The new buzz is forgetting the buzz

The mocktail is having a moment.

A mocktail is simply a nonalcoholic drink, but when you see one on the menu, you’ll usually find fun, fancy, handcrafted options. The term was coined during Prohibition when restaurants needed to find an alternative to cocktails. For several years, these beverages have had a resurgence. Mocktail sales doubled nationwide in 2022, according to an NPR article.

Sales of other nonalcoholic beverages are also on the rise, such as booze-free beer and spiritless spirits. According to Statista, a market and consumer data company, revenue from non-alcoholic beer is expected to increase nearly 11% in 2023 after steadily gaining ground for years.

Some Springfield metro area establishments are paying attention to this trend and offering customers tastier alcohol-free drink options. Whether you don’t drink for health or personal reasons, you’re the designated driver, or you just want to enjoy an elevated beverage without alcohol, here are some sips to try.

Tie & Timber Beer Co.

Tie &Timber Beer Co. has some mouth-watering mocktails that are stunning, too. Hipster Rose is a revitalizing blend of rose hip tea, lemon juice and ginger simple syrup, topped off with bubbly tonic water.

Their Watermelon Mint No-jito is crafted with real watermelon, aromatic mint and sparkling water to create a delightful and refreshing mocktail. Hello, summer!

This popular brewery is dog friendly, a good spot for live music and a Rountree favorite hangout. Check their Facebook page for music schedules.

Harvest Restaurant

Harvest Restaurant takes its mocktails seriously. Everything at this Rogersville farm-to-table restaurant is an art. Chef and owner Craig von Foerster is nationally recognized and has cooked with celebrity chefs such as Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck. Von Foerster fell in love with Tamara Pursley, whose family owned a farm. They married and moved to Rogersville, where they run a farm and the restaurant. The dinner menu changes weekly, featuring whatever is fresh.

There are several lovely-sounding concoctions on the menu — one of the largest selections we could find. The Cos-No-Politan features Seedlip Garden (a non-alcoholic spirit made with peas and traditional garden herbs), cranberry juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup and orange peel.

The Lemon Bee is made with Seedlip Grove, which its parent website describes as a sophisticated, bright citrus blend of Mediterranean orange, lemon peel, lemongrass and ginger with a dry finish. It’s blended with lemon juice, honey water, orange juice and zest.

Old No-Fashioned boasts Kentucky 74 Spiritless whiskey, simple syrup and a Luxardo gourmet maraschino cherry.

The Abstinence Sour starts with Abstinence Aperitif, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white.

The Espresso Marti-No features Seedlip Spice, cold brew coffee and simple syrup. Cheers!

The Ozark Mill

The Ozark Mill Restaurant at Finley Farms offers spectacular views of the Finley River, farm-to-table dining and three handcrafted mocktails. If the mocktails are anything like the cocktails, we are in for a treat.

First up is the Strawberry Sage, which Kevin Longley, food and beverage general manager, says is the best strawberry lemonade ever. It’s made with strawberries, sage, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup.

The Blackberry Muse tastes like a Blackberry Moscow Mule minus the vodka. It features blackberries, ginger beer and fresh mint.

Lastly, the Sluice is a sweet and spicy beverage with passion fruit, chamoy (Mexican sauce made from dehydrated fruit and spices), lime and Mexican chili syrup. Longley says it tastes like a Mexican fruit salad, sweet with a punch of spicy.

Before and After Brewing

The new brewery in town, Before and After Brewing, has a Mango-Hibiscus Cooler that screams, “Drink me on a hot day.” It starts with mango juice mixed with hibiscus/raspberry tea, lime and French cardamom syrup, and is topped with Topo Chico club soda. The beverage is beautiful.

Doug Riddle, own of the owners, said they do not use the word mocktail, instead referring to the drink as nonalcoholic. He doesn’t like the idea of people being “mocked” because they don’t drink.

Before and After Brewing also carries nonalcoholic beers from Heineken and Athletic Brewing. Don’t let the construction surrounding the building deter you, they are open and whipping up creative fare to go along with their drinks.

Metropolitan Grill

Metropolitan Grill has a great selection for people who don’t partake but want something special to sip on, which one might expect from a fine dining establishment. They sell nonalcoholic wines in red, white, rosé and sparkling, three beers and four mocktails.

The nonalcoholic margarita is made with fresh-squeezed lime juice, orange juice and smoked agave simple syrup, and is topped off with soda water.

The Sunny Mimosa combines nonalcoholic sparkling and orange juice, a classic without the headache.

Their House Cola Old Fashioned features soda water and a house-made vanilla clove smoked simple syrup.

They also sell a fake gin and tonic made with Yuzu citrus and tonic water.

Pair any of these with the Freddy C. Spinach — flash-fried spinach topped with lemon, garlic and parmesan — one of the most legendary appetizers in Springfield.

Best of Luck Beer Hall

The crew at Best of Luck Beer Hall doesn’t have a designated mocktail menu, but the staff is gifted at whipping up a mocktail on the fly. They can customize one to your tastes.

You can also ask for the Bramble On, blackberry simple syrup and fresh lime juice topped with soda. That drink was created by Rogan Howitt, the beverage director of Good Spirits & Co., which operates Best of Luck, Cherry Picker Package x Fare, The Golden Girl Rum Club and Sweet Boy’s.

The beer hall has some delicious snacks to nosh on, like the crispy brussels or frites plate for an appetizer. The burgers are good, or try the fried chicken sandwich with Korean chili aioli, kimchi slaw and cilantro.

Gilardi’s Ristorante

If you’re in the mood for fine Italian cuisine and a special sip, try the Fresh Lavender and Lemon Faux-jito at Gilardi’s Ristorante.

Gilardi’s is housed in a gorgeous historic Victorian home on Walnut Street, and when James Martin bought the business in 2013 he began planting a large garden on the property. Fresh herbs and produce are harvested before the restaurant opens so customers can have the freshest produce possible.

The lavender they grow is infused into a simple syrup for this drink. It’s accented with fresh lemon juice instead of limes and a little club soda to create a satisfying summer drink.

“It’s been a huge hit,” said Andrew Schmutz, house manager.

Lemons, lavender and mint are a beautiful combination.

Keep your eye out for more mocktails because the restaurant is planning to expand its menu in the future, Schmutz said.

Vantage Rooftop Lounge and Conservatory

At Vantage Rooftop Bar, you won’t find a specific mocktail menu but can score some specialty nonalcoholic drinks. Take Maine Root Sarsparilla, for example. The company describes this as a light-bodied brother to Root Beer, with less clove and more wintergreen flavor. It’s made with Fair Trade Certified organic cane sugar.

Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher is a sparkling water made by Lagunitas Brewing Company, a brewery in California known for its hop-forward beers. This sparkling water is brewed with hops, giving it some fruity notes, but no alcohol.

This rooftop bar has great views of downtown and delicious small plates (the smoked fish appetizer is not to be missed).

Juliana Goodwin

Juliana Goodwin is a freelance journalist with experience covering business, travel and tourism, health, food and history. She is a former Food and Travel Columnist for the Springfield News-Leader, a former business reporter for The Joplin Globe, and has written for USA Today and Arkansas Living Magazine, among others. More by Juliana Goodwin

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