What a Non-Alcoholic Negroni Is
A Negroni is a three-ingredient Italian cocktail: gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari, served over ice with an orange garnish. The classic ratio is one to one to one, and the drink's defining characteristic is its bitterness, balanced by herbal and citrus sweetness from the vermouth.
A non-alcoholic Negroni reproduces the bitter-sweet, juniper-forward, citrus-driven profile without alcohol. It is not a watered-down version of the original. It is a separately formulated drink that uses botanical extracts and carbonation to deliver the structural experience of the cocktail without ethanol.
The Negroni, with its strong bitter identity and recognizable Italian aperitivo associations, has become one of the most attempted templates for the non-alcoholic format.
How the Phony Negroni Is Made
Producing a credible non-alcoholic Negroni rests on three constraints: bitterness, mouthfeel, and the citrus-and-floral lift that comes from the vermouth in a traditional Negroni.
For bitterness, the Phony Negroni uses gentian root, the same root that has been used in Italian aperitivi for generations. Gentian's bitter compounds are extracted without alcohol using alternative methods, then balanced into the finished drink so the first sip carries the familiar bitter signature.
For mouthfeel, the drink is carbonated. Carbonation adds the bite and weight that alcohol provides in a classic Negroni. Without it, a non-alcoholic version can taste thin.
For the citrus and floral lift, the Phony Negroni uses Tuscan juniper, southern Italian citrus, and a proprietary blend of botanicals. The result is a finished drink with the slightly sweet and herbal notes that round out the bitter base, alongside the familiar Negroni bitterness that ties the profile together.
The drink is made in Brooklyn at the St. Agrestis production facility. The ingredients are all-natural, vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO, with all-natural coloring.
What the Phony Negroni Tastes Like
The Phony Negroni is bitter-sweet, juniper-forward, with citrus and floral notes. The CO2 carbonation gives it a silky, slightly weighty mouthfeel that mimics the bite of alcohol. It is designed for the same drinking pace as a real Negroni: about twenty minutes per serving.
Visually, the Phony Negroni reads as a Negroni. It pours red. It looks the part in a rocks glass with an orange peel garnish.
Awards and Press
The Phony Negroni has won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2022, 2023, and 2024, with Best in Class honors in each of those years. In 2024 it became the first non-alcoholic cocktail to win Platinum in the competition's history. The competition has been running for forty-five years.
The drink has been featured in The New York Times, Wirecutter, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Esquire, Wine Spectator, BevNET, Inc., Imbibe, and goop. The New York Times described it as “a true cocktail dupe.”
The Phony Negroni is poured at Michelin-starred restaurants in the United States and at venues on the World's 50 Best Bars list.
How to Serve a Phony Negroni
The drink is bottled and canned at serving strength. No mixing is required.
To serve, fill a rocks glass with ice. Pour the contents of one 200ml bottle, or one 200ml can, over the ice. Cut a wide strip of fresh orange peel, express the oils over the glass by pinching it skin-side down, and drop the peel into the drink. Sip slowly over twenty to thirty minutes with light snacks.
For a Negroni Sbagliato style serve, top the Phony Negroni with a splash of dry prosecco or non-alcoholic sparkling wine. For more recipes, see our seven ways to serve the Phony Negroni.
Formats and Pack Sizes
The Phony Negroni is available in 200ml glass bottles and 200ml cans. Both come in six packs, twelve packs, and twenty-four packs. Kegs are also available for bar and restaurant accounts.
Where to Buy
The Phony Negroni is available direct from stagrestis.com, with free shipping on orders over one hundred dollars. It is also available on Amazon and at Target locations.
For a live map of bars and restaurants that pour the Phony Negroni, use the St. Agrestis Find Us locator.
For bar, restaurant, and retail wholesale accounts, visit wholesale.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Phony Negroni?
The Phony Negroni is a non-alcoholic Italian cocktail made in Brooklyn by St. Agrestis. It is built around the bitter, citrus, and juniper profile of a classic Negroni, reproduced without alcohol using gentian root, Tuscan juniper, southern Italian citrus and florals, and carbonation for mouthfeel.
Does the Phony Negroni contain alcohol?
The Phony Negroni is labelled non-alcoholic. The production process uses extraction methods that do not introduce ethanol into the finished drink.
What does the Phony Negroni taste like?
Bitter-sweet, juniper-forward, with citrus and floral notes from gentian root, Tuscan juniper, and southern Italian citrus. The CO2 carbonation gives it a silky, slightly weighty mouthfeel. The drinking pace matches a traditional Negroni at roughly twenty minutes per serving.
How do I serve a Phony Negroni?
Pour one 200ml bottle or can over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a wide twist of expressed orange peel. The drink is bottled at serving strength, so no mixing is required.
Where can I buy the Phony Negroni?
Direct from stagrestis.com, on Amazon, at Target stores, and at bars and restaurants across the United States. For local on-premise accounts, use the Find Us locator on stagrestis.com.
Is the Phony Negroni vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO?
Yes. The Phony Negroni is made with all-natural ingredients, is vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and uses all-natural coloring.
Has the Phony Negroni won awards?
The Phony Negroni won Double Gold and Best in Class at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2022, 2023, and 2024. In 2024 it became the first non-alcoholic cocktail to win Platinum in the competition's history.
