Kerri Fitzgerald and Kerry Boyd, founders of 86 Spirits, met for a chat at Supperland one evening. Fitzgerald was sober-curious and knew Boyd was successfully navigating an alcohol-free (AF) lifestyle. Fitzgerald’s attempts to live healthier kept getting derailed by unsustainable diets and nights with one too many drinks. She was also starting to wonder if she was using alcohol to numb pandemic lows. That evening, she opted for a mocktail instead — but was disappointed.

Even though we gave Supperland a 4.5 out of 5-star review, they didn’t deliver what Fitzgerald was hoping for that night. “It tasted like my kids’ SweeTarts candy,” Fitzgerald recalls. It’s an experience she’s had at many Charlotte bars and restaurants.

Soul Gastrolounge’s mixologist Kel Minton acknowledges the issues with non-alcohol, or NA, beverage service. When asked what makes it so challenging, he says a large part of that is the lack of ingredients. 

“A lot of things we use for complexity are alcohol-based,” he says. 

Minton says he’s all for improving the alcohol-free landscape in Charlotte. “I want to see more options on menus other than just flavored lemon/limeade,” he says. “I think it’ll be more prevalent as people continue to focus on health and mental health.” He is currently working on supplementing Tattoo’s offerings with a spirit-free selection on the back bar. Grant Achatz’ book Zero is providing plenty of inspiration. He also recently enjoyed some of what Lincoln Street Kitchen & Cocktails on Church Street has to offer, with its wide variety of shrubs and natural sodas. These kinds of zero-proof cocktail menus are difficult to find, though. 

Unable to find quality alcohol-free options when dining out, Boyd and Fitzgerald even went so far as to bring along their own mason jar of non-alcoholic Ritual tequila alternative for margaritas one evening. That’s when they knew they held a solution to a beverage service gap, literally in their hands. 

86 Spirits, helmed by Boyd and Fitzgerald, now acts as liaison between beverage manufacturers and the service industry. The two friends have been educating, consulting, and distributing in the Carolinas to enhance availability and increase awareness for restaurants and their patrons.

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The New York Times reports that “in the next five years, the nonalcoholic beverage market is going to be worth an estimated $1.6 trillion.”

And with good reason. 

The pandemic has been a breeding ground for existing dependencies to surge and for new ones to emerge. 

“With Covid, 5 p.m. became 4 p.m., and 4 p.m. became 3 p.m.,” says Christine Wayne, owner of On the Mocks — a community, marketing platform, and online store for those with sober lifestyles. “People became depressed, wondering ‘Is the world coming to an end?’ People’s jobs were being lost. Marriages were being disrupted. I started the OTM Facebook group on March 15, before knowing the timing would be perfect.”

She designed it to be an all-inclusive space for people to come together while home to share booze-free alternatives, including bartenders, as well as to share their experiences and encourage others. OTM community activity buzzed as many began to realize their excessive consumption and people began to question their relationships with alcohol.

“There’s been a renaissance of sorts,” Wayne says. “I look at [the pandemic] as almost a dark period of drinking for people followed by the awareness that they need to cut back. It showed this huge gray spectrum of in-between too. You’re not just an alcoholic or not.”

Before Covid-19 hit, Wayne admitted to herself she was no longer “so fun” when she drank, and entered herself into a 30-day treatment program. Sober since spring of 2019 and now expecting her first child, she’s keenly aware she’s not alone, which is why the community aspect of her business is so vital. 

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One community pivotal in addressing addiction and substance abuse, particularly for the food and beverage industry, is Ben’s Friends. The nonprofit provides tools and connection for those who have found or are seeking sobriety. The organization offers both online and in-person meetings nationwide. Charlotte area meetings occur every Monday at 11 a.m. at South End sushi restaurant O-Ku Charlotte. 

Minton is celebrating seven months of sobriety this October. “Willpower and my family motivate me,” he says. “I definitely am drinking way too many red bulls now.”

There are a variety of reasons beyond maintaining sobriety to try alcohol-free drinks or alcohol alternatives. Boyd of 86 Spirits was seeking a more health-minded lifestyle. She completed Dry January and felt great. Then, she over-imbibed during The Super Bowl and threw her own non-alcoholic Hail Mary. “I drank that whole weekend and just felt awful,” she says. “I gave up alcohol for a month and felt great. I started to wonder, ‘Why am I doing this?’ Kerri and I are very active. I stopped drinking. Then Kerri stopped drinking shortly thereafter.”

For those who want to stock up or try out some booze-free products, On the Mocks sells carefully curated boxes including a variety of zero-proof spirits, NA beer, and alcohol-removed wine. Wayne dreams of one day being in a brick-and-mortar space where Charlotteans can browse, shop, sip, and sample. 

The owners of 86 Spirits have big plans, too, and hope by providing consultations, education, and distribution, they can create a more plentiful alcohol-free world as they work with hospitality professionals directly. The business began this summer, and clientele already includes Oh My Soul, Dilworth Tasting Room, cocktail bar Idlewild, NoDa Company Store, Stroke, Wine Loft, The Vintage Whiskey & Cigar Bar, Novelty House, and most recently The Stanley. 

Fitzgerald’s role includes educating clients on how to better sell and explain booze-free cocktails. “They have to get on board with it,” she says. “It’s like teaching servers to upsell Pepsi products, but these are healthy and with a higher price point, which is going to help the restaurant and staff earn more money.” She notes that it can be as simple as listing “…or made with [fill-in-the-blank alcohol alternative]” on the cocktail menu. Bartenders can often use 1:1 ratio swaps in cocktail recipes, and there are plenty of benefits to share with customers: made with botanicals, no added sugar, no synthetic sugars, and flavor intensity.

Will a customer be willing to pay around the same price for an alcohol-free or alcohol alternative beverage when they’re actually losing the alcohol? They should be, according to Wayne, Boyd, and Fitzgerald, because of what they’re gaining.   

Wayne admits that she at first thought her NA journey was going to be inexpensive, and she did save a lot initially by drinking a lot of sparkling water. As she desired more variety and flavor though, she soon realized AF products are still manufactured, crafted, and packaged. “It’s still beer. They just remove the alcohol. It can actually cost more and take more work. I didn’t balk at a vodka soda costing $10. I’d buy three. I was paying for the high. Now I get a buzz from being present. Now, I’m paying to know I can be out and about and included and not feel different.”

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Inclusivity and overall health are key benefits of the NA movement. Restaurant-goers may need or desire a zero-proof drink for a variety of reasons: sobriety, sober curiosity, pregnancy, business lunch etiquette, designated driving, or wellness. Plus, eliminating or decreasing alcohol consumption has been known to improve disease resistance in general. According to The Mayo Clinic, paring down alcohol consumption to no more than one drink a day for women can dramatically decrease the odds of developing breast cancer, including those already at high risk. 

Fortunately, there are many promising NA beverages to taste on the market, with many more in development. Fitzgerald is especially excited to start distributing Amethyst cordials from Burnt Church Distillery. “It is without any question the best non-alcohol product I’ve tasted, clean and neat; I couldn’t believe the first sip,” she says. “When I bring it out for some of the top bartenders we’re working with, they just pause and say, ‘Wow.'”

It’s not always that easy, however. “I meet forward thinkers, and I meet people who laugh in my face,” Fitzgerald says. “There are ones who resist due to seasonal menu changes and corporate decision making, but I say to them, ‘Be the leaders in the cultural shift. Make a name for yourself. This is a hot topic right now. You want to wait six months or a year? That’s old news. Today is when you do this.”

Ready to see what the AF scene in CLT is all about? 

• Check out On the Mocks, and dip into the community to see what it’s all about. Shop with discount code ONTHEMOCKS to save 10 percent on any order.
• Schedule a consultation for your restaurant with 86 Spirits to learn more.
• Try out this NA recipe, courtesy of 86 Spirits’ resident “nixologist” Kerry Boyd.

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Disclosure: The links above may be affiliate links, which means Unpretentious Palate earns a small commission on any sales of the items above. Since nearly everything is available on Amazon these days, this has no influence on which items we feature.

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