Picture the perfect night out: the right people, easy chemistry, energy that carries you. Dinner is indulgent, gin and tonics keep circling, laughter stays light, and no one is watching the clock. Morning, surprisingly, is kind. No headache, no cotton mouth, no blurry regrets. It sounds like a fantasy—maybe the pitch for a wellness retreat. But it’s quietly becoming part of everyday nightlife. Enter zero-proof spirits: non-alcoholic (0% ABV) drinks that deliver the flavour, complexity, and ritual of traditional spirits through layered botanicals and precise blends. A clean break from the syrupy mocktails and sad sodas of the past, they turn alcohol-free drinking from compromise into choice.
Drinking in India has come a long way—first a moral taboo, then a social liability, and eventually a quiet rebellion in rooms where the glass became the centre of connection. As drinking moved from the margins to the mainstream, from hushed indulgence to household normalcy, socialising began to depend on alcohol so completely that opting out meant settling for forgettable substitutes that neither complemented the meal nor matched the theatre of a proper cocktail. Zero-proof spirits changed that. Designed with the same care as their alcoholic counterparts, they deliver ritual, complexity, and presence—without the hangover, excess calories, or chemical blur—allowing abstention to feel not like absence, but a fully formed choice.
Global spirit houses are rolling out sleek non-alcoholic lines, boutique labels are experimenting with hyper-local botanicals, and bartenders are applying the same precision and respect to zero-proof menus as they do to their spirited classics. What was once niche is now a considered choice, woven seamlessly into modern bar culture. The question, then, is no longer whether sober-conscious drinking belongs at the table—but whether this is merely a passing phase, or the early stirrings of a quieter revolution redefining how we drink, socialise, and measure a good night out.
Zero Proof
Across India and the world, there is a growing acknowledgement that alcohol—seductive as it may be—comes with consequences that outlast the night. It is addictive, it strains the body, and over time, it often demands more than it gives. And yet, its pull remains powerful. As Mumbai mixologist Arohi Menon puts it, “Alcohol has always been the social glue.” From ancient Greeks who believed truth lay at the bottom of a wine cup to modern gatherings where every celebration revolves around a drink, alcohol’s presence has been near-constant. The question now is how to keep the ritual and revelry without the fallout. Mocktails tried—and largely failed—to bridge the gap, offering colour without complexity. Non-alcoholic beer followed, using dealcoholisation to mimic the real thing. As non-drinkers grew weary of sugary substitutes and the subtle FOMO of standing just outside the drinking experience, demand for something more thoughtful intensified. That search fuelled the rise of mindful drinking—and with it, the “soberish” and “sober-curious” movements.
Mindful drinking reframes alcohol not as a default, but as a choice rooted in intention. “Soberish” captures this nuance: people who still drink, but selectively, skipping alcohol on certain days or occasions. Little wonder, a new category has emerged at the centre of the conversation: zero-proof spirits. Defined not merely by the absence of alcohol but by intent, these 0% ABV beverages are crafted to replicate the aroma, flavour, and ritual of spirits like gin, whisky, and rum. Production often mirrors traditional spirits almost exactly. Fruits or grains are mashed, fermented, and heated to separate ethanol. As a senior technologist at an Indian whisky house notes, “We realised we could make zero-proof versions simply by stopping the process at a different point.”
Newer brands, lacking large-scale distillation infrastructure, take a different route. Starting with water, they build complexity through maceration and vapour infusion. Goa-based botanical label Sans Spiritus uses steam-passing techniques to extract flavour from local citrus, pepper, and spices. Founder Mira Desai explains, “We wanted complexity, not another sweet drink pretending to be grown-up.” Together, these zero-proof spirits signal more than a passing trend. They point to a cultural reset—one that redefines celebration, indulgence, and belonging. Spirit Shift
As early as 1862, legendary bartender Jerry Thomas—widely regarded as the father of American mixology—documented “temperance drinks” in The Bartender’s Guide, crafting elegant non-alcoholic punches and tonics for those who favoured restraint over revelry. The tradition deepened during Prohibition, when alcohol was outlawed and early mocktails emerged as vibrant blends of juices, syrups, and bitters. Though Prohibition faded, the ritual endured.
Today, that legacy finds new expression in zero-proof spirits. With alcohol long linked to chronic disease, weakened immunity, nutritional depletion, and empty calories, rising health literacy has prompted a reassessment of drinking habits. Yet the romance of “having a drink” never disappeared. The clink of ice, the bloom of citrus oils, the slow exhale of steam from a glass on a cool evening—sensory pleasures far beyond a basic soda. Socially, alcohol remains woven into celebration: weddings, festivals, anniversaries, and end-of-day unwinding. Abstaining often meant exclusion. Zero-proof spirits step neatly into that gap, preserving ritual without physical compromise.
Accessibility has further propelled their rise. Alcohol is prohibited during pregnancy, yet zero-proof options allow expectant parents to participate safely. Cultural shifts play out in telling moments—such as SOBER, the zero-proof spirits brand, hosting a full-fledged sober rave at the Four Seasons Mumbai, an idea unthinkable just a few years ago. Fitness communities have become unexpected champions. For athletes and urban wellness devotees, zero-proof drinks strike a balance between sociability and performance. Partnerships once unimaginable in alcohol culture now feel intuitive. As Shreyansh Jain, owner of Life Pilates in Delhi puts it: “I want a pouring partner for my events, and I can’t do that with alcohol. Zero-proof brands let us keep things quirky, fun, and still healthy.”
Leading the shift is Gen Z—a generation marked by health awareness, digital fluency, and preventive thinking. Their relationship with alcohol is not rejection but recalibration. In an era where “health-first” and “gym-forward” define aspiration, they have become the natural face of the sober-curious movement.
Dry Decadence
Globally, the non-alcoholic beverage industry is in the midst of a remarkable surge. Valued at USD 1,180 billion in 2020, it is projected to reach USD 2,696 billion by 2034, driven by a steady 7.5 per cent CAGR. India mirrors this momentum on a smaller but accelerating scale. The country’s non-alcoholic beverage market stood at USD 14.95 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow at a 7.36 per cent CAGR through 2030. Set against this growth is India’s evolving relationship with alcohol. Data from NFHS-5 reveals stark regional contrasts: drinking rates are highest in the Northeast, Telangana, Goa, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, and lowest in Gujarat, Bihar, and Lakshadweep, where alcohol is banned or tightly regulated.
Perhaps the most telling insight is the urban–rural divide. Rural India drinks more than urban India, while cities—exposed to global wellness narratives and long-term lifestyle thinking—are steadily moderating. When prohibition states are excluded, many of India’s most urbanised and economically influential regions, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, and West Bengal, show comparatively lower consumption. Younger Indians, in particular, are drinking significantly less than previous generations.
This shift is playing out vividly within bars and hospitality spaces. As Shreya Basu, mixologist and Bacardi Trade Ambassador for South India, notes: “Younger drinkers are far more health-conscious. They track what they consume, know how alcohol makes them feel the next day, and consciously cut down—sometimes drinking only once in two weeks.” She adds that inclusivity is now central to social drinking. “Socialising today isn’t centred on bars alone—there are matcha runs, fitness groups, café hopping. If people do end up at a bar, they want zero-ABV or low-ABV options.” This appetite, Basu explains, aligns closely with the sober-curious mindset. “In a country with a six-day work week, people don’t want to spend their one day off hungover.”
Taken together, these shifts point to a cultural reset—one where pleasure is no longer tethered to excess, and where the future of socialising is stylish and health-forward.
Spirit Shift
As early as 1862, legendary bartender Jerry Thomas—widely regarded as the father of American mixology—documented “temperance drinks” in The Bartender’s Guide, crafting elegant non-alcoholic punches and tonics for those who favoured restraint over revelry. The tradition deepened during Prohibition, when alcohol was outlawed and early mocktails emerged as vibrant blends of juices, syrups, and bitters. Though Prohibition faded, the ritual endured.
Today, that legacy finds new expression in zero-proof spirits. With alcohol long linked to chronic disease, weakened immunity, nutritional depletion, and empty calories, rising health literacy has prompted a reassessment of drinking habits. Yet the romance of “having a drink” never disappeared. The clink of ice, the bloom of citrus oils, the slow exhale of steam from a glass on a cool evening—sensory pleasures far beyond a basic soda. Socially, alcohol remains woven into celebration: weddings, festivals, anniversaries, and end-of-day unwinding. Abstaining often meant exclusion. Zero-proof spirits step neatly into that gap, preserving ritual without physical compromise.
Accessibility has further propelled their rise. Alcohol is prohibited during pregnancy, yet zero-proof options allow expectant parents to participate safely. Cultural shifts play out in telling moments—such as SOBER, the zero-proof spirits brand, hosting a full-fledged sober rave at the Four Seasons Mumbai, an idea unthinkable just a few years ago. Fitness communities have become unexpected champions. For athletes and urban wellness devotees, zero-proof drinks strike a balance between sociability and performance. Partnerships once unimaginable in alcohol culture now feel intuitive. As Shreyansh Jain, owner of Life Pilates in Delhi puts it: “I want a pouring partner for my events, and I can’t do that with alcohol. Zero-proof brands let us keep things quirky, fun, and still healthy.”
Leading the shift is Gen Z—a generation marked by health awareness, digital fluency, and preventive thinking. Their relationship with alcohol is not rejection but recalibration. In an era where “health-first” and “gym-forward” define aspiration, they have become the natural face of the sober-curious movement.
Clarity Culture
The rise of zero-proof culture in India is being fuelled by drinkers and non-drinkers alike, a shift communications entrepreneur and Hotel Xplorer founder Vishakha Talreja observes with particular clarity. “If you drink but want to reduce it, zero-proof cocktails are a great alternative. And if you’re a non-drinker, they offer far more options than the old mocktail-or-lemon-soda days,” she says. What was once an afterthought on bar menus has evolved into a culture of its own, allowing abstainers and moderating drinkers to enter cocktail-forward spaces without feeling peripheral.
Talreja often opens her evenings with a zero-proof cocktail before switching to alcohol, a ritual that helps her cut down without losing the theatre of mixology. She points to Delhi favourites like The Arts Room and Strangr, places she visits specifically for their zero-proof offerings.
Across Delhi, consumers like Saumya Agrawal reflect a similar fatigue with predictable mocktails. A non-drinker, she discovered crafted zero-proof cocktails through food editorial events and found them far more elevated than mojitos and colas. A standout memory was a zero-proof serve at Baawri in Goa. Availability, however, remains the bigger issue. “You can’t walk into a typical Delhi dive bar like 4S or even a Social and expect a proper zero-proof option made with zero-proof spirits,” she says.
In Pune, wellness-driven consumers like 27-year-old Sanat Kanade approach alcohol through the lens of recovery rather than indulgence. “I’m not drinking that much anymore. It messes up my next day. I want to skip the dehydration and tiredness—I want to be healthier,” he says. Zero-proof cocktails offer an easy alternative. For Chandigarh-based Riya Saxena, sobriety is about agency and intention. “I like being fully in charge of myself. My health is in my own hands. I don’t want to wake up and not remember what happened,” she says.
Polished Restraint
What fuels the category’s rise is not abstinence, but intention. Sober is part of a growing wave of homegrown zero-proof beverage brands reshaping how India drinks. Its distilled non-alcoholic spirits—gin, whisky and rum alternatives—are crafted to mirror the aroma, depth and ritual of classic cocktails, minus the alcohol. The shift isn’t singular. Svami, long known for craft tonics, has expanded into non-alcoholic premixed drinks like Rum & Cola and Pink Gin & Tonic, while Catwalk Botanics, propelled into the spotlight after Shark Tank India, positions guilt-free drinking as a lifestyle choice rather than a compromise.
For Vansh Pahuja, founder of Sober, the idea emerged when his father, advised to quit drinking, struggled to give up his nightly whisky ritual. “He missed the bottle, the pour, the moment. Replicating that with a zero-proof alternative showed me the gap.” Launched in November 2021, Sober has been D2C-first from day one. “Because we’re non-alcoholic, we can advertise—content sells.” With legacy players like Diageo investing in zero-proof, Pahuja sees the category as additive, not adversarial. “Zero-proof doesn’t replace alcohol; it complements it.”
Restaurants and bars are recalibrating menus to meet a growing demand for mindful drinking. “It’s less about avoiding alcohol and more about providing choices,” says Varun Sharma, Head of Bars at EHV, the group behind Indian Accent, Comorin, Hosa, and Fireback. At EHV, non-alcoholic drinks now account for nearly a quarter of bar sales. But Sharma is quick to point out that zero-proof cocktails aren’t shortcuts. “It’s not as simple as taking alcohol out. You still need structure, balance, complexity and body.” Ingredient limitations remain a challenge. “We launched zero-proof spirits at Comorin in 2019,” Sharma recalls. What’s changed most since then is sugar tolerance. “Around 60 per cent of guests now prefer less sugar—and most zero-proof spirits have almost none.” Price, however, remains contentious. “People expect these drinks to be cheaper, but dealcoholisation adds cost.”
For Fay Barretto, Beverage Director at DU Hospitality, zero-proof is now embedded into bar culture. Her programmes span Gigi Bombay, Scarlett House, Lyla, and Kaia Goa, and she also serves as a juror at 30BestBars India. “Zero-proof is no longer a footnote,” she says. Barretto draws a sharp line between mocktails and zero-proof drinks. “Mocktails are juices and syrups. Zero-proof drinks involve fermentation, natural sodas and cocktail-level technique.”
Not everyone is convinced though. Chef and entrepreneur Tarun Sibbal, behind Khi Khi and Titlie, believes the craft matters more than imitation. “Why would you want a rum and cola without the rum?” His alcohol-free Bengaluru restaurant, Street Storyss, supports the point. “Great experiences don’t depend on alcohol. Craft is the key.”
Wellness Wave
For Dr Yugam Chopra, Director at KOS Diagnostics Lab in Ambala, the rise of zero-proof spirits is compelling—but far from uncomplicated. Beneath the wellness sheen, he flags nutritional blind spots. “A lot of non-alcoholic spirits come with synthetic compounds.” To Chopra, the category caters less to abstainers and more to experience-seekers who want the ritual without the intoxication. India’s shift, he believes, is about moderation, not sobriety. “We’re obsessed with eating healthy, but we’ve never had a ‘nutritious drink’ culture.” Chopra is equally clear that zero-proof spirits are no cure-all. “Addiction is psychological. A 0% spirit can’t fix that.” At best, they are gentler options for cutting down. Even then, moderation matters. “Overconsumption isn’t harmless either. Even zero-calorie drinks put some load on the kidneys.”
For Samarthya Gajbhiye, a counselling psychologist and assistant professor at Nagpur University, the zero-proof boom reflects a larger self-care shift. He points to new social rituals—daytime DJ sets, coffee raves, alcohol-free gatherings—as proof that connection no longer depends on intoxication. “Those who want the intoxication will continue. But those attached to the ritual finally have substitutes.” That distinction matters, says Vedika Pathania, an RCI-licensed rehabilitation psychologist. Younger generations, she notes, are acutely aware of alcohol’s effects on sleep, anxiety, and energy. “Zero-proof drinks let them stay connected socially without compromising their goals.”
The mainstream consumer, however, will not adopt the category widely until the value proposition feels unmistakable—healthier, more inclusive, and undeniably more affordable. When that shift lands, the category opens up. And with it, an age-old social reflex may finally dissolve into the background—the awkward dance around “What do you drink when you’re not drinking?”