Wine & Spirits - February 2021 - 9

Spirits

I

N THESE UNPRECEDENTED
times, you might be surprised
to find that the alcoholfree section of your local spirits
shop is growing-or to find that
the section exists at all. Several
studies have shown that people
have responded to the COVID-19
pandemic by drinking more. But,
if soaring sales of nonalcoholic
spirits are any measure, there are
also many people drinking less.
Makers of nonalcoholic spirits are
reporting as much as 30 percent
monthly growth.
Nonalc has been gaining steam
since the 2015 launch of Seedlip.
Made by macerating botanicals
in neutral grain spirit and water,
then distilling in copper pot stills
to remove the alcohol, Seedlip
was quickly embraced by craft
cocktail bars and Michelin-starred
restaurants eager to elevate
their " no and low " offerings. Its
Garden 108 expression, with its
fresh flavors of summer peas and
mint, could be mixed with citrus
or soda for a sophisticated zeroproof cocktail or highball. Spice
94, bursting with cardamom,
pairs nicely with ginger ale. Later
this year, the brand intends to
launch Æcorn in the US; the line
of nonalcoholic aperitifs inspired
by vermouth and amaro is already
available in the UK.
Seedlip was backed by Distill
Ventures, a self-described " drinks
accelerator " funded by Diageo,
which eventually acquired
the brand. Today, a quarter of
DV's portfolio is nonalcoholic.
Proponents of nonalc spirits
sometimes point to the explosive
rise of nonalcoholic beer-sales
were up 40 percent in 2020, by
some measures. But many prefer
a different comparison: meat and
dairy alternatives. Consumers

Sober Curious?
Give Nonalcoholic Spirits a Go
by C H AN TAL MART I N E AU
reaching for nonalc tend to be
drinkers, like the non-vegan who
drops a pack of Beyond Meat next
to a tenderloin in the grocery
cart. They're driven by wellness,
balance and, above all, choice.
Pernod Ricard has a stake in
Ceder's, a botanical distillate
from Sweden. Billing itself as an
" alt-gin, " it hit US shelves last
fall. When topped with tonic, its
several expressions offer subtle
flavor nuances that can struggle
to compete with the pungency of
quinine. But with no more than
one part Ceder's to three parts
tonic, the cucumber-forward
Crisp expression reads like a
Hendrick's Gin & Tonic. The
Wild's notes of clove and ginger
tea call to mind elaborately
garnished Spanish G&Ts.
Much of the nonalc space is
devoted to 1:1 spirit substitutes.

Ritual, another brand backed
by Diageo, launched last year,
offering gin, tequila and whiskey
substitutes. Named for what is,
ostensibly, the most important
aspect of cocktailing, it's not
distilled, but made using
technologies that isolate essences
and extracts, such as the esters
in lime or the terpenes from an
American oak barrel. The burn
of alcohol is mimicked using a
blend of botanicals, including
capsaicin, the active component
in chile peppers. Ritual's Whiskey
Alternative has the spicy, herbaceous aroma of rye and, with
sugar and bitters, effectively
mimics an Old Fashioned.
Spirit substitutes, poured neat,
are unlikely to fool your palate.
Most are designed to be mixed.
The more creative and skilled the
bartender, the better the result.

Pricing
SEEDLIP, $32/750 ml each;
CEDER'S, $22/500 ml each, imported
by Park Street, Miami, FL;
RITUAL, $27/750 ml;
LYRE'S, $36/700 ml each;
KIN SPRITZ, $27/236 ml 4-pack;
DREAM LIGHT, $39/500 ml;
CURIOUS ELIXIRS, $35/330 ml 4-pack.

Lyre's has the most extensive
1:1 range-13 and counting-
including rum, coffee liqueur and
absinthe substitutes. Combine
equal parts its Dry London (gin),
Apéritif Rosso (sweet vermouth)
and Italian Orange (Campari) for
a non-intoxicating Negroni.
Certain brands elbowing their
way into the nonalc space offer
more than just a zero-proof
alternative. Made with ingredients
intended to relax or uplift,
" functionals " straddle the worlds
of wellness and cocktailing. Taking
cues from Ayurvedic philosophy,
Kin leans into bitter ingredients,
like gentian. Associated with
improved digestion, it also plays
well in cocktails. Kin Spritz, a fizzy,
bracingly bitter aperitif containing
amino acids, caffeine and the
brain-stimulating root rhodiola
rosea works on its own or with a
splash of tart juice. For some, it
offers an instant jolt; others report
a low-key buzz. Kin's Dream Light
is made with reishi mushroom,
said to help the body manage
stress; plus, a dose of melatonin
for a good night's rest. Serving
suggestions include stirring in
warm oat milk and honey.
Addressing today's pandemicdriven popularity of ready-todrink cocktails, Curious Elixirs,
in New York's Hudson Valley, sells
zero-proof prepared cocktails
in brown glass bottles. The
refreshing French 75-inspired
No. 3 is infused with cucumber
and ashwagandha, a root used to
relieve stress and boost energy.
No. 2 is a spicy pineapple-ginger
concoction with damiana, a
purported aphrodisiac. A world
away from sugary mocktails, both
deliver a subtle mellowing effect.
Just as we reimagined our diets
with meatless burgers, nonalc
spirits invite us to reimagine our
drinks. Several alcohol-free bars
already exist-Sans Bar in Austin,
The Getaway in Brooklyn. For the
sober or merely the sober curious,
options abound. ●

WINE & SPIRITS

FEBRUARY 2021

9
Wine & Spirits - February 2021

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