A Guide To Non-Alcoholic Tequila

No bars, no nightclubs, barely even a cheery wedding; the opportunities for people to be social together, out in the real world, have been few and far between lately. As a result, we’re drinking at home with the people we live with much more than before, and one drink has been embraced more enthusiastically than any other. Tequila.

Now it’s true that the popularity of this famous Mexican spirit has been on an upward trajectory for years anyway. Still, the last 18-24 months have lit a particularly fast-burning fuse, with global tequila sales increasing 46% in 2020 and Australia now third per capita behind just Mexico and the U.S.

So as the world opens up again and we leave the limbo of the past two years behind, now is the perfect time to make friends with a non-alcoholic alternative to the spirit that’s been on so many people’s lips, and will be in so many people’s glasses, over the coming months.

What is non-alcoholic tequila?

Bright-eyed, toned and energetically alcohol-free, the new breed of blue agave-flavoured drinks has finally arrived on the social scene, and suddenly, everyone wants to be their group’s designated driver. That’s because non-alcoholic tequilas have been crafted to taste, mix and be enjoyed just like traditional tequilas, but without anything to dull the celebrations.

How is non-alcoholic tequila made?

When it comes to crafting a non-alcoholic tequila, techniques can vary depending on where it's made, who's making it, and the variety of tequila they're trying to emulate. There are many ways to achieve a tequila-like flavouring, and they don't all include blue agave (the traditional ingredient) or even distillation. Individual botanicals are sometimes distilled before being blended, for example, but not always.

At Lyre's, our team has pulled out all the stops to create two "like for like" non-alcoholic tequila experiences, Lyre's Agave Reserva Spirit and Lyre's Agave Blanco Spirit. Both of them have been meticulously balanced to guarantee they're faithful and delicious representations of the spirit they're stepping into the shoes of.

We started their development by carefully de-constructing some well-known alcoholic tequilas to identify key aromas, tastes and appearance. Then we sourced the finest all-natural essences and extracts from around the globe and blended them with our own exclusive non-alcoholic base liquid to create their unique flavours and structures. And for the record, they're both vegan, gluten-free, have no artificial additives or flavours and contain just 0.4g of sugar per 30mL pour compared to the usual 100 calories in a shot of regular tequila. Cheers to that!

Where to find tequila alternatives?

Clean living is noteworthy, and everywhere, so non-alcoholic tequilas are in significant demand. They can be found on the shelves of all leading online and shopfront retailers. Restock your bar with a bottle of our Lyre’s Agave Reserva Spirit and Lyre’s Agave Blanco Spirit by visiting David Jones or Dan Murphy’s or buying online directly from Lyre’s.

What does non-alcoholic tequila taste like?

The new breed of non-alcoholic agave spirits have been meticulously crafted to have the distinct and complex flavours of a conventional tequila.

But like any great spirit, there’s no single taste combination that defines a tequila - it comes down to what you prefer the most. For instance, Lyre’s Agave Blanco Spirit features a rich palate redefined by citrus, roasted agave and peppery spice, with unmissable aromas of lemon, saline, agave, chamomile and pine. It works great in a margarita, or even a classic Paloma.

Conversely, there’s Lyre’s Agave Reserva Spirit with its lemon, roasted agave, vanilla and peppery spice notes balanced with an earthy bouquet of agave, vanilla, chamomile, and oak. It’s perfect in a Tommy’s Margarita or even in a Bloody Maria as an early morning pick-me-up.

Top Tequila Mocktails

The classic Margarita is much-loved as one of the world’s great cocktails, but too often, it’s both the start and the end of many people’s relationship with the gorgeous flavours of tequila. So scroll down to see not only a superb non-alcoholic version of the timeless Margarita recipe but also five more recipes to take your tequila relationship to a new and fresher level.

Classic Margarita

Because there aren’t many components in a Margarita, quality is the priority. So pair your Lyre’s Agave Blanco Spirit with a top-shelf non-alcoholic orange liqueur, and fresh limes. Also, avoid cracked ice cubes or ice shavings because they’ll melt faster and dilute your drink sooner.

Ingredients

• 45ml Lyre’s Agave Blanco Spirit or Lyre’s Agave Reserva Spirit
• 15ml Lyre’s Orange Sec
• 30ml freshly squeezed lime juice
• 7.5ml white sugar syrup (1:1)
• Fresh lime wedges (to salt and to garnish)
• Ice
• Flake salt (not iodized/table salt)

Method

1. Pour salt into a wide bowl or small dish. Rub a wedge of lime around the rim of your glass. Dip the rim into the salt.
2. Fill your glass with ice.
3. Pour the Agave Spirit, Lyre’s Orange Sec, syrup and lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for 10 seconds, then pour through a strainer into your glass.
4. Garnish with a lime wedge. Classic!

Tommy’s Margarita

This twist on the classic recipe has become a modern classic in its own right. You just swap the syrup for agave nectar (a sweetener from the same plant as tequila) and use our Reserva Spirit instead of the Blanco. The result is a mocktail lighter than the original, both in taste and calories, while still balancing the delicious sour and spirit elements.

Ingredients

• 60ml Lyre’s Agave Reserva Spirit
• 30ml freshly squeezed lime juice
• 15ml premium agave syrup
• Flake salt (not iodized/table salt)

Method

1. Shake briefly with ice. Fine strain into glass.

Paloma

The difference between a Paloma mocktail and a Margarita mocktail is simple: The Margarita contains Lyre’s Agave Blanco Spirit and fresh lime juice, but it gets its sweetness from the triple sec syrup; a Paloma gets its less-sweet sweetness by replacing the syrup with a (ideally Italian) grapefruit soda such as San Pellegrino Pompelmo. Sooo fresh!

Ingredients

• 45ml Lyre’s Agave Blanco Spirit
• 15ml fresh lime juice
• 7.5ml agave syrup
• 90ml bottle pink grapefruit or blood orange soda

Method

1. Add all ingredients in a glass. Fill with ice. Stir.

Watermelon & Chili Margarita

It’s good to shake things up from time to time, especially if it coincides with the best of summer produce.

Ingredients

• 45ml Lyre’s Agave Blanco Spirit
• 60ml fresh watermelon juice or puree
• 15ml fresh lime juice
• 15ml agave nectar
• 2 thin slices jalapeno round or ½ bird’s eye chilli

Method

1. Puree a cup of watermelon chunks, then strain to remove seeds and pulp
2. Put some salt and a little chilli on a small plate and mix. Rub the glass rim with a slice of lime, then dip in the salt-chilli mixture to form a salt rim.
3. Put the jalapeno slices in a cocktail shaker and muddle to release a little juice.
4. Add the watermelon juice, Blanco Spirit, and lime juice along with a few pieces of ice. Shake a full minute to chill.
5. Pour into the prepared glass, add ice if you like to chill further, and serve.

Bloody Maria

Let’s deviate from the Margarita and turn to The Bloody Mary, which has been fighting hangovers and improving mornings since the mid-1930s. This non-alcoholic version may focus on prevention rather than cure, but it’s still every bit as delicious. It gives tequila flavours the nod over vodka, then adds a variety of hot sauces to give you this south-of-the-border spin on the classic.

Ingredients

• 60ml Lyre’s Agave Reserva Spirit
• 120ml tomato juice
• 15ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 4 dashes hot sauce
• 1 pinch celery salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• Garnish: lime wedge
• Garnish: lemon wedge
• Garnish: cucumber spear
• Garnish: sweet pepper slices
• Garnish: jalapeno pepper slices
• Garnish: celery stalk

Method

1. Add the Reserva, tomato juice, lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, tapatio, celery salt and black pepper to a shaker and fill with ice.
2. Shake briefly and strain into a pint glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Garnish with a lime wedge, a lemon wedge, a cucumber spear and a skewer of sweet pepper slices, jalapeno slices and celery stalk.

Lyrebird Handle

Italian Spritz makes a fantastic and delicious ingredient that works well with Agave Blanco and is definitely worth adding to your tequila repertoire at home.

Ingredients

• 45ml Lyre’s Agave Blanco Spirit
• 15ml Italian Spritz
• 30ml lime juice
• 15ml almond syrup

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients into your cocktail shaker
2. Shake with ice
3. Strain over pebble ice into a tulip or stemless wine glass