What to Order If You Want a Low-ABV Drink
If you’re looking for the sweet spot between a cocktail and a mocktail, try these bartender recommendations.
Matt Armendariz
Recently, I’ve been wanting to engage a little bit more mindfully in drinking while still leaving myself the room to enjoy the wine nights and the cocktail-fueled dance floor moves that bring me so much joy. In doing so, I have discovered the many delights of the less-boozy side of the cocktail menu (or, in many cases, the off-menu). Although the olive-lover in me lives for a good dirty martini (or two), I’m also finding myself excited for the ever-growing and fun category of drinks that lie somewhere between the mocktail and the cocktail. For those of us looking to lighten up our alcohol consumption, here are some tips from bartenders, owners and managers that we talked to that will give you fun and innovative ways to keep the drink glass in hand boozy … ish.
Spritz It Up
Because who wouldn’t want summery spritzes all year around? Jen Armstrong, owner of Night of Joy, a botanical cocktail bar in Brooklyn recommends choosing a glass of sauvignon blanc or rosé on the menu and making it into a spritz by pouring it over a little ice and adding some club soda (about a quarter of the amount of club soda to wine). She also suggests adding a juice, like pomegranate or mango, into a glass of sparkling wine to make a sparkling wine cocktail (about a quarter of the amount of juice to wine). Lighthouse BK, a farm-to-table restaurant and bar in Brooklyn, told us about its low-ABV (alcohol by volume) spritz made with vermouth, sparkling wine, soda with an olive and orange wheel garnish. Aperol spritzes are also great low-ABV drinks and are an all-around favorite at many of the bars that we spoke to.
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Split the Alcoholic Shot with a Non-Alcoholic One
Megan Rickerson, owner of Someday Bar, a women-owned bar in Brooklyn, suggests splitting your cocktail base with a non-alcoholic version of liquor if the bar has it. She says that making a drink like a gin and tonic into a low-ABV beverage is challenging but that you can ask for an ounce of non-alcoholic gin and an ounce of regular gin for a weaker drink without watering down the taste of the original version.
Amaro Sodas and Other Apéritifs
Adam Nguyen, manager at Honey’s, a cocktail bar and event space in Brooklyn, suggests an amaro soda for a low-ABV drink. His go-to recipe calls for two ounces of amaro topped with three ounces of soda water, gently stirred with a lemon twist over ice. “Good amari are nuanced and I feel you don’t need much besides the soda, however the variations are endless,” says Nguyen. “You can add sparkling wine, or vermouth, or trade the amaro for an aperitif.” Veli Sirt, the owner of Entwine, a cocktail bar in downtown Manhattan, recommends trying an Aperol highball with half an ounce of dry vermouth, 1-1/2 ounces of aperol, lime, simple syrup and some soda water.
Trade In Tequila for a Shot of Averna or Montenegro
Your friend amaro comes in handy once again. Somebody Bar’s Megan Rickerson says she often trades in the tequila shot (about 40 percent ABV) for a shot of Averna (29 percent ABV) or Montenegro (23 percent ABV), which are lighter in alcohol content and gentler on the body.
Pick an Enticing Cocktail from the Menu and Ask for a Low-Alcohol Version
Let the cocktail menu inspire. Pick a drink that is calling your name and ask the bartender if they are able to make a low-alcohol version of it. Night of Joy’s Jen Armstrong tells us, “Our Hibiscus cocktail (mezcal, campari, lime, hibiscus and cinnamon) can be made low alcohol if we omit the mezcal and is equally as delicious and beautifully colored.”
Share a Flavor Profile with the Bartender and Ask for Something Low-ABV
From my own endeavors, I have often found that if you give a bartender a flavor profile, they can create a custom low- or non-alcohol drink for you. Whether it’s a sweet and fruity, something lemony and gingery (my go-to) or a drink that’s a little more bitter, let yourself be delightfully surprised by the many wonderful and delicious creations that can be made with all of the fun syrups, infusions and garnishes housed behind the bar.
Get Your Vodka Soda in a Tall Glass
Mood Ring, a Chinese American owned bar in Brooklyn with astrology-inspired cocktails, recommends asking for your vodka or tequila soda in a larger glass as a great way to stretch the alcohol in your drink just a little bit further. This tip works for lots of drinks (including many of the ones listed here) so it is a great one to consider when you are looking for a lower alcohol sip.
If In Doubt, Order a Bitters and Soda
At Mood Ring, along with many other bars, bitters and soda is a customer favorite and is an easy, low-ABV anytime drink.
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Request The Two Gs: Glassware and Garnishes
Someday Bar’s Megan Rickerson tells us that in her many years of bartending, she has had lots of people who don’t drink ask her to make them a non-alcoholic drink in a nicer glass. She told us that a special glass and garnish, like a dried lime peel, are simple asks that can make all the difference. Just add some accessories to your low ABV orders to give them that cocktail glow.
Sip On a Kir Royale
Night of Joy’s Jen Armstrong tells us that a Kir royale is a solid low-ABV option for those nights you want a less boozy kind of bubbly. Kir royales are made from champagne and creme de cassis, a liquor made from blackcurrants.
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