Maui’s Mocktail Movement:
Zero Proof, Island Style
Island bartenders are shaking up spirit-free cocktails with the same
craft and flair as the real thing – and the scene is buzzing.
story by Tiffany La Forge | photographs by Chris Archer
Not long ago, mocktails were an afterthought on cocktail menus – often limited to sugary juice blends or a token non-alcoholic beer. But a new movement has been stirring, redefining the way we drink. Today, words like handcrafted, bold and botanical describe zero-proof creations.
Fueled by the rise of mindful drinking and a new generation of sober-curious consumers, these drinks now hold a rightful place on menus, crafted with as much care and complexity as their spirited counterparts.
For bars on Maui, creating innovative, elevated mocktails starts with what the island does best: focusing on local ingredients. Mahalo to these three Maui bars for share their secret mocktail recipes – handcrafted by 2025 ‘Aipono Gold-winning mixologists.
Wild Hibiscus Mocktail
Tikehau Lounge
2025 ‘Aipono Gold – Best Bar & Best Handcrafted Cocktails
With plenty of magazine-worthy zero-proof options, sober sippers at Tikehau Lounge in Wailea never have to sit out the quintessential cocktail toast. The bar’s mocktail menu highlights local ingredients, sometimes with the unexpected.
A fan-favorite “no buzz” selection is the Wild Hibiscus, a mocktail featuring herbal tea steeped from native Hawaiian māmaki leaves and hibiscus. The tropical concoction also combines Maui Gold pineapple syrup, fresh local lime juice, mint and pickled starfruit.
“During starfruit season in Hawaii, this beautiful fruit is abundant but often goes to waste,” said Mari Howe, Tikehau Lounge’s bar manager. “By pickling the fruit and using the juice in our recipes, we can preserve it and share it with our guests.”
These tropical flavors combine to create a balanced mocktail that is bright, refreshing, pleasantly acidic and almost too pretty to drink. Almost.
Ingredients:
½ oz fresh local lime juice
1 oz Maui Gold pineapple syrup (recipe below)
¼ oz pickled starfruit juice (recipe below)
2 oz Oribe Hibiscus Mint Māmaki Tea (or favorite hibiscus-mint herbal tea)
Steps:
1. In a shaker filled with ice, combine lime juice, pineapple syrup, pickled starfruit juice and Oribe Hibiscus Mint Māmaki Tea.
2. Shake well to chill and integrate flavors.
3. Double strain into a glass filled with fresh ice.
4. Garnish with pickled starfruit and a sprig of mint.
Serves: 1
Pickled Starfruit Juice
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp salt
1 ½ qt white vinegar
1 ½ qt sugar
2 qt water
3 cinnamon sticks
5 cardamom pods
5 star anise
4-5 slices fresh peeled ginger
3 stalks lemongrass
1 ½ tsp turmeric powder
3 qt sliced starfruit (12-16 starfruit)
Steps:
1. Wash and cut starfruit into ¼-inch slices. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of salt evenly onto sliced starfruit; let sit 20 minutes.
2. Rinse starfruit; place in 1-gallon sealable container.
3. In a pot, combine all remaining ingredients except starfruit, bring to a boil and immediately turn off heat.
4. Pour hot pickling liquid over starfruit, cover, cool and refrigerate for at least 48 hours before using.
5. Refrigerate in sealed container to preserve up to two months.
Makes: 3 quarts
Maui Gold Pineapple Syrup
Ingredients:
1 part fresh Maui Gold pineapple juice from 1 or more pineapples
1 part granulated white sugar
Steps:
1. Juice pineapples with juice press, strain.
2. Measure equal weights of juice and sugar; add sugar.
3. Stir until fully dissolved.
4. Refrigerate in sealed container to preserve up to two weeks.
Makes: 2-4 cups per pineapple
Royal Fountain Spritz
Pilina at Fairmont Kea Lani
2025 ‘Aipono Gold – Best Lobby Lounge (tie)
When crafting zero-proof cocktails, the mixologists at Fairmont Kea Lani’s Pilina begin by selecting the local ingredients they wish to highlight – many harvested directly from the Royal Fountain Garden on-property.
Their favorite creation, the Royal Fountain Spritz, is a ruby red mocktail that blends freshly made hibiscus syrup, rosemary-infused Verjus, Seedlip Garden 108 and alcohol-removed sparkling wine. The result is herbaceous, crisp, floral and lightly effervescent drink that captures the essence of the garden: fresh, fragrant and deeply rooted in the land.
For those making it at home, Cameron Hall, assistant director of food and beverage, recommends freezing slices of cucumber or citrus as a stylish, functional garnishes that keep your drink cool without diluting its flavors.
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Seedlip Garden 108
1 oz Verjus Blanc infused with Rosemary
Tip: Use fresh rosemary (Pilina’s comes from Fairmont Kea Lani’s Royal Fountain herb garden)
1 oz tea syrup (recipe in Step 3 below)
1 cup granulated white sugar|
1 ½ oz Mionetto “alcohol removed” sparkling wine
Steps:
1. Infuse Verjus Blanc: Steep fresh rosemary in Verjus for 24 hours. Strain before use.
2. Prepare the glass: Chill a goblet-style water or wine glass.
3. Create the tea syrup: Brew one tea bag of Flora’s Berry Garden Tea or fruity tea of your choice in one cup of water.
4. Remove tea bag, add 1 cup sugar, stir. Refrigerate in sealed container to preserve 1-2 weeks.
5. Build the cocktail:
• Pour 1 ½ oz Seedlip Garden 108 into chilled glass
• Add 1 oz rosemary-infused Verjus Blanc
• Add 1 oz tea syrup
• Add ice
• Stir gently to combine ingredients
6. Top with sparkling wine: Preserving the bubbles, slowly pour 1 ½ oz Mionetto “alcohol removed” sparkling wine
7. Garnish: Finish with a long strip of chilled cucumber and a sprig of fresh rosemary for aroma and visual appeal.
8. Serve: Present immediately and enjoy refreshing herbal flavors.
Serves: 1
Plantation Sour
Lobby Lounge at Four Seasons Maui at Wailea Resort
2025 ‘Aipono Gold – Best Lobby Lounge (tie)
Lobby Lounge’s Plantation Sour is a tropical-forward libation inspired by the classic mai tai. Mixologists crafted this refreshing blend of mango, coconut, pineapple and lime with Maui in mind.
“We wanted to create a beverage that stands confidently on its own – with layered flavors and vibrant aromas that mirror our tropical surroundings,” said Lobby Lounge Manager Sarah Escobar.
Sarah’s favorite way to enjoy Plantation Sour? It pairs beautifully with the Lobby Lounge’s dim sum – tropical notes complementing the savory flavors of the dumplings.
Ingredients:
½ oz coconut cream
½ oz mango purée
½ oz fresh lime juice
1 oz pineapple juice
Steps:
1. Combine coconut cream, mango purée, lime juice and pineapple juice in a shaker with ice.
2. Shake until well chilled.
3. Strain over crushed ice in a rocks glass.
4. Garnish with fresh mint and orchid flower.
5. Serve and enjoy
Serves: 1
