What is there to drink for people who don’t consume alcohol? It turns out, plenty of places are now offering non-alcoholic drinks
By Margaret McCormick
The Finger Lakes region is well known for its wineries (more than 100), plus a growing number of craft breweries, cideries and distilleries.
But what is there to drink for people who don’t consume alcohol?
Not that long ago, the choices were slim or non existent if you visited a winery (or brewery or distillery) and wanted to order a non alcoholic beverage. You had to make do with water or maybe some bottled iced tea, or bring your own NA drinks in a cooler.
But times change. And America’s relationship with alcohol appears to be changing, too.
Many of us are on a mission to drink less, according to market research company NCSolutions. Younger people, especially, are driving this shift: Sixty-one percent of GenZ and 49% of millennials say they want to cut back on drinking. Reasons people cite for abstaining include prioritizing mental and physical health, losing weight and saving money.
The “sober curious” trend isn’t limited to “Dry January” and to the young. More than one in three Americans tried non alcoholic drinks in 2023, NCSolutions reports. Top non alcoholic drinks Americans want to consume this year (in order of preference) include mocktails, CBD- and THC-infused drinks and non alcoholic beer, non-alcoholic spirits and non alcoholic wine.
Rochester resident Chris Clemens, creator of the website NonROCaholic (www.nonrocaholic.com) and its social media counterparts (@nonrocaholic on Instagram and Facebook) has been highlighting buzz-free beverage options in the Finger Lakes for almost a decade.
Before Nonrocaholic,, which he launched last year, Clemens traveled the region extensively for another website he created, Exploring Upstate. There, in addition to regional travel stories, he provided lake-by-lake guides called the Finger Lakes
Non-Wine Trail.
Creative drinks minus booze are a market segment that’s ripe for growth and improvement, Clemens says, but alcohol-free alternatives are out there if you look for them and ask for them. That’s why he created Nonrocaholic: to share his discoveries and advocate for more options.
“I’ve been sober for awhile so non alcoholic options have long been a personal interest of mine,’’ Clemens explains. “Since the options have been getting better in recent years, I thought it’d be fun to really delve deep into how that was transforming. At the same time, our culture in the U.S. has been changing, so there’s a lot to learn and explore. It’s been super cool to find a community of other folks who are looking for the same things I am.’’
Following are some alcohol-free options in the Finger Lakes, some shared by Clemens and others learned about through the grapevine.
Get Juiced
No winemakers in the Finger Lakes are producing dealcoholized wines at this time, but that day may come. In the meantime, there’s grape juice, which is produced seasonally by many wine producers. And not just Concord grape juice.
One of Clemens’ favorite spots to visit is Billsboro Winery in Geneva. There, the choices for those seeking something alcohol-free include a flight of grape juices from Fulkerson Winery and Farm, also on Seneca Lake. These grape juices are made from grapes usually used to make wine. “Doing a flight of juices that includes Valvin Muscat and Riesling is really fun and interesting,’’ Clemens notes.
Other grape-y options:
Swedish Hill Winery in Romulus, on Cayuga Lake, produces two craft grape juices, one from Concord grapes and another from Diamond (a white grape that’s a cross between Concord and Iona grapes).
Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery in Lodi, on Seneca Lake, produces a pretty-in-pink blush grape juice that’s described as a little bit sweet and a little bit dry.
Heron Hill Winery, near Hammondsport, on Keuka Lake, offers Concord grape juice mixed with a hint of apple cider, and Dancing Bear Grape Iced Tea, a combination of black tea and grape juice.
NA options abound at Arbor Hill Grapery and Winery, Naples, which uses its own Concord grapes to make Healthy Purple, an award-winning grape juice. The winery is also known for its sparkling grape beverages, including white grape, peach grape and raspberry grape refreshers.
Hungry? Check out sister restaurant Brew and Brats. NA beverage options include a grape float and the “brews” include a house-made root beer. “I like hanging here because there are a lot of options and I’m not just limited to one or two things,’’ Clemens says of the restaurant.
NA Beers
What looks like a beer, smells like a beer and tastes like a beer? Beer without any alcohol or close to no alcohol (some craft NA beers contain 0.5% alcohol).
Rochester-based Genesee Brewing Company, the oldest brewery in New York State, has been brewing NA beer since 1991. And there are smaller, craft options in the Finger Lakes region.
Twisted Rail Brewing Company, with locations in Canandaigua, Geneva, Honeoye and Macedon, is noted for its hazy non alcoholic IPA, available on tap and for growler fills in the tasting rooms.
Auburn’s Prison City Brewery made headlines in the beer universe earlier this year when it introduced NA versions of several of its beers, including the popular Mass Riot IPA. Prison City has two locations in Auburn and usually has a NA beer on tap at each.
Brooklyn-based brewer Other Half has grown to include a brewery and taproom in Bloomfield (near Canandaigua) and Buffalo and diversified its offerings to include a non-alcoholic hazy IPA. If you like haze and hops minus the beer buzz, you might find it on tap at the Finger Lakes location.
Root Beer And Sodas
To relax and drink in the view of Keuka Lake, Chris Clemens likes to venture to Abandon Brewing Company near Penn Yan, a brewery and tap room high on a hill, in a restored 1800s barn. The brewery is known for its ales and IPAs, but for Clemens, the draw is the house-made root beer, available on tap.
Three Brothers Wineries and Estates, near Geneva, bills itself as the No. 1 craft beverage destination in the Finger Lakes. Wines, beers and hard ciders are produced on the expansive site. There’s also coffee, a café and several varieties of Iron Heart craft sodas: root beer, orange cream, black cherry and lemon lime.
Specialty Sips
Some people come to Finger Lakes Cider House in Interlaken, near Cayuga Lake, for the hard ciders and wines made on site and the food sourced from local farms. Others come for the peaceful country atmosphere and the selection of non alcoholic drinks.
Clemens recommends the ginger bear, a sparkling NA drink made with ginger, citrus and honey, and the switchel, an old-fashioned, thirst-quenching, sweet and sour vinegar-based tonic made with ginger, maple syrup and honey. Also available is a blueberry lavender “shrub,’’ a vinegar-based mixer that can be combined with sparkling water, ginger bear or switchel for a refreshing change of pace.
Mocktails
Hollerhorn Distilling in Naples kicked off 2024 with the addition of list of mocktails made with Seedlip non alcoholic spirits, including an NA bloody mary, NA pomegranate sangria and an NA version of its signature Naples mule, made with lime juice, grape juice and Goslings ginger beer. Seedlip is a premium British brand made with herbs, spices, botanicals and other plant-based ingredients.
The Sand Bar at the Lake House on Canandaigua bills itself as “the greatest place in the Finger Lakes to crack open a beer,’’ but Clemens appreciates the bar’s mocktails using Seedlip NA spirits, including a “mojit-no” and blood orange “cos-no-politan.” Bartenders at the resort hotel near Canandaigua will also make other NA drinks on request. “In the summer, their open dining room and lakeside seating is a pretty fantastic way to take in the fresh air,’’ Clemens notes.
Margaret McCormick is a food writer and food blogger in Syracuse.