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• Apple Ginger Fizz mocktail

With her new bar catering service, tonique, Lisa Danforth of South Burlington slings espresso martinis, French 75s and fig old-fashioneds at weddings, corporate events and holiday parties. But one major aspect of Danforth's approach stands out: None of the cocktails contains booze.

Danforth, 58, launched tonique in August, though the 14-year caterer and six-time entrepreneur had been working on the idea — and mixing up mocktails at home — since 2020.

"I was watching the numbers rise for alcohol consumption," she said of the uptick in drinking during the pandemic. "I got concerned. We're numbing ourselves."

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• Lisa Danforth

Her ultimate plan is for a brick-and-mortar lounge that's "a traditional bar, just without alcohol," Danforth said. The mobile bar biz is her way of introducing the idea and sourcing more nonalcoholic spirits, which are still rare in Vermont and can be expensive — sometimes even more than their alcoholic counterparts — because of the effort it takes to emulate the intensity and texture of booze. Nondrinkers aren't getting a deal in this case, but, for many, the "value is in the cocktail [and] the flavor, not the alcohol itself," she said.

While Danforth's margarita is a good dupe for the traditional boozy version, something like a bourbon and Coke is limited by the nonalcoholic bourbons on the market right now — and she still hasn't found a vodka replacement that she likes. Instead, tonique's drinks evoke the essence of classic cocktails and use ingredients such as syrups, vinegar-based shrubs and alcohol-free spirits that "satiate you like a traditional alcoholic drink," she said.

Danforth spoke with Seven Days about the alcohol-free movement and how she builds boozeless cocktails with a boozy bite.

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• Devil's Margarita mocktail

Is tonique part of a growing alcohol-free trend?

It's a whole new movement, with a lot of people who are intrigued for wellness and mental health reasons — especially in younger generations. I'm a little older — we still like to drink. And I still drink a little bit. I call myself a "substituter," because I drink sometimes, but predominantly, I don't.

We're starting from scratch, and I'm finding there's a learning curve. I'm doing a lot of educating about the different products, which I didn't have to do when I was catering before.

How do you achieve the mouthfeel — or the burn — that alcohol typically brings to a cocktail? Is that important to include in an alcohol-free drink?

One of the things I add that makes such a difference — it's amazing to me — is a salt mixture. It's just a little bit of salt and water, but it adds depth and a really nice texture in your mouth. For the heat, I've been making a simple syrup with habañeros and lapsang souchong, which is a very smoky tea. If I put a teaspoon of that in, I can make a beautiful mezcal drink like the Devil's Margarita.

A lot of the [nonalcoholic] spirits put in capsicum or something that gives it heat. You need that bite to slow the drinking down a little bit. It's a different bite than alcohol has but still a bite.

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• New York sour mocktail

Why is the alcohol-free movement important?

Alcohol is the only drug where people think there's something wrong with you if you're not drinking. For people who are drinking less or have stopped drinking — whether they're abstaining, pregnant or being an ally for someone who's not drinking — having a sophisticated, adult drink in your hand helps you feel part of the community.

I'm really on a mission to change our collective relationship with alcohol. Why does something like a baby shower need to be focused on alcohol? Events always have a bar. Go ahead and have that, but if you have options for people, it creates space for people that don't drink or are mindful drinkers, sober curious, whatever you want to call it. Everyone gets to drink and make a choice.

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity and length.