A guide to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day if you don’t drink

One of her favorite mocktails is the Ghia Apértif , which has Riesling white grape juice concentrate, yuzu juice, gentian root extract, elderflower extract, and other flavors. She just adds seltzer and a squeeze of lime. And for alcohol-free liquor, her favorite is Spiritless non-alcoholic whiskey. “It’s not going to give you the same burn, but I think it really does a good job,” she said.

If you want to buy mocktail supplies locally, she suggests Boston Shaker in Davis Square. She said they have lots of options for fun ingredients to add to zero-proof drinks.

Although she loves nonalcoholic versions of classic drinks, she clarified that transitioning to spiritless liquors definitely requires time to adapt. Romanul said people often assume a nonalcoholic liquor will taste exactly the same as the traditional liquor they are used to, but that’s not the case.

“Because there’s no alcohol in them, they don’t have that typical bite or dryness that you might experience,” she said. “So when you are getting into alcohol-free drinks, I think there’s a little bit of adjusting of the palate to know that this isn’t going to be a one-for-one.”

However, beer drinkers transitioning to alcohol-free options are in luck because some nonalcoholic beers do taste the same, she said.

“I think some people are kind of disappointed when they first start with alcohol-free spirits, but the more you start experimenting, and adjusting, if you’re making a mixed drink, the sugar content or the acidity or citrus or things like that,” she said, “you can find some really beautiful things that really do offer that same complex drinking experience that a traditional cocktail would.”

If your plan is to go out to bars for St. Patrick’s Day, Romanul likes the selections of zero-proof drinks at Sarma in Somerville and Oleana in Cambridge.

“Right now Oleana serves Athletic cans . . . as well as an amazing pear and cardamom spritz,” she said.

She also enjoys Yvonne’s , which has three spirit-free drinks. Her favorite is the Cecily, with salted cucumber, wasabi, lime, and yuzu.

Romanul’s first tip to leaving your home as a spirit-free drinker is to not be afraid to bring your own drinks to a friend’s party. She always packs a beverage she will enjoy in case nonalcoholic options are limited. She said it’s also fun to bring extra for your friends to try.

When going out to restaurants, she looks up the menus ahead of time to make sure they have good options for mocktails or ingredients for her to request her own. She said if a restaurant doesn’t have a zero-proof menu or nonalcoholic beer, she orders “club soda with a splash of grapefruit juice and a dash of bitters in a champagne flute. I think sometimes having a glass that’s not just like a beer pint glass makes it feel a little more exciting and sophisticated.”

Her suggested at home mocktail for St. Patrick’s Day is the “Mo-HEAT-o,” a nonalcoholic twist on the classic mojito with added spice.

The Mo-HEAT-o

• ¾ ounce of Portland Syrups Mojito concentrate
• 5-7 fresh mint leaves and more to garnish
• Juice from half of a fresh lime (if desired)
• 2 ounces of Sexy AF Spiced Yum
• 2-4 droppers of King Floyd’s Green Chili Bitters (add to taste depending on your preference for heat)
• 4 ounces AVEC Yuzu and Lime
• Dried lime slice

In the bottom of a Collins glass, muddle the mint leaves with the mojito syrup and juice from half of a lime (if desired). Add crushed ice to fill ⅔ of the glass. Pour in Sexy AF Spiced Yum and King Floyd’s Green Chili Bitters (if using). Top with AVEC Yuzu and Lime, give it a stir, and garnish with a dried lime wheel and a sprig of fresh mint.

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Maddie Browning can be reached at [email protected] .