Zero proof describes a drink with no detectable alcohol — 0.0% ABV. It's one of several terms used to describe this category, each with slightly different connotations. Zero proof is marketing-friendly and increasingly common on menus and product labels. The terms below are all in active use and generally interchangeable, though they carry different cultural associations.
Why It Matters
The terminology around non-alcoholic drinking is evolving quickly, and the language you use can signal different things to different audiences. "Mocktail" implies imitation; "AF Cocktail" or "zero proof" implies craft and intention. The word choice matters for how seriously a drink is taken.
Where You'll Use It
Menus, product selection, and any conversation about what you're making or drinking.
Worth Knowing
Alcohol-Free
Alcohol-free (or AF) is the term used throughout Crafted AF to describe both the drinks and the spirits. It means no detectable alcohol. It's direct and accurate without implying anything about the reason someone is drinking it.
Non-Alcoholic
Non-alcoholic is a regulatory term in many countries for beverages containing less than 0.5% ABV — which technically means a "non-alcoholic" drink can contain trace amounts of alcohol. This distinction matters for anyone in recovery. Check labels when it matters.
Mocktail
Mocktail is a common but increasingly disfavored term in craft circles. The "mock" prefix implies imitation and lesser-than — that the drink is pretending to be something real. Most serious alcohol-free practitioners prefer "AF cocktail," "zero proof," or simply not distinguishing at all.
Virgin Cocktail
Virgin cocktail is an older term for a cocktail made without its alcoholic component. It carries the same connotation problem as mocktail — the implication being that the drink is incomplete. Less common now than it was ten years ago.
Low ABV
Low ABV drinks typically fall between 0.5% and 8% ABV — lower than standard cocktails (15-25% ABV) but not strictly zero proof. Spritz-style drinks, wine-based cocktails, and session formats often fall here. The line between low ABV and AF is meaningful for people in recovery.
Session Drink
A session drink is designed to be consumed over an extended period — at a session, a party, across an evening — without the effects of high alcohol. The term comes from British pub culture. In AF cocktail contexts, all drinks are session drinks, but the word is also used to describe a lower-intensity drink format intended for extended social occasions.