Why mocktails cost as much as cocktails in S.F.

San Francisco Chronicle​

a day ago

Grabbing a cocktail in San Francisco is not cheap. A drink can easily cost $20 — even when there's no alcohol in it.
Over the past few years, there's been a growing market for nonalcoholic beer, wine and cocktails. But patrons are puzzled as to why these drinks can cost as much as their boozy counterparts.
'There's a lot of misunderstandings, misconceptions, misinformation, all because it's under this fear of being a new industry,' said Joshua James, owner of Ocean Beach Cafe, which became San Francisco's first nonalcoholic bar when it opened in 2021.
James, who previously worked in alcohol for 20 years, understands the general frustration, but thinks it mainly has to do with a misconception of non-alcohol cocktails being just a 'mix of juices.' Bar managers around San Francisco say the combination of labor, presentation and high-quality ingredients make these drinks worth the price.
The rise in mocktails is reflective of Gen Z's increasing aversion to nightlife and drinking alcohol. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that while boomers spend $25 billion per year on alcohol, Gen Z spends only $3.1 billion.
Eddy Singh, an owner of low-proof cocktail bar Red Window in North Beach, has noticed an increase in young customers ordering mocktails.
' We get a lot of young people in our space, and we notice they're going towards a very healthy lifestyle,' he said. 'They're coming in with their friends who also don't drink, so what options can we provide? Because we still want to give them a similar experience.'
Although Red Window offers sodas for $5, Singh says that most young people opt for something more elaborate like the Mango Lassi Remix ($14) or Cucumber Craze ($14), a fruity, refreshing mix of cucumber, pineapple, lemon, hibiscus syrup and seltzer. These drinks cost only $2 less than the alcoholic cocktails because they use similar ingredients and require the same labor, Singh said.
Some bars use nonalcoholic spirits as the base of their mocktails to contribute a similar flavor profile, such as the juniper and citrus of gin. These spirits are typically as expensive as, if not pricier than, actual alcohol. For instance, a 750-ml bottle of Amass Riverine Non-Alcoholic Spirit, a juniper-forward alternative for gin costs $10 more than a bottle of Junipero American Craft Gin in the same size.
Neutral grain alcohols, such as vodka or gin, are relatively cheap to make in large batches. Nonalcoholic spirits, on the other hand, need double, sometimes triple, the botanical load — ingredients used to give the drink flavor — to get the desired taste. More ingredients can mean a higher cost of production.
At high-end Indian restaurant Copra, there are four nonalcoholic cocktails with completely different flavor profiles — and most of them rely on the complexity of non-alcohol spirits. Bar director Christopher Longoria recommends the Tiger's Eye ($15) for diners who enjoy powerful bitterness, like with a Negroni. Wilderton Lustre provides bitter orange while Wilderton Bittersweet Aperitivo lends aromatic herbs and grapefruit, alongside cinnamon and star anise. For someone looking for a bright, approachable drink, Longoria suggests the Honey Dove ($17), which blends chamomile, honey and pepper with Seedlip Spice, a booze-free spirit that's warm with cardamom.
Meanwhile, there's a growing demand for so-called 'functional drinks,' which James has coined the 'alternative buzz market.' These drinks can mimic some of the positive effects that come with alcohol consumption, such as increased sociability and relaxation, without the hangover. Popular ingredients include L-Theanine, an amino acid found in tea leaves that's said to promote relaxation, and ashwagandha, an herb believed to relieve stress.
'These are supplements that people take daily, and now they're seeing that they can get that in their really tasty beverage,' James said.
At Ocean Beach Cafe, there's one functional ingredient that James just can't keep in stock: kava. James pays $53 for a 750-ml bottle of the bitter root, which provides a 'body buzz.' It numbs your mouth and relaxes your muscles, making it a popular alternative to alcohol. Kava shots cost $7 at Ocean Beach Cafe, and the two kava 'cocktails' cost $17.
For Longoria, the popularity of kava and other functional ingredients speaks to a wider phenomenon within American culture of focusing on the end result. In his view, ordering a drink should not just be for the 'buzz' you feel, or the supposed health benefits — it should be about the overall experience.
'Why can't one enjoy a drink simply for enjoying it?' Longoria said. In his view, that alone is well worth $17.