At one time, the world of non-alcoholic drinks was limited to a few dusty old cans of O’Doul’s sitting in the back fridge of your local bar.
But more recently, the genre has exploded. Craft beer companies are bending the basic tenets of chemistry in an effort to make non-alcoholic IPAs, stouts, and other styles that more closely resemble their boozy cousins.
And restaurants are crafting mocktails that focus on flavor specifically tailored to a lack of alcohol. All of this comes at a time when young people are seemingly drinking less than young people did in previous generations, according to Gallup polls.
But what benefits do these non-alcoholic beverages even bring to consumers, if any?