Non-alcoholic spirits—also known as NA or zero-proof—imitate the flavor and feel of our favorite liquors: vodka, whiskey, gin, rum, liqueurs, you name it. And like their spirited counterparts, there’s more than one way to make them. Some are distilled from a base ingredient, but instead of capturing the high-ethanol vapors, NA makers take the water left behind from the fermented liquid. The alcohol is distilled out, leaving only trace amounts—0.5 percent ABV or less, the legal threshold for an NA beverage. Others are truly 0.0 percent, fully zero-proof.
Then there are those made through infusion, maceration (like tea), percolation (like coffee), or cold-pressing. However they’re crafted, most NA spirits are the result of careful chemistry—a mix of botanicals, water, and serious technical precision.
Take Virginia’s own Filibuster Distillery Non Alcoholic Spirit from Maurertown, for example, created from a family heirloom recipe infused with herbs, spices, and fruits. And lucky for us, Virginia’s dry scene is growing, with a few dedicated bottle shops already pouring out options—and more on the horizon—including Ceremony in Virginia Beach and Point 5 in Richmond.
This article originally appeared in the February 2026 issue.
