The Pittsburgh Mocktail Mixer Crowns the City’s Best

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Sipping Pittsburgh's Best Mocktails

The Pittsburgh Mocktail Mixer took place at Velum Fermentation and featured roughly 25 bars and restaurants that brought their best mocktail to throw down. Guests received a stamp card to try one of each drink (many served full-size!), and then at the end of the evening could vote on the Best Mocktail in the Burgh, plus The Eye Candy Cup (best presentation), and Outside the Glass (unique flavors).

Drinks certainly ran the spectrum at this event. From NA takes on the classics, like Alta Via's Golden Hour Sour (a riff off of an Amaretto Sour, which ultimately won best mocktail), to alcohol free variants of house cocktails (like Space Bar's Tart-ooine Sour, a runner-up in two categories), to non-alcoholic beer, kombucha, juice-forward drinks, and so much more. This was quite enjoyable because it really showcased how diverse mocktails can be- they're not just mixed juices anymore!

Apart from the previously mentioned drinks, Golden Gai took home The Eye Candy Cup for Night Rain (on their regular menu with blue spirulina, cucumber, honey, white tea, lime, and salt foam) and Mixtape grabbed Outside the Glass with Maize Runner (a corn and coconut milk blended beverage seemingly specially created for the event). We were pretty pumped for both of these as they also received our votes for the respective categories.

For the first event, Cold Friends Kitchen was also on site selling food. This stellar truck has a history of employing those who are in recovery, and felt very aligned with the goals of the event overall (and, as one of the best food trucks in Pittsburgh, is always exciting to see at area events).

As fun as this event was, if there was one downside, it would be that many participating bars and restaurants relied a bit too much on sugar to give their drinks body that alcohol otherwise provides. Some non-alcoholic spirits are getting good at having other components to replace this, but several creations, particularly those that were a bit more juice-heavy, relied a bit too much on sugar for our liking.

A sweet drink, on its own, is quite fine. But sampling through upwards of 25 mocktails, many of which were served almost full size and not as a taster, was a lot of sugar for one event. We, as well as other attendees, seemed to discard a number of drinks, which always feels a shame. 

Ignoring that, the Pittsburgh Mocktail Mixer was quite the fun event and really shows the opportunity local bars and restaurants have in offering alcohol-free drinks alongside their more conventional counterparts. The friendly competition also helps area bars see what others are doing in the area mocktail scene, and with a title of best mocktail in the Burgh on the line, will surely push more bars and restaurants to up their game- and perhaps reduce the sugar. A win for all who like a great non-alcoholic beverage!

As The Pittsburgh Mocktail Mixer is designed to be a fundraiser event for The Teetotal Initiative, we look forward to this one coming back as an annual event in the future. Whether you are sober, sober curious, or are just like us and enjoy great flavors in your drinks (with alcohol or not), this one is a must-attend event!

The Pittsburgh Mocktail Mixer is put on by the Teetotal Initiative. In 2025, it took place at Velum Fermentation in the South Side. We were hosted by the Teetotal Initiative for this review. As always, all opinions are our own.