Beer fit for a monster hunter, the taste of the Southwest & pink G&Ts!

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 and where to buy it.

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

PARCH SPIRITS - SPICED PIÑARITA

• Tuscon, AZ

• Calories: 70

• Serving: 8.4 oz

• 0%ABV

• Buy: drinkparch.com .• Store & Bar Locator • Google Shopping 

• Price: $40 - 8 cans, $20/$22 - 4 cans

The ModSub thoughts: As soon as I heard about Spiced Piñarita from Parch, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some. How to describe it? Well, if they were trying to bottle the flavor of the Southwest, they pretty much succeeded. Except they put it in a can, not a bottle.

Take your first sip and you’ll be met by an immediate smokiness, followed swiftly by a delicate spicy kick from the cayenne and then a full fruity finish. It’s initially confusing, then slightly punchy and ultimately, a rewarding gift to the taste buds and one that will keep you coming back for more.

Wrapped in splendid packaging, the Spiced Piñarita makes for a truly unique and special experience. Show up at a party with these under your arm and they’ll be the centre of attention all night.

This drink was a game-changer for me and in addition to it’s sister drink, the Prickly Paloma, which I have yet to try, I’m so excited to see what other creations this distillery comes up with in the future.

How Parch describes their Spiced Piñarita: ‘A boldly smoky and spicy combination of Lush Golden Pineapple and Organic Blue Weber Agave, smoky Cayenne, juicy Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit, spicy Mole Bitters, Cocoa Extract and Desert Botanicals for an utterly unique taste. Infused with our proprietary stack of adaptogens: L-Theanine, Ashwagandha, and American Ginseng. All natural, no preservatives & never artificial. Vegan and Gluten Free’.

Learn more about Parch Spirits at drinkparch.com.

CLEVER - PINK G&T

• Quebec, Canada

• Calories: 70

• Serving: 12oz (355ml)

• 0%ABV

• Buy: clevermocktails.com • Local NA Stores • Google Shopping • Store Locator (Canada Only)

• Price: $39.99 - 12 cans directly from the manufacturer • 4-packs and individual cans are sold in NA specialty stores and supermarkets

The ModSub thoughts: We each have a drink that is synonymous with summer. Something that’s dusted off when the sun comes out but maybe doesn’t make it into heavy rotation for the rest of the year.

For me, along with many others, that equates to an ice cold gin and tonic with a squeeze of lemon. It’s the drink that my Dad and I would always have when we would see each other.

So leaving that behind last year was one of the harder things about giving up alcohol, so I was pleased to see just how many companies are coming up with NA versions.

I’ve tried a handful, with varying degrees of success, and one of the clear standouts has been from Clever Mocktails.

Now let’s press pause on this for a second. Anyone that is hoping for a pure replication of a classic G&T is going to wind up disappointed. Thus far I have yet to find one and the reality is, stating the obvious, if you don’t put gin in your drink, it likely won’t taste like gin.

But Clever’s G&T and Pink G&T come pretty darn close. Between the two, the Pink G&T spoke to me for its festivity. Its light botanical flavor with a tinge of berry, making for an elegant summer evening’s drink.

So grab a highball glass, fill it with ice and give one of these cans a go. Who knows, maybe this will be your new summer drink.

How Clever describes their Pink G&T: ‘This mocktail has all the floral and herbal notes found in a classic gin and tonic, plus a hint of blackcurrant flavour, bringing it to the next level. It’s the perfect blend to enjoy whenever you want, as much as you want, especially when the weather warms up!’

Learn more about Clever at clevermocktails.com.

ATHLETIC BREWING - GERALT’S GOLD (Limited)

• Milford, CT

• Calories: 65

• Serving: 12oz (355ml)

• <0.5%ABV

• Buy: athleticbrewing.com* • Store and bar locator

• Price: $14.99 for a six-pack

The ModSub thoughts: Athletic Brewing rarely put a foot wrong in the NA beer market, producing some very tasty beers, most of which are more than a match for their counterparts with alcohol.

Widely distributed across the country it’s not hard to find Run Wild IPA and Upside Dawn in pretty much any supermarket.

While it’s great to have those staples to rely on it is also worth sampling Athletic’s limited runs. They can be a little harder to find in person but they have an excellent store locator showing which beers are stocked in any given location and of course all are available online.

One of these is the outstanding Geralt’s Gold, a Helles German-style lager named after the protagonist in Netflix’s The Witcher. The streaming service are collaborating with the brewery on this release, which shows you just how far the NA world has come in the last few years. I know absolutely nothing about the show but I’m a big fan of this beer.

With more body than your average lager it offers a pleasant yet mild hint of hops and it goes down very nicely. Wildly refreshing on a hot summer’s evening, I would urge you to seek it out while it’s still available. I've tried a good number of NA beers over the last couple of years and without question this is in my top five. Certainly hoping the brewery consider adding this to their permanent collection.

How Athletic Brewing describes their Geralt’s Gold: ‘It’s medium-bodied and highly aromatic with notes of citrus and florals atop a ripe peach nose. A pleasant malt sweetness rounds out the palate and balances a dynamic combination of Warrior, Chinook, Centennial and Simcoe hops. With a radiant golden pour and beautifully nuanced flavor, it’s as intriguing and smooth as Geralt himself’.

* As we went to press I noticed the Athletic Brewing online store is currently sold out of this beer. Be sure to enter your email in the ‘Notify Me’ section and they’ll let you know when it comes back in stock. In the meantime (or instead) check the store locator to find stock in your local area.

Learn more about Athletic Brewing at athleticbrewing.com.

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