Not drinking at the moment? Wichita is suddenly a haven for mocktails, ‘zero-proof’ drinks
She’s pregnant — but her friends don’t know and she doesn’t want to tell them yet.
He’s a recovering alcoholic who hasn’t had a drink in a decade, but he hates standing out when everyone else at the table orders a cocktail.
They’re in their early 20s and have decided — to protect their mental health and in keeping with their healthy-living goals — that they don’t want to drink.
She’s in her 40s and frankly has too much to do on Sunday to deal with a hangover.
At Grow Giesen Plant Shop, which opened in 2022 at 320 S. Market and includes a trendy cocktail bar called Botanic, head bartender Samantha Scott has served drinks to people in all of the above situations.
It’s one of the reasons she loves working at the business, which is one of the local leaders of the “mocktail” movement.
Though alcohol-free cocktails are hardly a new invention — they’ve been popular on the coasts for years — the trend has been trickling in Wichita over the past year or two. Now, most of Wichita’s top bars and restaurants either have special “sober” cocktail menus or advertise their willingness to make versions of their drinks alcohol-free. Many also carry non-alcoholic beers and wines.
Data shows that people — especially younger people — are drinking less. A recent Gallup report on U.S. alcohol consumption showed that the number of people ages 18-34 who say they occasionally drink alcohol has dropped by 10 percentage points over the past two decades, from 72% to 62%.
“I think we’re really at a moment right now, especially in Wichita culture, where people are very sober curious,” Scott said. “People are starting to understand what it means to actually communicate and to be at events and to actually do that sober, which I think is really cool. I think a lot of people are trying it. “
The extensive mocktail menu at Grow is popular with customers, Scott said. On Valentine’s Day this year, 40% of the drinks the bar sold were from its sober menu. One of the most popular options is called Lavender Fields Forever and is made with a nonalcoholic spirit that replicates the flavor of Captain Morgan spiced rum. It also has honey lavender, mint, lime and tonic. The finished product is an eye-catching pastel purple and is served in a tall glass with a fresh mint garnish.
One of the reasons mocktails have become more popular, Scott said, is that the quality of available non-alcoholic spirits has increased dramatically over the past couple of years. Grow uses both Seedlip and Abstinence non-alcoholic spirits, and many of them are incredibly convincing. Grow uses the companies’ rums and gins mostly, but imitation tequilas and whiskeys are also available, as are several imitation liqueurs.
“When they first came out, they tasted ridiculous,” Scott said. “But they’ve come a long, long way in just a couple of years. They have a very similar mouthfeel, a similar fragrance, and some of them do have a similar burn.”
One common misconception, though, is that non-alcoholic cocktails cost less. They don’t, really, said Grown owner Heather Giesen. Non-alcoholic spirits are still pricey, and customers are also paying for the “craft” that goes into making a craft cocktail.
Jason Rickard, who co-owns FioRito Ristorante at 3134 E. Douglas with his brother, Jordan, said that the restaurant’s new cocktail menu offers non-alcoholic versions of at least half of the craft cocktails it sells.
Rickard said he’s noticed that the mocktail trend has taken over during the last six months, and bars and restaurants looking for new ways to market themselves need to get on board.
But Rickard said he thinks a non-alcoholic cocktail should cost less. In an effort to keep mocktail prices lower, he’s trying to create his own non-alcoholic spirits using minerals and juniper berries, and he thinks his version will be “just as good or better” than the mass market options now available.
He’s not sure mocktail mania will continue at its current pace, he said, but there’s no doubt it’s a big deal in Wichita right now.
“I think it’ll peak this year and then will taper off,” said Rickard, himself a non-drinker. “But there will always be a need for mocktails. I’m glad that’s a cultural shift we’ve had.”
A few other Wichita mocktail spots
6S Steakhouse, 6200 W. 21st St.: This fine-dining restaurant offers non-alcoholic drinks and carries Heineken 0.0, a non-alcoholic beer.
The Belmont, 3555 E. Douglas: This restaurant’s bar offers several non-alcoholic cocktails as well as non-alcoholic beers.
Chicken N Pickle, 1240 N. Greenwich: This entertainment venue lists three different mocktails on its menu.
Douglas Social, 2518 E. Douglas: This bar has its own mocktail menu and makes non-alcoholic drinks with things like kombucha and non-alcoholic spirits.
Good Company Taps & Spirits, 2721 E. Central: This Revolutsia bar has a “zero proof” menu that offers a couple of cocktails made using Abstinence spirits. One is called Strawberry Feels...Forever and is made with Abstinence Cape Citrus, strawberry rhubarb, lemon cordial, Topo Chico and mint.
Siena Tuscan Steakhouse, 104 S. Broadway: This high-end hotel restaurant features an attractive bar that has two mocktails on its menu.
Vora Restaurant European, 3252 E. Douglas: This restaurant offers non-alcoholic wine and cocktails.
Vorshay’s Cocktail Lounge, 417 E. Douglas: This bar not only offers live music but it also has a lengthy mocktail menu and serves Heineken 0.0 and a few canned mocktails.
This story was originally published February 16, 2024 at 2:14 PM.
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