"What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet;"
- from Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare
Cocktails, Mocktails, Zero Proof, No-ABV Cocktails.... So what is the difference!?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a cocktail is defined as
Now, a mocktail is defined as
Both are vague an open to interpretation as there is no real ingredient that must be included to consider it a mocktail vs. cocktail, only what must NOT be present: ALCOHOL.
So why the push to rename mocktails to Zero Proof or No ABV Cocktails? This does have us questioning why bartenders are so against a word that is defined so loosely to accommodate so much!
So to us, we’re understanding this as a cocktail is a type of wine or liquor mixed with flavored ingredients. Assuming that could be other liquors, syrups, even soda to make the cocktail. As for the mocktail, well this can be anything that doesn’t have alcohol in it! Chocolate milk? SunnyD? Prune Juice? Do these all count?
Maybe the answer is if a mocktail can technically be a watered down ice pop, the bartenders may be onto something. They don’t want you thinking that your mocktail will be basic, with no love or the elevated elegance that is put into high end cocktails consisting of hand squeezed juices, flavored syrups and fancy garnishes from hard to find fruits.
On the other hand, just as a mocktail can be basic and have no love.. so can a cocktail. Have you ever had a cocktail that you thought, this just isn’t IT. The bartenders just dumped alcohol in it so that's all you taste. It didn't have a storied flavor profile, the mouth feel was off, the ingredients simply did not working together. So it can go both ways! Not all alcoholic drinks should be cocktails!
We know first hand that we treat our mocktails with just as much love as we treat our cocktails, almost more if we’re being honest, because any good cocktail, starts with its non-alcoholic components. Again, the only difference between a mocktail and a cocktail, is the alcohol!
We want our guests to have an experience with our beverages. We aren’t handing out seltzer with a splash of cranberry juice and calling that gourmet. We want you to forget you’re enjoying a mocktail when you’re at our bar. A mocktail should be an absolute treat, just as a well developed cocktail is.
So, if calling a no alcohol beverage a mocktail doesn’t give the idea of a high class drink that with be a treat to the tastebuds, would a non-alcoholic cocktail make you think differently? What about the zero-ABV cocktail? This is assuming that the general public all knows what ABV means AND understands that the zero proof means no alcohol. We think mocktail is accessible, recognizable, understandable and just fun.
What do you think about the debate? Let us know!
Or reach out and ask us about our mocktail bar option and our menu of 25 mocktails!
Find the full Huffington Post article HERE
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bartenders-hate-term-mocktail_l_63b484fee4b0b2e15062ea14