A new bar in Portland serves only drinks without alcohol

(FEBRUARY 22, 2022) Portland has many places to enjoy different kinds of wine and beer. Now Portland also has a new "zero-proof" bar. That means that the bar serves drinks, but the drinks have no alcohol.

The new bar is called Suckerpunch. The bar opened this month as a "pop-up" bar. "Pop-up" means temporary. For now, the location is 1030 SE Belmont Street. Its owner, Andy McMillan, plans to open a permanent location later this year.

“After months of hard work, we’re excited to finally bring a dedicated zero-proof bar to Portland,” said McMillan. “Whether you’re sober, curious, or just taking a night off, we look forward to finally welcoming you in!”

According to MacMillan American Dictionary, a cocktail is a drink with a lot of alcohol in it. It is made by mixing different drinks together. At Suckerpunch, cocktails are all "mocktails." Mock means something is not real, but it is made to look or seem real. So a mocktail is a mix of different drinks, but without alcohol.

Suckerpunch offers visitors a tasting menu. Visitors can try three mocktails with dessert. The drinks have unusual and experimental flavors. For example, one includes a mixture of bergamot tea, date syrup, orgeat (a sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar, and rose water or orange flower water), lemon, and aquafaba (a foam made from chickpea liquid). More examples of drinks are shown on the bar's Instagram page.