Review: Bar None, Coca-Cola’s Entry Into Non-Alcoholic Cocktails (BevNet)
BevNet’s article talks about how this is the non-alcohol version for people who don’t consume liquor, but we think otherwise. As example the Ginger Mule. Add Vodka to you taste, weak or wicked and you have a Moscow Mule. Add Rum and you have a Dark and Stormy. To Coke’s credit, the Ginger Mule has 16 grams of sugar versus Gosling’s 48 grams – which after three or four could put many a folk into diabetic shock!
Covers Products: Bellini Spritz, Sparkling Sangria, Spiced Ginger Mule, Dry Aged Cider
Bar None is a line of naturally flavored beverages designed as non-alcoholic alternatives to classic cocktails. Their first four flavors include Sparkling Sangria, Dry Aged Cider, Bellini Spritz, and Spiced Ginger Mule.
The products are packaged in amber 12 oz. glass bottles and have an aesthetic reminiscent of a craft beer. The labels are clean and polished, with a white, black, and metallic gold label that has a clear background. Placed along the bottom of the label in a small font, the “non-alcoholic” callout is not something that is screaming for your attention.
Rather than just honing in on one type of cocktail, Bar None is crossing into many different categories for inspiration. When it comes to their alcoholic counterparts, the consumer of one of these drinks (e.g. a consumer that drinks Bellinis) is probably not the same as for some of the others (e.g. a Dry Aged Cider).
In the case of each of these products, you need some familiarity with the drink it is emulating to really get a sense for what the brand has created. Clearly, the biggest challenge for these products is creating a flavor that is somewhat similar to the alcohol that would be in the full test version.
Let’s take a look at each flavor:
- Spiced Ginger Mule (90 calories; 16g sugar) — This version of a ginger mule, which is traditionally a gin-based riff on a mojito, features some interesting ingredients including kombucha, apple cider vinegar (ACV), and ginger and lime juices. It actually translates quite nicely into non-alcoholic form. It has some pleasant ginger spice, plenty of lime juice, modest sweetness, and some tang from the added kombucha and ACV. This is our favorite of the bunch.
Read the review of the rest of the flavors on BevNet.
