Mocktails & Low-Alcohol Drinks

An interesting dichotomy has been growing in the world of adult beverages for several years but has exploded recently. While the sales of high alcohol, spirit and wine-based products have enjoyed nice increases in the past several years (30% since 2011 in the U.S. – Source: Statista.com ), there has also been a more recent boom in sales of canned cocktails, hard seltzers, hard teas, ciders and non-alcoholic Mocktails.

In fact, a fascinating 2020 Trends Report by spirits company Bacardi found the #1 Trend in Cocktails at bars in cities worldwide, according to 83% of bartenders polled, is low alcohol drinks or no-alcohol drinks. A 2019 Google report showing a 42% increase in searches for “mocktails” appears to confirm the trend.

As the Bacardi report mentions, this trend is consistent with strong societal movements towards “mindful drinking” and more “conscious consumerism”. According to the Global Web Index (GWI), “the wellness industry looks set to grow nearly twice as fast as the global economy.” This plays into the hand of low and non-alcoholic drinks, which are also much lower in calories and sugars than traditional alcoholic beverages.

The Key to Lite Cocktails & Mocktails

For decades one of the Holy Grails of the flavor industry has been the development of convincing spirit, wine and beer flavors. Though history notes one instance of turning water into wine, that wedding wine likely contained alcohol. Since then, though many have tried, the ability to make some abundant liquid taste like a particular alcohol-based beverage while contributing little or no alcohol has largely alluded humanity.

However, in recent years significant progress has been made in the development of alcohol-like flavors. Though not perfect substitutes for real spirits, wine, and beer, abelei flavors offers a range of flavor solutions for low and non-alcoholic beverages that could make a competitive difference. In our 10,000+ formula flavor library are many variations of such flavors…

• Beer
• Gin
• Rum
• Tequila
• Vermouth
• Vodka
• Wine (White, Red, Rose’, Sherry, Marsala, etc.)

many of which are TTB-Approved for use in alcoholic beverages.

Creating Great-Tasting Mocktails & Low Alcoholic Drinks

Once you have a good alcohol-base note, the ability to create interesting and delicious low or non-alcoholic beverages becomes easier and, with abelei’s extensive flavor library, the sky is the limit. And, if you need help developing new, low, or non-alcoholic beverages, abelei has a team of beverage developers, flavorists, analytical chemists, sensory scientists and regulatory specialists on staff to support your development project.

If you are looking for ideas for new Mocktails or Seltzers, abelei can help you formulate virgin versions of the popular cocktails below, any variation thereof, or creative ideas you may have.

• Moscow Mule
• Cosmopolitan
• Old Fashioned
• Long Island Iced Tea
• Manhattan
• Paloma
• Mojito
• Tom Collins
• Gimlet
• Pina Colada
• Daiquiri
• Mimosa
• Margarita
• Mai Tai
• Negroni
• Gin & Tonic
• Whiskey Sour
• Irish Coffee
• Sidecar
• Kamikaze
• Bloody Mary
• White Russian

Contact abelei to Initiate a Project or Request Flavor Samples

abelei hopes the above information is helpful to your New Product Development process. If you would like to initiate a development project with our team of professionals, please click on the Schedule A Call button below. To order free flavor samples with suggested starting use levels in your product base, please click the Request A Sample button below.

With Flavorful Regards,

abelei flavors!