A new local bartending service aims to deliver the flavors and fun of boozy favorites without alcohol.
 
Launched earlier this month, Mocksie Craft Mocktails offers a selection of de-alcoholized classics and reimagined alternatives, some of which are created with natural ingredients to mimic the benefits of a buzz without the booze.
 
The business is operating primarily as a bartending service for now, although some pop-up events provide an opportunity to buy products to enjoy at home. Owner Carter Jewell secured a tasting room at 713 Princess St. to store her stock of dozens of zero-proof beers, seltzers, spirits and wines. This is where clients can come to sample products and plan a menu for an upcoming event.
 
Jewell has sourced a variety of booze-free nods to classic spirits like bourbon, gin and tequila for mocktails, although she recognized her nonalcoholic spirits work best in mixed drinks that are naturally less alcohol-forward.
 
“If you want a bourbon on the rocks, I’ve yet to find a bourbon on the rocks that has the same kind of mouthfeel,” Jewell said. “But we can make you a good mixed bourbon drink that tastes correct.”
 
Some spirits, like those made by Seedlip, weren’t made to mimic the flavor of traditional liquors. Instead, Seedlip’s Garden 108 features a bouquet of botanicals including hops, rosemary, spearmint and thyme to create a unique flavor profile for mixed drinks.
 
Another example is from De Soi, Katy Perry’s line of zero-proof options. Champignon Dreams is a sparkling aperitif that De Soi’s website describes as “juicy and balanced” with “notes of sticky summer strawberries, bitter grapefruit, and earth.” While the flavor is original, the drink was engineered with natural compounds like passion flower, reishi mushrooms and L-theanine (an amino acid sourced from green tea) to recreate the familiar sense of relaxation and stress relief that many seek in an alcoholic drink.
 
This approach is increasingly common in the nonalcoholic options available today, Jewell noted.
 
“A lot of them include natural ingredients to calm you down, to give that calming effect without the drunk effect,” she said.
 
One of the most popular items at a Dec. 9 open house for Mocksie’s tasting room was this type of spirit. Ghia is an earthy Mediterranean aperitif reminiscent of the herbal, bittersweet taste of Italian amari liqueurs. But unlike Aperol or Campari, Ghia is packed with ingredients selected for their ability to promote a calm and mindful drinking experience.
 
For those seeking the opposite effect, Mocksie also carries Three Spirit Livener, which promises to deliver an uplifting boost of pre-party energy through natural sources of caffeine and other mood boosters.
 
Original options like De Soi Champignon Dreams, Ghia and Three Spirit Livener provide an avenue for exploration for those who need to avoid the flavors of drinks enjoyed before sobriety.
 
“I’m really trying to be conscientious about the fact that a lot of people who don’t drink don’t want the taste of beer,” Jewell said. “They don’t want a nonalcoholic beer because it can be triggering for them.”
 
That said, Mocksie does carry de-alcoholized versions of beer and wine, including classic varieties like cabernet or merlot that are stripped of alcohol after a traditional manufacturing process to ensure the expected flavor profile. For beers, the company stocks a wide selection of styles from big names in nonalcoholic brews like Athletic Brewing Co. and Untitled Art, many of which aren’t otherwise available locally, plus lesser known options like woman-owned Busty Lush.
 
Prices per person for Mocksie’s bartending services are roughly $3-5 for beer, $5-7 for canned drinks and $10 for cocktails.
 
Jewell envisions adding a full-service nonalcoholic bottle shop as early as 2024 if Mocksie’s momentum supports it.
 
“I’d love to have a place where people can come and socialize and not have alcohol be the focus,” she said.
 
For more information, check out Mocksie’s website or visit one of their pop-up events this month:

• Dec. 17, noon to 4 p.m.: Tastings and more beneath the tent outside Mocksie’s tasting room at 713 Princess St.
• Dec. 19, 4–8 p.m: Nonalcoholic beers are the focus of this event at The Tipsy Goat Bottles & Taps, 1930 Castle Hayne Road, Suite 120
• Dec. 21, 4–8 p.m.: Mocktails and zero-proof spirits are the focus of this event at The Bash Pad, 812 Castle St., Suite A
• Dec. 31, noon to 4 p.m.: Tastings and more beneath the tent outside Mocksie’s tasting room at 713 Princess St.

 
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