohol-free beer. 200 South has two non-alcoholic wheat beers, a porter/stout beer, and alcohol-free Corona (which literally tastes just like a Corona!). O'Riley's, Paddy O’Leary’s, Calvert’s in the Heights, Elbow Room, Old Hickory Whiskey Bar, and Play all carry at least one non-alcoholic beer option, typically Heineken 0.0.

Wisteria, by far, has the largest and most diverse beer offering with a staggering 11 alcohol-free beer options, with most of them being craft beers.

Wine/Champagne: A Toast to Variety

While non-alcoholic wine and champagne offerings are still emerging in Pensacola, establishments like Wisteria and George Bistro + Bar are pioneering the way. From dry secco to sparkling rose, the options are expanding, and some venues even allow patrons to bring in their own non-alcoholic selections. Most restaurants will allow patrons to pay a corkage fee (and I have experienced some waiving the fee because it is a non-alcoholic option) to bring in your own non-alcoholic wine/champagne if you want to pop a bottle alongside your meal!

Adaptogen Drinks & Frozen Delights: A Twist of Wellness

For those interested in exploring alternative options beyond the conventional, consider adaptogen drinks featuring ingredients like ginseng, hemp, CBD, and kava. The Handlebar carries the popular brand Recess, which is infused sparkling water and Big Jerk’s new CBD soda. Odd Colony Brewing Company also carries both Big Jerk’s traditional soda offerings in addition to their CBD soda.

Or, if you’re looking for a frozen drink without the booze, embrace the beach vibes with alcohol-free frozen drinks at The Crab Trap and Riptides. There is nothing better than sipping on a frozen drink while at the beach!

In Conclusion: Sip, Savor, and Stay Soberly Included

Pensacola's alcohol-free scene is not just a trend; it's a movement toward inclusivity and intentional indulgence. Whether you're a teetotaler or just testing the waters, this blog post invites you to explore a burgeoning facet of the food and beverage industry.

So, here's to Pensacola: where you can savor 100% flavor, zero-proof style! Cheers to a vibrant, alcohol-free experience that keeps everyone included in the party!

Betsy McDonald

Author

Betsy McDonald

Betsy McDonald is a lifetime resident of Northwest Florida and currently serves as the Director of Programs at Pensacola Habitat for Humanity and works part-time with Tap the Coast, an award-winning mobile bar based out of Pensacola! Betsy has been sober and exploring the mocktail scene since 2021. Betsy won a Visit Pensacola Hospitality Hero award in 2023 for her exceptional customer service and bartending skills! While not at work, Betsy loves reading a good book, exercising, playing sports, and of course shaking up a fun mocktail!

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