NAN

Non-Alcoholic News my Nan would approve of!

🍺 BEER: There are two new beers, Rick’s Light and West Coast IPA from Rick’s Near Beer in Austin, TX (link)

🍹 MOCKTAIL: Here’s one you weren’t expecting; an Olive Oil Martini just launched by Aura Bora (link).

🍺 BEER: For those of you in Oregon, Roaming Nobles have just released a limited edition piney IPA. For each can sold, the brewery will donate $1 to Forest Park and its trails (link).

🍺 BEER: If you live in Massachusetts or surrounding states, keep an eye out for Notch Brewing’s debut NA Hazy IPA and Craft Pils (link).

ON THE BAR

In each edition of The Modern Substitute, ON THE BAR focuses on three drinks you should be on the look out for. We’ll give you a quick rundown of our thoughts on the drink, who makes it, where to buy it or, in the case of mocktails, how to make it.

Please note: due to popularity or limited runs, some drinks may be out of stock - please check with the beverage companies for updates.

St Agrestis - Amaro Falso

• Brooklyn, NY

• Calories: 39

• Serving: 6.8 fl.oz.

• ABV: 0%

• Buy: stagrestis.com • widely available online • check your local NA specialty stores

• Price: Direct from St Agrestis - $59.99 for 12 groovy bottles or 55.99 for 12 cans

The ModSub thoughts: In the beforetimes, a nightcap became a regular epilogue for a ‘good’ night out. The “oh just one more won’t hurt” poor decision-making always led to staying up long after the rest of the house had fallen asleep and more often than not, a nightcap for the nightcap. The next morning, well, was one of “those” next mornings.

The nightcap, the garment for the head, can be traced as far back as the 14th century though it wasn’t in 1827 in an English recipe book, the Oxford Night Caps, was the term associated with the late-night drink. The connection between the two has long been mooted that both lend themselves to keeping your head warm at night. Too true.

Coming home from an evening out a few weeks back, I found myself with that same “night cap” urge. For the first time in nearly two years, I was reliving that “oh just one more won’t hurt” craving. Thankfully, it wasn’t for alcohol though, because I knew exactly what I wanted - an Amaro Falso from St Agrestis.

St Agrestis hail from Brooklyn, New York, and are worthy darlings of the Negroni scene in that part of the world. It wasn’t until the beginning of last year though they turned their attention to creating the non-alcoholic versions of their highly popular w/alc drinks. With the introduction of Phoney Negroni, they created an instant hit, so much so it was regularly sold out.

January of this year saw the release of Amaro Falso, the non-alcoholic sibling to the St Agrestis Amaro. It’s a fabulous blend of citrus, herbs and botanicals, with a little carbonation and a whole lot of bitterness. So much so that it forces you to sip. Which is exactly what you want from an after-dinner-before-you-sleep nightcap. Cin cin.

How St Agrestis describes their Amaro Falso: “Created as the non-alcoholic counterpart to our beloved St. Agrestis Amaro, Amaro Falso is made using the same combination of all-natural citrus, botanical and herbal ingredients found in our spiritous version, sans alcohol.

Driven by nuanced notes of herbal spice, mint and bitter complexity from gentian root. The result is a refreshing beverage that makes it an ideal cocktail that fans of Italian aperitivi and digestivi expect.”

Learn more about St Agrestis at stagrestis.com

DOS EQUIS - LIME & SALT ZERO

• Monterrey, Mexico

• Calories: 73

• Serving: 12 fl.oz.

• ABV: <0.5%

• Buy: widely availaible online • Total Wine & More • local supermarkets

• Price: $9.99-$12.49

The ModSub thoughts: Beer enthusiasts from around the world, or at least a fair share of them, have a rich history of crafting beer cocktails. You’d be hard pushed to find a beer-loving nation that hasn't experimented with the original brew in some way.

Lemonade, lime, tomato juice, blackcurrant cordial - you name it, and chances are it's been blended with beer at some point in history. Growing up in England during the '70s and '80s, my parents, and me whenever I could sneak it, would gladly add Rose's Lime cordial to a lager, rather than drinking the beer in its pure form.

In Mexico, one of the more popular beer mixtures is the Chelada, which combines a light Mexican lager with fresh lime juice and a salted rim. It's incredibly refreshing on a warm day and takes the beer to a whole new level of taste. While it might not reach the extremes of a Michelada, the spicier cousin of the Chelada, there's definitely a time and place for a citrusy, salty drink over a mouthful of heat.

This year, Dos Equis ventured into the non-alcoholic beer market with a version of their Lime & Salt beer. It's intriguing that they chose this particular beer to introduce to the market, rather than one of their more well-known core products, but it's a welcome addition nonetheless.

While the adult in me won't be rushing to mix lager and lime as I did in my youth, Salt & Lime Zero an excellent choice for game day. Place a couple of cans of this in front of me with some chips and guacamole, and you might not be able to budge me from the couch for hours.

Although I usually lean toward craft beers and ciders, the market for American and Mexican light lagers is obviously enormous, and this is great inclusion into the ever-expanding category of non-alcoholic beer. I mean, who can resist the combination of beer, lime, and salt? Not me, it seems. ¡Salud!

Bonus: If you're interested in learning more about beer mixers, check out this great article by Punch Drink.

How Dos Equis describes their Lime & Salt Zero: “A refreshing flavorful spin on a smooth tasting Mexican cerveza. Made with a hint of Lime & Salt flavor, Dos Equis® Lime & Salt Zero Non-Alcoholic brings you a Mexican beer experience that feels right in those social moments when you can’t or don’t want to drink alcohol.“

Learn more about Dos Equis at dosequis.com

🥇 THE SOBER OCTOBER CONTEST 🥇

WIN A DELICIOUS BOTTLE OF PATHFINDER

I came across Anders Erickson’s YouTube channel earlier in the year at the recommendation of a neighbor. The highly popular and charismatic mixologist is well-known for his w/alc cocktails, but he has also put out a couple of videos with some delicious-looking non-alcoholic drinks.

So to celebrate Sober October, I’m going to make each of the four drinks during the course of the coming month. Here’s where YOU come in.

Each week you can make them too, send me a quick pic of the drink and you’ll be entered into a draw to win a bottle of The Pathfinder (previously recommended here - $40 value).

HERE’S HOW TO WIN THIS LOVELY BOTTLE OF PATHFINDER:

1. Make the cocktail and send me a picture of the drink and let me know whether you liked it.

2. Reply to this email and attach the photo.

3. Each photo will equal one entry.

4. As there are four cocktails you have four chances to enter. (Max four entries per person)

5. I’ll let you know who the winner is in the October 28th edition of the newsletter.

Here’s the full video with all four drinks.

SOBER OCTOBER CONTEST - WEEK 3

THE PLACEBO

• Anders Erickson

• ABV: 0%

Recipe from Anders Erickson:

• 6 oz. (180 ml) pineapple juice

• 2 oz. (60 ml) orange juice

• 2 oz. (60 ml) cream of coconut*

• 3/4 oz. (22.5 ml) lime juice

• Pinch of ground cinnamon

• 1 cup crushed ice

• Grated nutmeg, pineapple fronds and tiki umbrella for garnish

• *CREAM OF COCONUT RECIPE

• 1.75 cups (420ml) white sugar

• 13.5 oz. (400ml) unsweetened full-fat coconut milk (1 can)

• Pinch of salt in a medium sauce pan, combine sugar, coconut milk, and salt. Stir over heat until sugar is completely dissolved.

Watch the video to learn how to make it. (0:58)

The ModSub thoughts: Of the three drinks in the contest so far, I would say this one was the least interesting. If Tiki cocktails are your thing, then this will be right up your alley and you won’t be disappointed. For me though, it was too sweet for my palate and I had to add extra lime juice. Mrs ModSub immediately took out the cinnamon floating on the top and reached for the Tajin for the rim. I must admit it appealed more to me.

Try it out though and let me know what you think. Anders had a good tip at the end of the video for sourcing the pineapple juice at Trader Joe’s. HipaHipa!

How Anders Erickson describes The Placebo: “This is outstanding. Creamy texture. A little sweet. Very satisfying. Sweeps you off to a tropical island without the booze. The cinnamon gives this warmth. Fresh pineapple juice makes a huge difference.”

Learn more about Anders Erickson at anderserickson.com or follow his YouTube channel here.

Miss the first two weeks of the contest? Click here:

WEEK 1 • WEEK 2

THE BOARD

What’s The ModSub Community Up To?

• Ian and his partners are starting a creative space, Benchmark, in NW Portland blending art and retail. They will host workshops, art exhibitions and have a consistent retail offering of quality goods made by entrepreneurs and creatives.

• Mary will be attending a presentation at Portland State University on October 26 about the future cultural heritage and healing garden at Lone Fir Cemetery, one Oregon’s oldest “history parks."

• Cassie recently launched bia BLENDS, a gentle energy drink made for women. It can be used as a pre-workout, or midday pick-me-up. Vegan, Gluten-free, no added sugar. Low caffeine. There are 3 flavors - tropical tease, ginger glow, and basic berry.

Want to get featured in the section? Share the newsletter with three friends by using your personal referral link provided below and you’ll be highlighted in one of our future newsletter editions.

Thank you and have a great weekend!

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