Sans Bar Chris Marshall Celebrates with Merry Mocktails

Chris Marshall may have given up alcohol in his early twenties, but you'd never catch him without a drink in his hand. "I always found that if you had something interesting in your glass, it took a lot of the pressure off of social events," he says. At the time, mainstream mocktails were a thing of the future, so Marshall busied himself in the kitchen, drawing inspiration from his Memaw's cooking to concoct flavor-forward blends of fresh juices, infused syrups, and craft sodas.

In 2017, Marshall took his recipes to the masses with Sans Bar, Austin's first drink-slinging pub where you won't find a drop of alcohol in sight. "It combines the best parts of a bar—the music, the connection—in an environment that's truly inclusive of everyone," he says. That's especially important around the holidays, when all the parties and booze can turn into a recipe for FOMO for many nondrinkers, says Marshall.

Sans Bar offers an academy of instruction that will help those who are interested host a pop-up mocktail bar. This is a brand driven effort that unveils that charm of Sans Bar, while at the same time, giving the mocktail loving individual a chance to create community and fun around non-alcoholic offerings.

Community is at the heart of Sans Bar, and their event schedule embraces the virtual experience. The virtual events are an opportunity to experience the same music, fun, and connection you find in Austin right in the comfort of your own home. Beyond the bar, smaller social gatherings are offered such as Fireside Connections camping trips, Zoom happy hours and Zoom workshops.

At Sans Bar, Marshall engineers a festive environment with zero-proof drinks to match—and encourages every host to do the same. "At any party or event, there should always be equally attractive nonalcoholic options," he says. Here, Marshall shares three irresistible mocktails filled with holiday spirit.