Best Non-Alc Margaritas

Well, here we are. School’s back, work’s in full swing, and there are only a few more weeks to make it to the pool. Which means I’m stocking up on my favorite hot-weather drinks while I can. 

To kick off our What I’m Drinking section, I’m starting with my go-to picks for this time of year. And yes, I love a good margarita. It is one of the simplest cocktails out there, a riff on the Daisy, a pre-Prohibition drink that is basically a sour with a little sweetness and fizz.

Note: All links go to a product page. You cannot buy singles on our site, so you will need to build your custom pack if you want to try these.

Pentire | Margarita

Pentire is one of the standouts in the mocktail space. Before I reached out to them, I had not been impressed by a single mocktail. They were always too sweet or too watery and never quite scratched the cocktail itch. Then I tried their sampler and realized I had been missing out.

This little 8oz non-alc margarita actually pulls it off. Great over ice, tastes like a real marg without trying too hard, and strong enough to stand on its own.

Trail Magic | Lime Margarita

My wife and I have been doing tacos and margs almost every Friday night since COVID. Fridays are sacred for us and I try to keep them free of commitments after work. These days, I am not reaching for tequila as much, so this Trail Magic 10mg margarita has been a perfect swap-in. Balanced acidity and sweetness, and it goes down almost too easy.

Aplós | Chili Margarita

Like Pentire, Aplós is another heavy hitter in the mocktail world. Their chili margarita gets surprisingly close to the real thing. Mandarin plays the role of Cointreau with lime, and their zero-proof spirit somehow nails that tequila-adjacent feel without overdoing it. It is a true sipping mocktail, not one you finish in three gulps.

That is all I have for you. Go try one (or all three)!

I am always on the look out for a good "alternative" beverage so please holler if you have any recs- keaton@drinkbettertimes.com!