Finding a proper “skinny” cocktail has long been a challenge for the calorie-conscious. Readily available options are often so overly saccharine from artificial sweeteners, or they’re made with ingredients that aren’t really all that low-cal. This conundrum haunted Dallas-based Liquid Zero founder, Mike Hiller, and he’s not alone.
“This came about because a group of friends and I were drinking too much during COVID and realized that all the margarita mixes out there tasted terrible, the sugar-free ones at least, and at the time I was Keto,” Hiller says. “I wondered if I could make a better product than what exists, so I went to my friend Trey Dyer, who owns Mesero, and gave him the pitch for Liquid Zero.”
Dyer loved the idea, and soon the Liquid Zero brand was born.
For this particular business venture, Hiller’s unique multi-hyphenate background converged to showcase many of his skills. Not only does he have an M.D., he’s also worked as a chef and a restaurant critic for The Dallas Morning News during his tenure in North Texas. His career as a food, cocktail, golf, and travel journalist took him all over the globe.
“I had this culinary background, and I was also exposed to so many restaurants around the world,” he says. “Even though I’m not a bartender, I took this culinary knowledge and reached for the pantry when creating cocktails.”
Hiller says that when he crafted Liquid Zero cocktails, he was building on flavors the way a chef would, which is why his drinks are so different. They were constructed with flavor, composition, texture, aroma, and ease of use, all in mind. He turned to knowledgeable friends, including three master sommeliers and a Michelin-starred chef, to refine the flavors until they reached his standards.
The Liquid Zero brand started with a classic lime margarita, but has since expanded to include a Black Walnut Old Fashioned, an Espresso Martini, and a classic Cuban-style Mojito.
“My goal was to build a flavored cocktail beverage product that tasted indistinguishable from fresh squeezed juices, something that was craft-made that you didn’t know came from a mix,” he says. “I knew I could build something that also didn’t have any sugar calories and was very low carb.”
Each dry mix comes conveniently measured in reusable, ready-to-shake containers along with all garnishes needed for the whole craft cocktail experience. Simply add the spirit of your choice (or water, seltzer, or any other desired mixer), shake, and serve. (They can also be enjoyed in the plastic container for imbibing at the beach or backyard pool.)
Small mixes each make two cocktails, while the larger format makes six. The shelf-stable dry ingredients make them more affordable to ship, too. What makes Liquid Zero mixers truly different from most other sugar-free products on the market is precisely how they’re sweetened.
“We sweeten them primarily with a natural sweetener called allulose, which is found in figs and maple syrup. It doesn’t contribute calories, but it has the same flavor and texture as sugar,” Hiller says. “It’s very expensive, which is why you don’t see it in many other beverages or cocktails. But it’s been on the market for more than a decade, and it’s just a great sweetener.”
The taste is so close to cane-sugar cocktails that most customers don’t even realize it unless they’re specifically seeking it out. Depending on what you add, each cocktail can be as low as 70 calories per serving.
At Mesero, the first restaurant to feature Liquid Zero on its menu, bartenders craft the Size 2 with Milagro Silver tequila, fresh citrus, and Liquid Zero. Customers can order it either frozen or on the rocks. Sports fans can also find Liquid Zero at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
“We serve 10,000 of these at every single Dallas Cowboys game, and we don’t even advertise that they’re sugar-free. So people are drinking these and not even realizing they’re drinking a sugar-free drink,” Hiller says. “They just know they taste great.”
Customers can find Liquid Zero at Central Market locations in North Texas, and the product will even be available on board a major national airline soon.
“What we see people doing is they’re making a standard-size drink for the first round. And then the second round, they’re backing off on the amount of alcohol. Because our packaging looks the same, and you control the alcohol you add, no one knows that you’re drinking something with less alcohol or no alcohol. It’s great for Dry January or any time of year you want a zero- or lower-proof cocktail.”
Liquid Zero cocktail mixes can be purchased online at drinkliquidzero.com and amazon.com; on Central Market shelves; and at several Dallas-area restaurants, including all eight Mesero locations.
