MODSUB#104

The Perfect Non-Alcoholic Gin & Tonic Recipes

Wotcha!

As some of you know, my father passed away toward the end of July. He quietly championed this newsletter, giving me feedback each week during our Sunday morning calls and, once in a blue moon, asking me to bring over one of the drinks the next time I came back to England.

As I type this, I realize that he is still subscribed, and though I’ll never hit that “unsubscribe” button on the backend of this software, he’d get a chuckle if he knew he was now bringing down my open rate a notch.

He was a big Gin & Tonic fan. Whether we were at home or traveling, he always had the fixings for a good G&T. The last time I shared one with him was on his 80th birthday in a hotel room in London. He’d brought a small overnight bag with a change of clothes, a scarf for the football match we were going to the next day, and—more importantly—a bottle of Beefeater Gin and two bottles of lime-flavoured Schweppes tonic water. We drank and talked for hours before heading down for his birthday dinner.

So today’s issue is a small tribute to him. What is the perfect non-alcoholic G&T? I decided to ask six industry experts to weigh in on their favorite recipes. Here’s what they came back with.

This one’s for you, Dad.

Myles

P.S. A huge thank you to Zane, Ian, Sam, Laura, Denise and Quentin for taking the time to send me their recipes.

In this week’s edition:

NAN
New NA Drink News

COCKTAILS
Just what is the perfect G&T?

Read time: 6 minutes 38 seconds

New Non-Alcoholic Drink News

NORTH AMERICA

• WINE: Napa Valley’s Missing Thorn has just released its 2025 collection. (Link)

• FUNCTIONAL: The folks at Leilo have introduced a new Kava Berry mix you can take pretty much anywhere. (Link)

• FUNCTIONAL: Empire Apple & Blackberry is the brand-new low-dose seltzer flavor from oHHo. (Link)

• COCKTAIL: Two updates from Little Saints HQ: 1. Their Old Fashioned is now part of the permanent lineup. 2. Rumor has it the Florida-based company is about to launch St. Oak, a zero-proof whiskey. (Link)

WORLDWIDE

• WINE: Over in France, Famille Moutard has unveiled M 0%. (Link)

THE PERFECT NON-ALCOHOLIC GIN & TONIC #1

Zane Curtis owns Monday Morning AF, San Diego’s first non-alcoholic bottle shop. Soon to be two shops. 

Zane: My go-to G&T combo: CeroCero Juniper White Grapefruit brings bright juniper and a clean, pithy grapefruit lift, so it smells zesty and drinks super crisp.

Strongwater’s Nordic Tonic adds that alpine, grown-up bitterness- herbaceous and quinine-forward - so the finish stays dry, not sweet.

Together you get citrus on the nose, piney snap in the middle, and a long, tonic bite at the end. Ice, grapefruit peel, done.

THE PERFECT NON-ALCOHOLIC GIN & TONIC #2

Laura Silverman runs and owns Zero Proof Nation, the ultimate encyclopedia of all things in the non-alcoholic beverage space.

Favorite NA Gin: Monday Zero Alcohol Gin has always topped my list. Balance of citrus, juniper, and that little kick. Plus that art deco packaging is a feast for the eyes. In close second is Little Saints - St. Juniper. This one is smooth and almost sippable on the rocks with just a garnish. I love the earthiness from lion's mane mushroom, the citrus, juniper, and other botanicals.

Favorite tonic water: These days I've been loving craft tonic waters by Dappled Tonic and Chuala. Dappled is a woman-owned brand out of Portland and has three expressions: citrus, aromatic and floral. For me, it's a tie between citrus (yuzu, lemon, lime) and aromatic (cardamom, vanilla, lemongrass). Chuala is based out of Austin and has four expressions: proper (traditional plus cardamom and clary sage), modern (slightly sweeter with chamomile and sandalwood), pomelo (grapefruit), and zero (no sugar plus orange blossom and lemon).

Lime, lemon or another citrus slice: Lime girlie over here but rosemary also feels apropos. Maybe a cinnamon stick for an aromatic / smoky G+T.

THE PERFECT NON-ALCOHOLIC GIN & TONIC #3

Quentin Fichot can be found whipping up amazing cocktails at Club Soda or helping brands in the non-alcoholic sector through his consulting firm, QF Consulting Ltd.

When it comes to alcohol-free G&Ts, I don’t really have a single “go-to.” I believe our palate, mindset and preferences adapt to the situation, what’s available, what your friends are drinking, the context you’re in.

For me, the most important thing is to have real choice: quality options with varied flavours. Depending on culture, experiences and personal taste, people will enjoy very different things. This why I wanted to bring more options to the table, so everyone can enjoy their G&T in their own best way!

Favorite NA Gin: 

Smiling Wolf: When it comes to mimicking the taste of a classic Gin & Tonic, this one has an excellent balance and really highlights the juniper berry. That said, due to its functional ingredients, Smiling Wolf isn’t suitable for pregnancy or children.

Rebels Botanical Dry: A true 0.0% standout. Many “alcohol-free” gins actually contain up to 0.5% ABV and should legally be labeled as “low alcohol.” Yannick and his team in Switzerland have created recipes without using alcohol at any stage of production, which is a more complex process, but the result is a stable and distinctive product. (Think juniper berry with floral notes, light and refreshing!)

Botaniets: A hidden gem I first tried at Club Soda last year, now also available at Fortnum & Mason. It’s made in Belgium using a seven-day triple distillation process. The craftsmanship pushes the price point above some competitors, but the flavour is exceptional.

Favorite tonic water: For alcohol-free options, I mainly use Double Dutch Light Tonic at Club Soda, it works very well. I usually recommend a low-sugar tonic, as higher sugar levels can overpower the subtler flavours of alcohol-free gin alternatives.

Lime, lemon or another citrus slice: This is one of those fun bartender debates! Normally, you’d match the citrus to the gin’s flavour profile, or simply use what’s available during a busy shift depending where you work ... Ahah! But most of the bars I worked at, we set simple standards: Vodka = Lime, Gin = LemonIt was easy for everyone to follow and made sense, as it matched the flavor profile of most options.

THE PERFECT NON-ALCOHOLIC GIN & TONIC #4

Sam Bail is the founder and tastemaker at Third Place Bar.

I call this "Same Procedure As Every Year, James":

Amass Riverine - It's not necessarily trying to be a gin, but a super earthy herbal botanical distillate with a coriander, juniper, parsley cardamom ...

Topo Chico tonic water - I'm sure you can go fancier, but I kinda just love Topo. It's so fizzy.

El Guapo Lavender Cucumber bitters - NA bitters make every drink better.

Garnish: Cucumber slice - Leaning into the green vibes!

THE PERFECT NON-ALCOHOLIC GIN & TONIC #5

Denise Hamilton-Mace is a speaker, podcast host and writer for Low No Media.

I’ve never been a traditional gin drinker (I'm not a fan of tonic water), and this gives me something a bit different to enjoy, while still feeling like I’m having something special and adult that fits into that G&T moment. The beauty of low/no is that you get to rewrite the rules as you go, and that suits me perfectly!

Favorite NA Gin: I love Caleño Light & Zesty

Favorite Tonic Water: Double Dutch Soda Water

Lime, lemon, or another citrus slice: Orange – I like to mix things up

THE PERFECT NON-ALCOHOLIC GIN & TONIC #6

Ian Blessing is a former sommelier and the co-founder of All The Bitter.

Would it be crazy to suggest two gin and tonics? (ModSub: “No!”)

Classic G&T
2 oz Monday Zero Alcohol Gin
4 oz Fever Tree tonic
5 dashes All The Bitter Orange
Lime wedge

Of all the non-alc gins, Monday stands out for its bold botanicals and a touch of spice that gives this G&T some real bite. We keep it simple: a squeeze of lime and a few dashes of All The Bitter Orange, which layers in bright notes of cardamom, coriander and lemon balm.

To Be Honest & Tonic
2 oz To Be Honest CBD spirit
4 oz Betty Buzz tonic
5 dashes All The Bitter Lavender
Lemon wedge

To Be Honest may not call itself gin, but it’s one of the most convincing gin-like NA spirits around — and it happens to include 25mg CBD per serving. A lighter tonic from Betty Buzz lets its flavors breathe, while All The Bitter Lavender adds a calming, floral lift. A squeeze of lemon ties everything neatly together.

THE PERFECT NON-ALCOHOLIC GIN & TONIC #7

My favorite non-alc Gin & Tonic? 

Well, there are some strong contenders out there, but if I have to choose a favorite, it’s got to be St. Juniper from Little Saints. It’s a fresh take on the classic spirit, reimagined through the lens of mushrooms and adaptogens. The juniper dominates upfront, with cucumber elbowing its way in mid-palate. But it’s on the back end where the drink truly takes off: tart citrus from the yuzu, a woody herbaceous from the angelica root, and a sweet, peppery undertone from the cardamom.

Add in Fever Tree’s Mediterranean Tonic Water—with its rosemary and lemon notes boosting the quinine—and you have, in my mind, a phenomenal G&T. Oh, and don’t forget a slice of lemon to garnish the glass.

COMMENTS
Share Your Thoughts

Let’s get the conversation going. Hit REPLY to share your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you.

Here are some suggestions:

1. What’s your favorite non-alcoholic Gin & Tonic?

2. Which NA gin do you think nails the “classic gin” flavor best?

3. Which new releases from the “New NA Drink News” section are you most excited to track down?

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