A Lazy Mixologist's Dream

Wotcha!

Sam Bail over at Bright Social Lights has put together The Sober Partying Playbook, a nifty little guide for anyone navigating social events without alcohol.

So, if you’re cutting back or cutting it out altogether but wondering how on earth you’ll manage, Sam has some great advice.

Check it out here.

As always, enjoy some great drinks this week.

Cheers,

Myles

In this week’s edition:

NAN
New NA Drink News

SODA
Fresh Fizz Sodas
- Date Cola
- Hibiscus Ginger Ale
- Sparkling Mint Lemonade
- Sparkling Jalapeño Limeade

MIXERS
Mixing Fresh Fizz Sodas w/NA spirits

Read time: 6 minutes 17 seconds

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COCKTAILS: Always excited to see something new from Figlia. Sole Frizzante is their new lemon, peach, and basil RTD aperitivo. (Link)

BEER: If Mexican lager is your thing, check out Original Gold, a new release from Easy Does It. (Link)

BEER: Sort of new, sort of not—Zero to Hero from Kulshan Brewing Company gets a brand-new look and is now available in 6-packs. (Link)

COCKTAILS: Clean Slate is a brand-new functional cocktail from 10 Barrel Brewing Company. (Link)

BEER: Collaborating with the Premier Lacrosse League, Athletic Brewing has launched Crease Crusher Pale Ale. (Link)

BEER: Speaking of collabs, Go Brewing and Hop Butcher have put out Baller Melon. (Link)

WINE: More single-serve options from Good Twin—this time, their Rosé. (Link)

SODA

ModSub thoughts: This week I’m putting the spotlight on some more craft sodas—this time, Fresh Fizz out of Long Island. Their line of clean ingredient sodas appealed to me not just as standalone sodas but also to the lazy amateur mixologist in me that, on occasion, wants to just pull the tab on a can of pop and make myself a quick cocktail. I know if Derek Brown were reading this, he’d probably be wincing at this point, but let’s be honest—sometimes, after a long day it’s more about ease than graft.

Fresh Fizz Sodas started out in a kitchen in Brooklyn, and the original idea was to create a range of hard seltzers. But with alcohol regulations slowing the pace, the founders, Rebecca and Yoni Schwartz bided their time, coming up with various soda recipes. Those drinks ended up taking on a life of their own, with impressive local sales turning into regional distribution, which in turn grew into a growing presence across the Northeast and later parts of southern California.

The sodas’ appeal comes from their simplicity—no fancy functionality, just good, clean ingredients and flavor profiles providing an experience far more compelling than your average supermarket-aisle soda. The foundation for each recipe is built from large-batch teas made from herbs and spices. Juices are then added, along with natural sweeteners such as honey, date syrup and maple syrup. Oh, and all the ingredients are organic and sourced in the States with the exception of the organic honey which comes from South America. The company ethos is transparency. It’s very much a case of what you see on the can is what you actually get. There are no hidden surprises. 

So what of the flavors? Sparkling Mint Lemonade tastes like a summer’s walk through a neighborhood where lemonade stands are manned by adults skilled in balancing flavors. Sure, it’s refreshing, but it also holds a degree of reassuring comfort. Neither the lemons nor the mint are too pushy, perhaps knowing that the welcome taste of honey will keep them in check. It’s summer, all bottled up in a can.

Unsurprisingly, the Sparkling Jalapeño Limeade is an equally great summer alternative if you’re in need of a thirst-quencher. Its mildly tart lime base is a perfect platform to showcase the vegetal grassiness of the jalapeño. There’s emphasis on the flavor of the green pepper rather than the spice. It’s that rather smart decision that ultimately makes the drink so special.

The Date Cola is what I imagine a cola from the old days would taste like—pre-mass distribution corporate sugary blandness. I have no real basis for that assumption, and perhaps I’m kidding myself that colas were made with a little more attention back then. But I do love this Date Cola, with its lemon and spices (orange peel, allspice and star anise), all underpinned by the date syrup. It feels like it’s been made with thought and care, rather than a bucketload of sugar for a quick buck

If there was one of the four that left me mildly nonplussed, it would be the Hibiscus Ginger Ale. That’s on me, though—not the drink. I love hibiscus iced tea, but I want the hibiscus leaves to be strongly steeped. Equally, I love a good ginger kick, which is not something you’ll find in a ginger ale versus a ginger beer. The Hibiscus Ginger Ale is a perfectly decent soda, all things considered—I’m just more wowed by the other Fresh Fizz siblings.

Continued below.

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MIXERS

I found myself with a couple of hours to spare this afternoon, so I thought I’d put my money where my mouth is and see what cocktails I could conjure up with these Fresh Fizz sodas. For any new readers: I’m not trained in any of this. I’m just a guy in a kitchen messing around with drinks for fun. But hopefully this gives you a bit of inspiration to come up with some concoctions of your own.

I’d love to hear what you’ve come up with that’s quick, easy, and fabulously delicious.

Okay, here goes:

Date Cola x The Pathfinder
It feels like a bit of a cop-out using the ever-versatile herbal citrus deliciousness of The Pathfinder. But it pairs so nicely with the Date Cola that it seemed pointless making things any harder than they needed to be. The cola brings the spirit’s citrus notes to the fore, taming the herbs while allowing the bitterness to pass through the checkpoint. It’s a tasty date number.

Sparkling Mint Lemonade x St. Juniper (Little Saints)
This felt like the perfect way to say goodbye to the last of my current bottle of St. Juniper. If those adults from the neighbourhood lemonade stand had packed up shop and headed back to their basement bars, this is what I imagine they’d be drinking. The juniper folds into the mint and lemonade, while a touch of yuzu adds a tart lift to the citrus. It’s got an earthy zing that’ll make you sit up. Excellent stuff.

Sparkling Jalapeño Limeade x Almave Blanco
On the one hand, this turned out to be a delicious take on a margarita. The soda provides an impressive base for the Almave Blanco to do its thing. I also added some Orange Bitters (All The Bitter) for a bit of extra fun. On the other hand, while it’s great that the agave spirit has a strong presence—I hate it when spirits get lost in the mix—it dominates a little too much, meaning the wonderful vegetal flavour of the pepper gets a bit lost. A shame. Still, this one’s a winner.

Hibiscus Ginger Ale x Ritual Rum Alternative
It took me a few sips to get a handle on this one, and I’m still not convinced—even with the addition of Ritual Rum Alternative and some generous shakes of New Orleans Bitters (All The Bitter). It’s just lacking a little depth. Anyone more experienced than me have any suggestions? What would you do with Hibiscus Ginger Ale?

Well, three out of four keepers is a pretty good return for these sodas-turned-mixers. I’ll take that. Keep an eye out for Fresh Fizz sodas at your local stores, or order some online. I’d strongly suggest grabbing their sample pack to find your favourites.

See you next week.

EXTRA READS