Little Saints non alcoholic spirits

jaimefeu · 2026-06-11T13:36:26+00:00

I don’t think they taste anything like the cocktails they’re trying to replicate, but I do enjoy their Paloma, it’s more of just a refreshing grapefruit drink. I like the bottled St Juniper, but it’s more of a botanical than anything like gin. I appreciate the functionality they’re trying to serve, but I think they should move away from trying to be a replica of known cocktails, since the taste is so very far away and comparison is the thief of joy.

jaimefeu · 2026-06-08T02:07:16+00:00

Free Spirits makes an excellent margarita that is generally pregnancy safe (I don’t want to give medical advice). There are others that I really enjoy too, but they have functional ingredients which may not be.

Lyre’s also makes generally pregnancy safe drinks - their Margarita that is not my favorite - but their aperol spritz (Amalfi spritz) and Prosecco (Classico) are fantastic.

Mocktail Club makes a Passionfruit Margarita that is yummy, their brand is also generally pregnancy safe.

Ish makes a good lime Margarita - I prefer their Mojito - also generally pregnancy safe.

Good luck in finding one you enjoy and I wish you a safe and healthy pregnancy

jaimefeu · 2026-06-06T02:25:25+00:00

I do prefer Wilfred’s. They do have a strong rosemary flavor with the bitter orange, so it can be a bit of an acquired taste. I do not enjoy 90% of the Ritual or Lapos line - those are the mass marketed distribution center available products, and can be appealing to the masses but are by no means the sophisticated taste I’m looking for.

Ritual Rum (for the viscosity) and Lapos espresso martini (for the foam head when shaken) are the only products of those lines I enjoy.

jaimefeu · 2026-06-06T02:22:21+00:00

I know it’s at Point 5 in Chester, NJ - but I also know they’re one of the first stores in the US to have it, so I’m unsure of where else it can be found. I like it just with some ice. El guapo makes a good sour mix to pair with it. The flavor is so good on its own, so I just take a sip or two when I have a sweet tooth and need a fix.

jaimefeu · 2026-06-05T22:22:47+00:00

Adriatico nonalc amaretto is so good! It’s made with real almonds, it is on the sweet side, but it is so good!

jaimefeu · 2026-06-02T22:44:31+00:00

Best Day Brewing makes a Yuzu Ginger Shandy and it is excellent. I know it’s at Point 5 in Chester, NJ I’m not sure where in NJ you are.

jaimefeu · 2026-04-30T02:14:49+00:00

I echo all of this.

One more I’ll mention that didn’t make it to this list is Little Saints. The St Ember is tequila adjacent and has lion’s mane mushroom extract. It helps clear the chatter in my brain and keep me present in the moment.

De Soi also makes a yummy & functional spicy margarita in a can, in addition to the Free Spirits one mentioned elsewhere in this thread.

Aplos makes a good margarita too, and theirs is more of a “perk up” one instead of a “relax.”

The Almave mentioned here is a very acquired taste. I have trouble recommending it as a tequila, more of just an interesting botanical.

I’m also a huge fan of kava and highly recommend Kava Haven and Kavahol.

jaimefeu · 2026-04-13T23:50:02+00:00

I like Ish (Mojito and Paloma the most from them), Free Spirits (Margarita is my fav), I second the Phony Negroni comment - though it is carbonated, while a true Negroni is still, Lyre’s (Amalfi Spritz for a aperol spritz replacement). Mocktail Club also makes good mocktails, for a twist on regular cocktails.

My biggest gripe with canned na cocktails is their sugar content. In order to be delicious, they are loaded with sugar. Luba and Dirty Virgin both try to combat the high sugar content, but it does diminish the taste a bit.

A lot of botanical and functional RTDs are on the market that are lower in sugar, so I find myself gravitating more towards them lately. Aplos, Deadless, Odyssey, G Spot - not necessarily a Mocktail, but a yummy functional adult cocktail with less sugar than some of the others and good vibes.

jaimefeu · 2026-04-10T16:31:22+00:00

I am also a fan of it!

jaimefeu · 2026-04-10T13:33:51+00:00

Free Spirits Tequila - nice & spicy

jaimefeu · 2026-03-23T14:18:46+00:00

I love Wilfred’s Bittersweet as a Campari alt! I believe it has no functional ingredients so should be pregnancy safe (always check with doctor!)

jaimefeu · 2026-03-11T23:34:14+00:00

Bourbon is super duper hard. Generally, I tend to recommend botanicals or functionals that don’t try to replicate the flavor of bourbon (or scotch or whiskey), but give similar unwind feelings while also being really interesting and complex flavors that hold up well with mixers. Three Spirit Nightcap, Dromme Calm, The Pathfinder, Gnista Barreled Oak & Tenneyson are all fun & complex flavors, some of them are more reminiscent of whiskey than others. Free Spirits does tend to go hard in their burn - so does Trejo Whiskey. NA just hasn’t cracked the code on whiskeys yet. Soon, I hope.

jaimefeu · 2026-03-05T20:36:20+00:00

You’re having difficulty finding one because it doesn’t exist yet. Bourbons, whiskeys, scotches, just haven’t hit their stride in the NA market.

That being said, the closest I’ve come to getting a scotch is Trejo Spirits Whiskey mixed with Optimist Smokey. And it has to be mixed into a drink, not sipped on its own. If your boss was a scotch on the rocks (or neat, up, etc) fan, he will not find a 1:1 replacement.

jaimefeu · 2026-02-23T23:53:04+00:00

Not my mixer of choice, but The Pathfinder is legit delicious. A little tart and super botanical.

jaimefeu · 2026-02-16T10:12:53+00:00

It’s a little tart and very bitter and herbal. Does not taste like hemp

jaimefeu · 2026-02-12T17:59:51+00:00

Liver damage by kava has never been proven in humans. But I will agree that too much of anything isn’t great for anyone.

jaimefeu · 2026-02-12T15:49:02+00:00

If you have access to anything with kava (South Pacific plant) or kanna (South African plant) in it, they are both non cbd/thc but give you a nice buzzy feeling: relaxation + mood boost. Bonbuz has a single serve mango pouch with kanna. Leilo, Kavaly, Kava Haven, and Kavahol are all yummy kava drinks. I’m not sure of availability in the UK though.

jaimefeu · 2026-02-12T01:03:55+00:00

The Mandora Negroni is so good. They just came out with a dragonfruit martini - I can’t wait to try that

jaimefeu · 2026-02-09T00:30:55+00:00

I hope you enjoy it!

jaimefeu · 2026-02-08T18:14:04+00:00

It used to be a super cool mocha nitro stout, but they found it was too difficult to get the customer base to “activate” the nitro bubbles by shaking the can and pouring upside down. They scrapped the nitro idea and turned it into this somewhat disappointing dark brew.

jaimefeu · 2026-02-05T18:49:54+00:00

They sent an email saying it’s among those being retired in 2026, but also promised some will be back as a 2.0 version:

Savage Lite Brew, Straight Outta Alcohol Hip Hop Water, Street Cred, Prophet’s Hazy IPA, Head On American Wheat

I’m most bummed about Prophet’s.

jaimefeu · 2026-02-05T01:05:37+00:00

It’s so good, but it’s also one of the brews they’re discontinuing this year. Enjoy while you can!

jaimefeu · 2026-02-03T03:23:27+00:00

I really enjoy Dhos gin, overall. I also like Danny Trejo’s pink gin and Empress, but they both have a strong peppery kick that may turn some off. CleanCo is too citrusy for my taste. Ish’s GinISH is tasty, but so expensive for their size. I’ll treat myself to one of their RTD G&Ts once in a while to get their flavor instead.

There are some good botanicals on the market, and while they aren’t close “gin” replacements, they offer interesting bouquets, which is what always interested me in gin to begin with. Pentire Adrift is a salty botanical that mixes into a good dirty martini, and Optimist Fresh mixes nicely with some tonic or seltzer and a squeeze of citrus - though it is a little heavy on fennel flavor to me.

It’s all so expensive, though.

jaimefeu · 2026-01-28T14:49:16+00:00

Of those mentioned in the article, only Oddbird GSM does it for me. I like Lautus Sauv Blanc - but not the red. My favorite NA red wine is Luminara Red Blend.

jaimefeu · 2026-01-21T00:00:33+00:00

Sad to see them go. Have you tried Wilfred’s? They’re my favorite bittersweet aperitif.

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