There are few indulgences that do not come home to roost in life. Eat a steady diet of fast food, and you get fat. Skip paying taxes, and you get a visit from Uncle Sam’s less-then-charming representative. Mess with the bull, and you get the horns.
Throughout all of civilized history, the same fact of life applied to alcohol. Ever since, as some historians suggest, beer’s forefather sprang from grain stored in conditions that encouraged natural fermentation, humanity has sought to take the edge off with a little libation. That dance ultimately demanded the band be paid, which it has been in ways memorable, painful and even tragic ever since.
Then a funny thing happened on the way to the local bar or liquor store: the emergence and growing popularity of nonalcoholic beverages.
Such products are not new; lower-alcohol “near beer” and sacramental wine used in religious services have been around for generations, though they commanded admittedly less shelf space than what is seen today. All that changed a few years ago, and the result has been nothing short of transformative for brewers, vintners and distillers the world over.
“Nonalcoholic beverages are no longer a niche alternative — they’re reshaping how people socialize, unwind and decide what to drink,” wrote Louis Biscotti for Forbes in May. “Alcohol isn’t disappearing, but the role is changing. Consumers are drinking it less often, saving it for premium occasions and making room for a wider range of beverages.”
The trend has been led by younger generations, many of whom eschew alcohol in spurts or full time in a movement dubbed “sober curious.” Food Navigator reported as many as 40 percent of consumers, especially among Gen Z, have climbed on the wagon, a buying bloc that got beverage companies’ attention and quickly. As Biscotti noted, beverage spending overall is up 4.4 percent, and nonalcoholic sales are up 6.2 percent versus 2.4 percent growth for alcoholic beverages.
Today, a much wider lineup of significantly more palatable low- and no-alcohol packaged beverages can be found at the store. The same can be said for the hospitality industry, where mocktail menus are far more common than they used to be.
Chalk it up to generational differences, changing tastes, a focus on health, less glorification of drunkenness or merely a fad with legs, but NA has become an important component of the beverage industry and a consumer preference that bars and restaurants ignore at their own peril. AY About You visited some well-known Arkansas establishments to find the local impact of this sobering new trend.
J&S HOSPITALITY GROUP
Hot Springs
One could be forgiven for assuming J&S Hospitality Group of Hot Springs would be among the last to embrace the mocktail and low/no-alcohol trend.
After all, the restaurant company owns two of the city’s most iconic bars, The Ohio Club and Copper Penny Pub, neither of which exactly built its reputation on unleaded beverages. The company owns Fisherman’s Wharf, where few things in life can top oysters on the half shell and a hoppy India pale ale. Plus the company owns J&S Italian Villa, a purveyor of fine Italian fare that begs to be paired with a primo bottle of wine.
(Photo courtesy of The Ohio Club)
However, the seasoned restaurateurs — company owners Saddiq and Jeannie Mir — did not get to where they are by ignoring the voice of the dining public, which had led to a number of nonalcoholic creations that are quickly becoming mainstream.
“In the restaurant business, you have a whole bunch of data; some places have small data, and we are fortunate enough to have big data,” he said. “The data tells us that over the last two years, there’s been increased demand for mocktails.
“I believe there are different reasons for this. Some people don’t drink, but they’re out with friends who do. Some people are the designated driver for the group, or they have one regular drink and then don’t want to have another one because they have to drive home. A mocktail takes care of all of that.”
Mir said he does not see any difference between catering to those customer preferences and modifying a dish to meet dietary needs.
“Our food menus are very, very focused and concerned about people’s needs, let’s say people who are allergic or sensitive to some mixed nuts or seafood or whatever,” he said. “We take the same approach for mocktails.”
Formulating the beverages took some doing but not as much as even a few short years ago, Mir said, because of better and more accessible ingredients.
“Even five years ago, the drinks were not commonly around. You had to ask for them,” he said. “I’ve been up in Vegas, and I was at other places, and I can tell you, five years ago, a bartender would have to scramble to make one up. Today we have 10 mocktails at The Ohio Club alone, and some nights, honestly, I am pleasantly surprised that we sell 50, 60 mocktails.”
Saddiq said while being stubborn and resistant to change misses the point of the hospitality business, there is also something to be said for alcohol’s historic role as a bonding agent among guests, whether at a tailgate, a group dinner out or a formal celebration. Providing a beverage that allows nondrinkers to commune with their friends fixes that while still respecting patrons’ individual lifestyle choices.
“Let’s say there’s a wedding party, and they want a champagne toast, and one person doesn’t drink. You don’t want them to feel, like, ‘Oh my goodness, everybody is going to be looking at me,’ or ‘Everybody else is going to be uncomfortable around me if I’m not drinking,’” he said, “or let’s say your 15-year-old children are sitting with you, and they want to participate like the adults, right? Well, we just put the mocktail in a fancy glass just like a regular cocktail or something sparkling in a champagne glass, and everyone is happy. We try to make it fun.”
ALLSOPP & CHAPPLE RESTAURANT + BAR
Little Rock
Some things never go out of style, such as the chef-inspired American fare at Allsopp & Chapple Restaurant + Bar, making the downtown Little Rock restaurant a favorite for regular and special occasions alike.
Other things do bend to the winds of change and public taste, such as reducing red meat intake and the rise of vegetarian and vegan dishes. To that list, add low/no-alcohol beverages, from mocktails to NA beers, some of the best of the genre can be had at the upscale eatery.
(Photo at courtesy of Allsopp and Chapple)
General Manager Dillon Garcia said the very recent trend continues to grow mostly in the name of clean living.
“I think a lot of it has to do with people living healthier,” he said. “You know, when I was in my early 20s, the cool thing to do was to go to the club and get drunk and close down the 5 a.m. bars. I think with this current generation, people in their early 20s, we’re just not seeing that anymore. Some of them will drink but not to the extent my group did.
“Then the older generation still wants to have a great drink, but they’re not interested in drinking too much like they did when they were younger. They want something fun, something that’s not just a soda or tea, but they’re also not trying to be irresponsible with it.”
Garcia said the emergence of quality nonalcoholic or low-alcohol components has also accelerated the trend. Where once teetotalers had to suffer through mixers that carried a strong artificial taste, today’s creations have none of that.
“There’s so many more options to work with nowadays,” Garcia said. “Used to, if you wanted a nonalcoholic flavor, you had something that was full of high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and artificial food colorings. Now we have products made by great companies that actually imitate different spirits.
“For example, Giffard, out of France, has been known for years in the bartending community as one of the most high-quality liqueur options to get whatever flavor,” he said. “Their grapefruit actually tastes like grapefruit. Their banana actually tastes like banana.”
(Photo courtesy of Allsopp and Chapple)
About the only thing the new low- and no-alcohol components cannot replicate is the burn associated with regular spirits. Flavorwise, however, everything can not only be recreated but used in entirely new ways, Garcia said.
“None of the [manufacturers] have been able to master that burn effect, and you probably don’t want to sit there and drink a nonalcoholic bourbon by itself,” he said, “but they have been able to add that oakiness and the wood notes and the caramel notes and stuff like that to it. That makes it perfectly acceptable for mixing into a mocktail.”
In other situations, substitution is the name of the game. Garcia said in the hands of the right bartender, a mocktail can deliver all the flavor and none of the regret the next day.
“We do a ginger spritz using different flavors that we make in the restaurant,” he said. “It’s very similar to a mule with the lime juice and the ginger beer. A regular mule does typically use vodka, but we’ve chosen not to use any nonalcoholic spirit substitute. We’re just adding a little extra flavor to it so it’s not like you’re just drinking ginger beer. It’s ended up being the best seller of our nonalcoholic options.”
CYPRESS SOCIAL
North Little Rock
When one of the most popular restaurants in central Arkansas leans into something the way Cypress Social in North Little Rock has leaned into no- and low-alcohol drinks, it is a pretty good barometer of where the consumer is moving.
“It creeped up about two or three years ago, and it’s slowly gotten busier and busier in terms of how many mocktails we sell,” said Rob Roy Armstrong, bar manager. “I’m seeing more steady growth, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to wane at all.”
Despite the short length of time NA beverages have been a thing, the industry has responded quickly, Armstrong said. Drink components and self-contained beverages such as no- or low-alcohol beer or wine are greatly improved and much easier to find.
“I’ve noticed the quality of nonalcoholic beers and sparkling and still wines have improved greatly because there’s a market for it, and suppliers are trying to meet that demand,” he said. “Nonalcoholic IPA beers, for instance, are hop-forward and delicious with a great depth of flavor. In terms of the mocktails I create, I can create any mocktail with the flavor of a cocktail.
“For instance, we have a spicy margarita that has tequila in it called The Hissy Fit, and we’ve created a nonalcoholic spicy drink to match that, The Bright Burn, with jalapeno dragon fruit syrup made from scratch, pineapple juice, fresh lime juice and ginger beer. All these ingredients are nonalcoholic while still adding to the experience of our guests.”
(Photo courtesy of Cypress Social)
Armstrong said the popularity of such drinks has opened new doors and turned on new audiences to the restaurant. Cypress Social hosts special menus from time to time, and having nonalcoholic options that are tasty and fun have proven a valuable addition.
“We have many special occasions here at Cyprus,” he said. “We have a Taylor Swift menu and a Comic Con menu and menus for whenever a special artist is in town. Oftentimes, people want to come out and participate in the fun and be part of the party but don’t necessarily want to drink alcohol.
“For example, our Taylor Swift event is a huge event for mothers and daughters to spend time together. They come out, wear fun clothes, friendship bracelets, and they can have a fun drink and not feel terrible afterward. Even underage daughters can participate.”
Armstrong said while beverages of this sort are often lumped under the generic header of “nonalcoholic,” people should be aware that the term can be misleading. Some mixers and other drink components used to construct the cocktail can contain trace amounts of alcohol. Therefore, adults looking to avoid it completely or parents ordering something for their children should always ask for specifics on any drink to avoid issues later.
“There are certain nonalcoholic drinks that are on the nonalcoholic menu that we do not serve to kids under 21,” he said. “Nonalcoholic beers might have trace amounts of alcohol and bitters have a trace amount. As bartenders, we make sure that there’s no trace of alcohol in our mocktails that are going out to kids. We don’t play around when it comes to that. However, an adult who wants to avoid alcohol due to medications or other lifestyle choices should ask about a given drink.”
SEE THE FEATURE BELOW AND IN OUR SEPTEMBER 2026 ISSUE OF AY MAGAZINE
