The percentage of Americans who say “bottoms up” is going down: a 2025 Gallup poll found that 54% of adults report drinking alcohol, a record low since Gallup began tracking consumption in 1939. PW pored over some of the forthcoming books that speak to this trend, offering low- and no-booze options for the health conscious and sober curious.
Both Sides of the Glass
Married actors Harris, a cocktail enthusiast, and Burtka, a chef who celebrated eight years sober in 2024, present twinned cocktails and mocktails. Trade the usual brown liquor for the Lyre’s alternative, add a few more tweaks, and the manhattan becomes a Liar’s Manhattan (“with an edge that feels quite close to the real thing,” per the headnotes). A martini-adjacent Alaska—gin, green Chartreuse, orange bitters—transforms into an Iceberg with the help of two nonalcoholic spirits.
In Session
Playing with the dual meaning of “session”—low-octane booze; musical gathering—spirits entrepreneur Grasse, food and travel writer Erace, and cocktail specialist Noble dream up eight themed meetups (from Brunch to Late Nite) with lower-proof cocktails and food, accompanied by drummer Hall’s playlists. For instance, Book Club Session suggestions include the Epilogue, a Last Word spin that swaps out gin for sake; a tapenade-coated pasta salad (“as charcoal as a Gothic moor”); and, naturally, “Everyday I Write the Book” by Elvis Costello and the Attractions.
The Mocktail Hour
Drinks writer Smith and brand ambassador Rivers sling alternative versions of typical tipples, such as margarita and paloma variations that trade tequila, typically 80 proof, for a blue agave spirit with 0.5% ABV (the threshold for a nonalcoholic designation). They also zhuzh up everyday beverages, as in an elevated fruit punch inspired by powdered drink mix flavors, and cover tea- and coffee-based drinks, winter warmers, and more.
The Nonalcoholic Bar
According to veteran bartender and beverage writer deBary, a mocktail can be as complex and appealing as an alcoholic drink. As (zero) proof, deBary serves up flavor-forward recipes including a honey sidecar with pineapple and lemon juices infused with saffron honey, and a “Midori” sour with honeydew juice and acidic verjus, each depicted in a color-saturated illustration.
Three Cheers
World Class bartending champion Stewart showcases 55 cocktail recipes, each with three variations—the classic, a modern riff, and zero proof. A textbook Tom Collins (gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, club soda) becomes a Tom Cat Collins, with Aperol, Peychaud’s bitters, and Stewart’s recipe for milk liqueur and acid-adjusted grapefruit juice; her nonalcoholic twist, a Joan Collins, uses 0% ABV gin and a lemon oleo-saccharum to amp up the flavor.
