In good spirits: Winston-Salem’s Cordial Cowboy whips up nonalcoholic cocktails for the sober curious

Featured photo: Cordial Cowboy owner Jordan Harwood has been hosting nonalcoholic cocktail pop-ups around Winston-Salem for the last few months. (photo by Joseph Navin)

Jordan Harwood has been feeling pretty mindful, pretty demure.

In fact, since she hit 30 a few years ago, she’s felt “kind of over” the trend of drinking, nursing hangovers and desperately trying to hydrate the next day.

“I went out on a Sunday Funday, and I woke up the next morning, and I was like, ‘Nope; I’m done,’” Harwood explains. “It’s been the greatest decision I ever made.”

Now Harwood owns and operates Cordial Cowboy, a business that still allows for fun without the pounding headaches and bloated tummies. For the past few months, she’s been hosting nonalcoholic cocktail pop-ups around Winston-Salem, offering people an alternative to boozy drinks.

“I’ve been hearing a lot of similar sentiments from people my age,” says Harwood, 34. “We want somewhere to socialize without the pressures of alcohol.”

Like many, Harwood grew up drinking and going to bars in her twenties. She’s even worked behind the bar at many businesses in Winston-Salem and Greensboro. But when the pandemic hit and she was drinking at home, Harwood realized that she wasn’t actually enjoying herself anymore.

“I was questioning the reason behind it,” she says. “And it was not anything more than just that I like the way [alcohol] tastes. And if we can replace it with something that’s a little healthier, I think it’s a great alternative.”

The trend of weaning off of alcohol has been growing for several years. According to a 2023 survey by data-analytics company NC Solutions, 41 percent of Americans surveyed said they were trying to drink less alcohol. Data also shows that younger people — those who are Gen Z or millennials — are leading the trend. The reason? 

“We’re in our thirties; we’re thinking more mindfully about our health and what we put in our bodies,” Harwood says.

A 2020 study published by JAMA Pediatrics showed that the percentage of college students aged 18-22 who stated they weren’t drinking alcohol rose from 20 to 28 percent between 2002 and 2018.

“There are people who don’t want to be hungover,” Harwood says. “Or they’re struggling with sobriety or they don’t want to experience any of the negative side effects that you can get with alcohol, like your judgment isn’t clouded; you’re not blacking out.”

Using her experience working in the bar industry, Harwood started researching and crafting cocktails at home using distinct ingredients. She knows that the nonalcoholic trend is growing — there’s multiple bars and restaurants that offer NA drinks these days — but she says that getting a good sober cocktail is still hard to come by.

“A lot of places, the mocktail is an afterthought rather than being front and center,” Harwood says. 

That’s why she doesn’t even really use the word “mocktail,” preferring to refer to her drinks as nonalcoholic or alcohol-alternative cocktails because of the baggage that comes with the word.

“Oftentimes I think when people order mocktails, they just get a cup of juice,” she says. “But if you focus on creating a mocktail with a functional alcohol alternative, it can still be special.”

What Harwood means by that is the inclusion of botanicals, adaptogens and dealcoholized spirits. When using some of these options, her drinks still offer a bit of a burning sensation without the alcohol, Harwood explains. Sometimes the bases use ginger or pepper that acts as the “spirit.”

And then it’s just about building the drink on top of the base, like with a regular cocktail.

For example, Cordial Cowboy’s Easy Peasy uses a botanical spirit, wildflower tea, bitters, mint simple syrup and Topo Chico for a refreshing summer drink. It’s been a hit at her pop-ups like the one at Eyes on Trade and people have asked her about the ingredients because it has a calming effect from the tea. The Blazin’ Saddles uses bitters, blood orange, lime, grapefruit, basil and Tajín for an energizing alternative. 

In addition to the cocktails, Harwood also offers hemp-derived THC that she can add to drinks if patrons request it. She’s curating nonalcoholic beers and wines, too. For the fall, she’s on the hunt for a good NA bourbon (to make zero-proof Old Fashioneds) and a good NA red wine.

“My push is to find things that aren’t easily accessible in Winston-Salem,” Harwood says.

She knows that Winston-Salem is a drinking town. There’s bars and breweries aplenty. But as the interest in the nonalcoholic lifestyle grows, Harwood says she wants to make sure people have a separate place to still have a good time.

“If you want to explore the sober curious lifestyle or you’re completely sober, being in a space where other people are drinking alcohol isn’t always the best space for that,” she says. “It’s better to make a location specific to like-minded people; I think it opens up a new door to socializing.”

That’s why a future goal of hers is to eventually have a brick-and-mortar bar with a bottle shop of nonalcoholic accoutrement. She’s also planning on offering cocktail kits and hosting classes so people can feel empowered to make great drinks at home.

“What I’m hoping is to make a nice drink for people who don’t drink but still want to have a nice experience,” she says. “It’s more of an elevation rather than intoxication.”

To learn more about Cordial Cowboy or to attend a future pop-up, follow them on Instagram at @cordialcowboync.