WHEN HELM’S COFFEE Justin Bull stopped consuming alcohol four years ago, he was frustrated by the lack of zeroproof, non-sugary alternatives available. “I’m a coffee guy, and my palate skews toward those types of flavors,” he says. “I don’t want something that’s basically just sweet soda water.”
Bull isn’t alone. “Look at the popularity of Fernet,” says Kristen Alderson, the owner of Broad Ripple cocktail bar Thieves. The bitter and aromatic spirit has a passionate following, but there isn’t anything with a comparable flavor profile in the no-ABV space. But since “most bartenders also love that drink,” many are working to create zeroproof cocktails that reflect its herbaceous vibe.
Julian Acosta, bartender at Kennedy-King coffee-to-cocktails spot The Alchemist, says techniques like fat-washing and smoking of ingredients is the key to a savory cocktail. “Think about foods that cure your craving for salt or sour,” he says, then look for drink ingredients that match that.
Communication is key to getting the drink you want. Grace Donlon, bar manager at upscale Carmel restaurant Freeland’s, says she loves concocting bespoke mocktails on the fly. “I’d rather someone tell me what they’re in the mood for than settle for something they’re not completely happy with,” she says. “Let me make you what you want. That’s what I’m here for.”
If that still sounds intimidating, Katie Slonim, owner of cocktail education brand and event company Mixo, suggests you learn how to make a couple mocktails yourself. “You can take a class from us,” she says, “or just go to YouTube! There are so many amazing mocktail makers on there talking people through incredible drinks.”
That’s what Bull did, citing online sensation Morgan Eckroth as his favorite resource for creative coffee-based no-ABV drinks. “There’s literally an influencer for any palate, though,” he says. So if worst comes to worst, let the algorithm guide you to some savory mocktail offerings, then take your findings to your local watering hole for an IRL experience.
