Farewell to the era when mocktails were nothing more than a simple mix of juice, sweet syrups and sparkling water. For several years now, there has been a real revolution in the world of non-alcoholic products, and it’s felt on Kóz’s drinks menu, of course!
Where Does the Trend Come From?
The term mocktail isn’t new. In fact, it is believed to have been used for the first time in 1916 to describe a “fake cocktail,” just before the United States Prohibition era from 1920 to 1933, when producing, importing and selling alcohol was prohibited.
But let’s fast-forward to today, an era where millennials and Generation Z are increasingly “sober-curious”, or curious about a lifestyle of complete sobriety. According to a large NielsenIQ study in 2024 regarding the rise of non-alcoholic beverages in Quebec, health and well-being are the main reasons why consumers turn to non-alcoholic products, without necessarily living in total sobriety. Debauchery is over: for these young adults, moderation tastes a lot better.
According to the same report, sales of non-alcoholic products rose by 24% between 2023 and 2024. Beer dominates with more than 76% of sales, nothing less! As for ready-to-drink non-alcoholic cocktails, they grew by 168% in that same period. With demand there, supply is also developing rapidly.
Picture Bernard Brault, Kolada mocktail
Endless Variations
There is now everything in non-alcoholic versions (and there’s even an entire section dedicated to so-called alternative products on the SAQ website): wine, beer, spirits, sparkling wines, ready-to-drink, etc.
Moreover, mixologists are doubling down on creativity to offer, in bars and restaurants across the province, mocktails that are more elegant, more refined and more original than ever. We can now craft a gin and tonic, a rum and cola, a mojito, or create something entirely new with non-alcoholic spirits. No wonder the mention of mocktails on menus increased by almost 30% in 2024, again according to the aforementioned report. It’s now nearly impossible to go to a restaurant and not have any non-alcoholic option (besides sparkling water or a soft drinks, of course!)
Québécois Products
Our local distillers and microbrewers have fully embraced the non-alcoholic trend, diversifying their offerings by creating new, very interesting products.
The microbrewery Le BockAle was a pioneer in the field, specializing in non-alcoholic beers as early as 2016. The first non-alcoholic spirits from Noroi Distillery, highly appreciated by consumers and used by several mixologists, arrived in 2021. That same year, Monsieur Cocktail launched its NOA range (standing for non-alcoholic) including, among other non-alcoholic spirits, an amaretto, a gin, an Italian aperitif and more. Closer to home, in Magog, Cherry River Distillery now offers many non-alcoholic ready-to-drink options that we love. And that’s just a tiny fraction of all the good things being made here today!
On Our Drinks Menu
Several of our Kóztails (signature cocktails) are now offered in a mocktail version, and we also have our famous iced teapots to share, that we can serve in a non-alcoholic or dealcoholized version. To keep the essence of a cocktail, we use, when available, non-alcoholic spirits to replace the alcohol in our refreshing creations.
Iced teapots, mocktails
Are you feeling thirsty? Come sip a mocktail on our sunny terrace this summer!
