Edmonton’s thirst for alcohol-free options is reaching new heights with the opening of SPLIT Zero Proof, the city’s first craft alcohol-free cocktail bar slated to open on Jasper Avenue. Co-founder JoAnne Pearce proudly states, “We’re the first one in Alberta, as far as I know.”
SPLIT offers a multifaceted experience that seamlessly blends a retail store, bottle shop, and an inviting space to savor expertly crafted mocktails by the glass. Pearce enthusiastically shares, “We’ll also be teaching classes, doing tasting events, private events… people are so excited. There’s so much interest in this.” The bar’s popularity is evident in its catering bookings, which are already filled through October 2025.
Pearce attributes the growing demand to the “alcohol-free scene… growing like crazy.” SPLIT aims to elevate the non-alcoholic experience, showcasing the potential of mocktails beyond “virgin mojitos.” She adds, “We’re offering the grown-up atmosphere of the coolest bar in town with the aim of showing folks that a mocktail can be so much more than a virgin mojito.”
Classes at SPLIT have garnered immense popularity. Pearce explains, “What we do that’s different is try to really surprise people, we try to be playful. We have a more culinary approach. It’s really about the flavours first. We’re not trying to recapture cocktail culture here. We’re not only going to be making no-gronis and alcohol-free gin and tonics.”
The bar’s ’80s-inspired décor and proximity to award-winning cocktail bar Clementine add to the vibrant atmosphere of West Jasper Avenue. Pearce anticipates the area becoming “really exciting” and predicts “West Jasper Avenue… is about to have this sort of energy infusion that’s going to be really cool.”
The growing trend of alcohol-free options reflects a shift in consumer preferences towards mindful drinking. Surveys indicate a decline in alcohol consumption among younger generations, giving rise to the “sober-curious” movement. Mintel’s associate director for food and drink, Joel Gregoire, notes, “Companies large and small are seizing on that opportunity.”
Sarah Kate, founder of Some Good Clean Fun, a platform dedicated to promoting non-alcoholic content, has witnessed the surge in non-alcoholic offerings. She states, “Since [April 2021], it’s just exploded.” Major brands are now recognizing the importance of non-alcoholic options, introducing innovative products to cater to this growing market.
NAIT’s dining room manager, Mitch McCaskill, has embraced the trend, observing a significant shift towards non-alcoholic beverages. He notes, “Cocktails and non-alcoholic beer, potentially non-alcoholic wine. Making it still taste good but without that alcohol effect, the buzz that you get in the head and the brain.” McCaskill’s personal experience with sobriety has influenced his perspective, and he believes that “non-alcoholic beers taste just as on par. They taste really good.”
NAIT’s partnership with its innovation center has enabled the creation of non-alcoholic spirits, such as a zero-proof Old Fashioned, which has proven to be immensely popular. McCaskill predicts a promising future for SPLIT, stating, “I have no doubt with this business, that it’ll be steady business for them.”
