This post reviews Ritual Zero Proof Gin Alternative and provides tested recipes for some delicious non-alcoholic and low ABV cocktails you can make at home. Hopefully this review will help those who are interested in cutting back on alcohol without sacrificing the fun of mixing cocktails.
Ritual Zero Proof Gin Alternative is a really unique non-alcoholic gin. It carries a strong pine flavor and has a very spicy nature, so it might be limited in which classic gin cocktails it can recreate. (check price on Amazon)
However, it makes excellent alternative beverages unique to this spirit alone, so get ready for some exciting new experiences.
How it’s made: To make Gin Alternative, the botanicals are distilled individually and carefully blended to create the final product. Then, each batch is microfiltered.
Best enjoyed in: Lemon Drop (Low ABV)
Ingredients, Nutrition, and Storage
In order to thoughtfully review a product, it must be tested. Here’s the method taken for taste testing all non-alcoholic drinks.
What does Ritual Zero Proof Gin Alternative taste like…
- Neat
- On ice
- On ice with tonic or appropriate single mixer
- Brand recommended mocktails
- Get creative
#1: Neat
It smells of pine and juniper. At first sip, you’re hit with a strong pine flavor, then immediate spiciness. Texture and mouthfeel is a lot like gin, and the spice lingers for a while.
#2 On Ice
The flavors don’t really change much. Still spicy, still pine-ish.
#3 On Ice with Tonic
Mixed with Fever Tree Indian Tonic water, the Ritual Zero Proof gin & tonic is spicy and pine-forward, as the neat tasting would suggest. It maintains these strong flavors alongside the tonic, and makes a really interesting spicy version of a G&T.
#4 Brand Recommended Mocktails featuring Ritual Gin Alternative:
Here are a few mocktails and low ABV cocktails Ritual Zero Proof features on their website, and what they actually taste like:
Ginless Gimlet
Ingredients:
- 3oz Ritual Gin Alternative
- 1oz Lime juice
- 1oz Simple syrup
- Lime slice
Directions:
Fill a shaker with ice and combine all ingredients. Shake, shake, shake. Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with lime. Sip, enjoy, repeat.
Verdict: Delicious. It’s sweet, but balanced well with the sour, and very drinkable. It doesn’t really qualify as a substitute for the classic gimlet, but it is a very tasty beverage nonetheless.
Darn the Weather (low ABV)
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Ritual Gin Alternative
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- 1 oz. orange juice
- 3 dashes white or yellow curacao, or triple sec
- Orange slice or twist, optional
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a coupe. Garnish with an orange slice or twist, if desired.
Verdict: This fell flat. Not sure if it was the triple sec (non curacao on hand), but Gin Alternative, despite its boldness, did not really stand up to the ingredients in this drink, and it ended up tasting like a cocktail without the main ingredient.
Lemon Drop (Low ABV)
Ingredients:
- 3 oz. Ritual Gin Alternative
- 1 oz. triple sec
- 1 oz. lemon juice
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- Lemon slice or twist
Directions:
Fill a shaker with ice, Ritual, triple sec, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake. Strain into a chilled glass. Add lemon garnish.
Verdict: This is a great low ABV cocktail. It’s well balanced and delicious, and it tastes a lot like a Lemon Drop Martini or even a Bee’s Knees cocktail.
#5 Get Creative
After success with a couple brand-recommended mocktails, it’s time to experiment. Since Ritual Zero Proof Gin Alternative has a spicy flavor, it seemed only fitting to try it in a non-alcoholic mule. Here are the recipe and taste results:
Gin-Gin Mule Mocktail
Ingredients:
- 6 mint sprigs
- 2oz Ritual Zero-Proof Gin Alternative
- .5oz fresh lime juice
- .5oz simple syrup (1:1)
- 1oz Fever Tree Refreshingly Light Ginger Beer
- Splash of club soda
Directions:
Lightly muddle mint leaves, syrup, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add gin and ice, then shake well. Strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice. Top with ginger beer and splash of club soda. Lightly stir and garnish with a lime wheel and mint spring.
Verdict: Ritual Gin Alternative is a great choice for an alcohol-free Gin Gin Mule.
RITUAL GIN ALTERNATIVE VS GIN
Does Ritual Zero Proof Gin Alternative taste like gin? While I have not tried them side by side, Gin Alternative reminds me a lot of St. George Terroir gin, which carries strong scents of Douglas fir, bay laurel, and other native California botanicals.
Gin Alternative has a unique peppery bite, and I would say it tastes like gin, but not the gins that traditionally have a strong juniper presence.
It’s very interesting to see how alcohol-free gin is mimicking the flavor innovations occurring in the world of gin. There are so many different types of gin, and one should only expect that to happen in the non-alcoholic blends.
For a more traditional juniper gin flavor, try Monday Zero Alcohol Gin. Both Monday and Ritual are great non alcoholic gins with unique applications.
Ritual Zero Proof Non Alcoholic Spirits
Ritual Zero Proof makes these additional non-alcoholic spirits:
- Tequila Alternative: Read the full review for the best non alcoholic tequila cocktails that taste a lot like the real thing. This is one of my favorite zero proof spirits.
- Rum Alternative
- Whiskey Alternative
Ritual Gin Alternative Comparison with More Non Alcoholic Gin
For a comparison of all non-alcoholic gins that were taste tested, read The Lineup: Best Non-Alcoholic Gin. Monday Zero Alcohol Gin and Ritual Zero Proof Gin were the top picks, but read the full review to compare flavor profiles and which mocktails are most appropriate for each spirit.
Where to Buy Ritual Zero Proof Gin Alternative
Click here for the best available price for Ritual Zero Proof Gin Alternative on Amazon.
Ritual Zero Proof Gin Ingredients and Nutrition Facts
Ingredients: Filtered water, natural flavors, cane sugar, xanthan gum, citric acid, sodium benzoate & potassium sorbate as preservatives; PEANUT AND TREE NUT FREE, GLUTEN FREE
Botanicals listed:
Siberian pine, coriander berries, angelica root, hemp leaves, sweet basil, english cucumber, juniper berries, green lemongrass, capsicum fruit, green peppercorn, prickly ash, peppermint leaf
Storage: Refrigeration not necessary. Good for six months after opening.
Nutrition: Serving size: 1.5oz | 0 calories; Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 1g; Sugar <1g; Sodium 0g; Protein 0g*
*Nutrition information was found on the bottle and might be subject to change.
