One Of The Signature Cocktails Served At The Emmys Was Alcohol-Free

The 74th annual Emmy awards were last night, and for those lucky enough to be nominated there was a full menu of delicious cocktails to help ease their nerves. Forbes shares that one notable drink on the signature cocktail menu was even a mocktail, thoughtfully included for those who wanted to enjoy the evening without a buzz.

This year's Emmy cocktail menu was designed once again by James Beard award winner Charles Joly (this is Joly's fifth consecutive year designing the menu), who added to his 20-plus years of hospitality experience the skills of award-winning mixologist Lauren "LP" Paylor O'Brien and sponsor Ketel One Vodka. The menu featured four signature cocktails that had the tall task of being elegant enough for an awards ceremony while appealing to the wide range of presenters, guests, and nominees.

Forbes reports that the three cocktails were designed around Ketel One Vodka as the preferred spirit. The Starlight cocktail was a fruity remix of the classic vodka soda with watermelon, lemon, and mint added for flair. Breakfast for Dinner was a more bittersweet affair featuring white vermouth, a wine-based aperitif, and orange bitters. And lastly, what cocktail menu in 2022 would be complete without the uber-popular espresso martini? At this year's Emmys, the cocktail was called the Waking Dream.

Forbes reports that a mocktail called The Butterfly — of which Joly credits the creation to O'Brien – helped to round out the drink menu and give sober or sober-curious attendees something fancy to sip on. The drink was built around a strawberry-infused version of the Seedlip Spice 94, which is a nonalcoholic spirit flavored with allspice, cardamom, and citrus. The ingredient was mixed with pineapple juice, lime juice, coconut syrup, soy milk, and pea flower tea, which gave the drink its beautiful lilac hue. 

According to Insider, a new interest in wellness has helped drive the market for nonalcoholic spirit and beverage options, reporting the industry saw a 33% growth spurt in 2021. CNN shares that this new interest has driven innovation from brewers and distillers who want to provide flavorful choices for everyone at the party.

Alternative beverage options — like the zero-proof Emmy Butterfly cocktail — can help those who are used to having a drink at the end of a long day or meeting friends at the bar to stick to any low- or no-alcohol lifestyle decisions (via Harvard Health).