How Leading Drinks Consultants Are Rethinking Alcohol-Free Cocktails
For a long time, alcohol-free cocktails were treated as an afterthought - a simplified version of something else, stripped back rather than built with intention. That approach is changing.
Across Europe’s most forward-thinking bars and restaurants, flavour-led professionals are re-examining what alcohol-free drinks can be when they are given the same attention as any other part of the menu. Not as a compromise, but as a category in its own right.
One of those voices is Zoe Burgess, founder of London-based drinks consultancy ATELIER PIP.
A flavour-first approach to modern drinks
With over 15 years’ experience, Zoe has worked across some of the UK and Europe’s most respected hospitality projects. Her consultancy work spans menu creation, concept development, training and flavour profiling for bars, restaurants and hotels including Chishuru (London), Artfarm (Bruton), Julie’s (London), Michelin-starred SKOF (Manchester), and The Standard in London and Brussels.
Her practice is grounded in one idea: flavour comes first.
Rather than designing drinks around trends or categories, Zoe approaches cocktails, alcoholic and alcohol-free alike through balance, structure and context. It’s an approach that has made her a leading voice in the evolution of no- and low-alcohol cocktails, speaking internationally on how these drinks can sit confidently alongside traditional menus.
As Zoe puts it:
“My work isn’t about just designing a drink, or a menu. It’s about weaving together a mix of ingredients which will evolve to mean so much more than their stylish name or thoughtful glassware.”
Where JIN JIN fits
When Zoe discovered JIN JIN, she approached it in the same way she would any ingredient behind the bar exploring how it behaves, what it brings to a drink, and how it can be layered.
JIN JIN is a naturally fermented drink concentrate, designed to be mixed with water or used as a base in serves. Its role is not to imitate alcohol, but to introduce depth, acidity and savoury complexity qualities often missing from alcohol-free drinks.
For Zoe, that versatility is key. JIN JIN can sit comfortably in alcohol-free serves, alongside beer or spirits, or as part of a simple home ritual.
A weekend serve: JIN JIN Turmeric Michelada
One serve Zoe now returns to is a re-imagined Michelada: light, refreshing, and quietly complex.
Ingredients
-
10 ml JIN JIN Enzymatic Cordial
-
10 ml cold-pressed turmeric shot
-
10 ml fresh lemon juice
-
125 ml alcohol-free beer
Method
Add the first three ingredients to a glass and stir to combine. Add ice, then gently top with beer. Stir and serve.
The result is a balanced drink that plays with acidity, savoury notes and refreshment, proof that alcohol-free cocktails don’t need to be ornate to be considered.
Beyond replacement
What this serve represents is a broader shift in how alcohol-free drinks are being positioned.
Rather than standing in for something else, they are increasingly being designed as everyday rituals, shaped by flavour, culture and the people who understand drinks best.
For us, this is exactly how JIN JIN is intended to be used: as an ingredient, a base, a starting point whether at home or behind the bar.
With thanks to Zoe Burgess and ATELIER PIP for sharing their approach and their craft.
