Craft nonalcoholic cocktails on the rise at suburban bars, restaurants

A craft connoisseur seeking a break from beer walks into a bar. An expectant mother soon follows. After that, it’s a teenager flanking his folks, continuing a family night out.

Brewers and bartenders find scenarios like these are more common thanks to the recent rise of nonalcoholic cocktails.

“We’ve definitely seen an increase in demand for them,” said Nick Miller, general manager of Pollyanna Brewing and Distilling Co. in St. Charles. “For whatever reason, people are more conscious about consuming alcohol.

“Sometimes, the underage folks in the group, if they’re out with mom and dad, they want to still feel like they’re having something other than a kitty cocktail.”

Options for escaping that kids’ table staple abound around the suburbs. But first, a vocabulary refresher.

A nonalcoholic drink contains a “very negligible amount of alcohol,” says Nicole Bergner of Obscurity Brewing in Elburn, and patrons still must be over 21 to consume one.

Something that’s spirit-free, however, contains zero alcohol.

Various establishments use “mocktail” to describe nonalcoholic or spirit-free drinks. The brass at Obscurity, however, are aiming to phase it out within their walls to shift the concept of bars serving nonalcoholic drinks.

To Bergner, a former bartender turned mixologist and Illinois Crafted Hospitality general manager, it’s one way to help reduce reluctance for those wanting to go to bars without ordering alcohol.

“I’m happy to see that bartenders and restaurants are really tweaking their menus to accommodate those people,” she said. “Just because you don’t necessarily consume alcohol doesn’t mean that your experience has to be sacrificed.”

Considering the volume and diversity of activities at bars and breweries – including live music, game and trivia nights and food truck pop-ups – expanding the drink selection away from alcohol also can help cultivate a customer base.

“It’s not the old corner-bar stigma where you better be there drinking or there’s really no reason for you to be there,” Obscurity and Illinois Crafted co-owner Luke Goucher said. “It’s really opened our clientele to be able to be all-encompassing and really promote that social aspect both with groups of adults and with family so you can come out and enjoy an evening.”

The Graceful Ordinary, which overlooks the Fox River in downtown St. Charles, also dazzles patrons with its complement of spirit-free drinks. One offering, the Golden Gal, includes a collaboration with a nearby business, The Irie Cup. The drink blends grapefruit basil cordial, The Irie Cup’s Golden Glow Tea-infused syrup and grapefruit soda to create what the menu calls an “effervescent escape.”

Cross Main Street and head a few paces east to El Puente to try nonalcoholic takes on classic cocktails known for helping visitors get away, including margaritas, pina coladas, and daiquiris.

Many businesses offer hand-crafted nonalcoholic or spirit-free drinks, made with the same meticulousness as cocktails with spirits.

“Gone are the days of pineapple juice and grenadine,” Bergner said.

Not the age of nonalcoholic drinks, though. That has arrived and is here to stay.