Lime and soda? No thanks, say non-drinkers

I quit drinking cold turkey a little over 5(!) years ago. It was the single best decision in my life. I lost 50lb's and look and feel 10 years younger than my 41 years on this earth.

The biggest downside? Everyone wants to hang out in bars and drunk people are annoying and the drinks _suck_ for non drinkers. The soda is flat, the fruit garnishes they give you are NASTY (seriously don't touch that stuff its dirtier than the toilet). It's exciting to hear that there might be a market for people like me.

I honestly like non-alcoholic beer. I don't drink it very often or buy it for at home, but if I'm at a pub/bar+grill style place it goes well with a sandwich.

However, in my particular case I'm not concerned about calories or triggering addictive cravings, which might be an issue for other people who don't drink.

I've seen claims now and then that nobody really likes the taste of beer, wine, or coffee, that they are just drug delivery vehicles, but I really do. Granted, I'm not sure if it's just pavlovian association from formerly drinking or not.

I'm not aware of nonalcoholic wine that tastes decent being a thing in my locale, but if it was, I would try it.

I've definitely noticed the rise in alcohol-free beers (normally only one or two per pub, but now usually prominently marked on the drinks list or blackboard), alcohol-free wines (only seen one once in a pub, but my local small supermarket has a couple of varieties - pleasant if rather sweet and Shloer-like) and "mocktails" in the pubs near me in the UK, and I hope the trend continues.

One of my favourite restaurants does delicious fruit-based cocktails, but has some mocktails and fruit smoothies which are just as delicious and half the price. However, I admit they are sugary and no doubt very calorific, so probably not good for regular drinking either, alas.

(And I'm afraid we tried Seedlip, which round here costs as much an alcoholic gin, and didn't enjoy it at all - but we liked the concept so if there's a market for it perhaps we'll like the next flavour or competitor...)