Seedlip vs Ritual vs Monday: Which NA Gin Should You Try?
Three popular zero-proof gin-style bottles, compared by the drink I would actually make with each one.
Do not buy these expecting straight gin
Seedlip, Ritual, and Monday are not interchangeable with alcoholic gin. None of them brings the same alcohol heat, body, or snap. The question is simpler: which one makes the best drink once tonic, citrus, ice, or soda gets involved?
If you are expecting a neat pour that tastes like gin, you will probably be disappointed. If you are trying to make a better non-alcoholic G&T, a botanical spritz, or a weeknight cocktail, the comparison is more interesting.
Where I would shop
For zero-proof gin alternatives, I would look at The Zero Proof for spirits and cocktail bottles, ProofNoMore for mixed trial orders, and Amazon for familiar bottles when shipping is easier.
Seedlip: best if you want botanical, not gin-copy
Seedlip is the one I would buy when I want herbs, citrus, garden flavors, or something light with soda. It is not the bottle I would choose for someone demanding juniper bite. It works better when you stop asking it to be gin and treat it like a botanical mixer.
Try Seedlip with soda, tonic, cucumber, grapefruit, lemon, or herbs. It can make a good low-key drink with soda, cucumber, citrus, and herbs, but it needs help from the mixer. If you pour it with flat supermarket tonic and no citrus, the drink can taste underbuilt.
Ritual: best if you want the closest G&T attempt
Ritual is the one I would try first if the goal is a non-alcoholic G&T. It gives tonic more to grab onto than Seedlip does: more spice, more bite, and less of the light botanical-soda direction.
Use plenty of ice, a strong tonic, and lime or grapefruit. Do not judge it warm or neat. Like most zero-proof spirits, it needs the drink around it to do some of the work.
Monday: best if you want a softer gin-style bottle
Monday sits in the middle for me. I would try it if Ritual sounds too aggressive and Seedlip sounds too far from gin. Build the drink carefully: cold glass, good tonic, citrus, and maybe a bitter garnish like grapefruit peel.
If you want a big juniper hit, Monday may not go far enough. If you want something gentler for a weeknight tonic drink, it may be closer to what you had in mind.
Which one should you buy first?
Buy Ritual first if you want the closest shot at a G&T. Buy Seedlip first if you want a botanical soda drink and do not care whether it tastes like gin. Buy Monday first if you want a softer gin-style bottle that does not push as hard as Ritual.
Who should skip all three?
Skip all three if you mainly miss the burn and weight of a martini or gin on the rocks. These bottles do not solve that. You may be happier with NA beer, bitter aperitifs, sparkling wine, or a canned cocktail that was designed to drink straight from the can.
My test drink
I would test each bottle the same way: 2 ounces of the spirit alternative, cold tonic, lime, a lot of ice, and no other distractions. If the bottle cannot hold up there, it probably will not become a regular purchase.
Bottom line
Ritual is the first bottle I would try for a non-alcoholic G&T. Seedlip is better when you want a botanical soda-style drink. Monday is the gentler middle option. None of them replaces gin perfectly, so buy for the drink you plan to make, not for the promise on the label.