NAN

Nonalcoholic News my Nan would approve of!

• 🍹 COCKTAIL: Ontario’s Joyburst have expanded their drinks line with two brand new sugarfree cocktails, Strawberry Ginspiration and Raspberry Mojito to the Canadian market. (link)

• 🍺 BEER: Lemongrass Ginger Saison is a new one from Libra that will be on shelves on March 1. (link)

• 🍺 BEER: Virginia’s Uncool Beverage Co. has just added a Wit to their their line. (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.

UNTITLED ART - S’MORES DARK BREW

• Waunakee, WI

• Calories: 90

• Serving: 12 fl.oz.

• ABV: <0.5%

• Buy: drinkuntitled.com • store locator • widely available online

• Price: $17.99 (6-pack)

The ModSub thoughts: Those of you who have been reading this newsletter for a while know I’m a big fan of Untitled Art. In my mind, they can do no wrong when it comes to nonalcoholic beer. However, when I saw the brewery announce they were bringing back a seasonal release called S’Mores Dark Brew, my brow furrowed with skepticism.

I’ve never really understood the appeal of S’Mores or indeed what the point of marshmallows is, but I’ll put that to one side for fear of ruffling anyone’s feathers on the matter. However, to make this rubbish dessert the base of a beer recipe puts me in mind of the great Alan Rickman and the delicate wince he would employ to his otherwise perennially disappointed poker face. Think Severus Snape.

What do they say about not judging a book by its cover? Or a beer by its label? Or its ingredients? Well, you know where this is going.

Two things spring to mind with the first sip: the deep chocolate flavor complemented by a robust bready maltiness and a warm sweetness that never threatens to overpower the drink. Its full-bodied richness is a welcome alternative to some of the more watery dark beers I’ve tried of late. It has the robust mouthfeel of a thick winter beer.

I picked up a can of S’Mores Dark Brew a couple of weeks back, thinking it was unlikely I would ever write about it. Now it’s in my top two dark beers of the season. Whichever individual it was that came up with this masterpiece, you deserve an award and for all I know, you already accrued a collection of them.

As this is a limited seasonal run, I assume availability will start to run down as we head towards warmer weather. My advice? Hoard as many of these little lovelies as you can.

How does Untitled Art describes their S’Mores Dark Brew: A seasonal favorite returns! This dark brew packs all the rich, smoky, sweet, marshmallowy, graham crackery goodness of the campfire favorite with solid caramel-colored head and, of course, no alcohol! A guilty pleasure without the guilt!

Learn more about Untitled Art at drinkuntitled.com

AVEC DRINKS - JALAPENO AND BLOOD ORANGE / HIBISCUS AND POMEGRANATE

• Brooklyn, NY

• Calories: 30 / 25

• Serving: 8.45 fl.oz.

• ABV: 0%

• Buy: avecdrinks.com • store locator • widely available online

• Price: $8.99 (4-pack)

The ModSub thoughts: Dee Charlemagne and Alex Doman initiated Avec Drinks in January 2020, just as the chaos of the pandemic was about to unfold. Originally planning in-person events, they swiftly adapted to cater to a home-drinking audience. As direct-to-consumer sales soared, so did Avec Drinks' popularity, aiming to revolutionize the mixer market. Unlike traditional sugary mixers, Avec's range, initially five and now seven flavors, offer a healthier alternative packaged in ecofriendly cans. 

Their versatile mixers, which include Spiced Mango and Passionfruit, Apple and Cardamon, and Yuzu and Lime, can be enjoyed with or without (NA) alcohol. 

I sampled two flavors. I poured the Jalapeño and Blood Orange straight up over ice and added a little Tajin around the rim. It worked perfectly as a stand-in for a spicy margarita. It had a nicely balanced orange flavor, a little understated and a little bitter, leaving room for the spice of the jalapeño to round out the drink.

If you love a summertime hibiscus ice tea, the Hibiscus and Pomegranate mixer will be a fave. It was perfect as a standalone over ice but I experimented with 1.5 fl.oz. of NA gin and it made for a delicious cocktail.

With low calories and barely any sugar, these mixers are a fantastic go-to option when you don’t want to fiddle around with simple syrups and just want to get down to business. They’ll certainly be a new staple in my home bar. 

How does Avec Drinks describes:

Jalapeno and Blood Orange: We have always loved a spicy margarita, but don’t like waiting or paying for it. This time, we’ve combined the classic heat of jalapeño with the zesty flavor of blood orange and calamansi (a Southeast Asian citrus fruit). Spicy and tart with a touch of natural sweetness, it is the perfect drink-all-night kind of mix.

Hisbiscus and Pomegranate: Is it just us, or is cranberry juice kind of meh? On a trip down to Mexico we were blown away by the crisp, cool taste of hibiscus agua fresca. So we kept the feeling and flavor, lost all the sugar, and voilà! Mixed with pomegranate and spices, hibiscus creates a wonderfully sweet, slightly sour and deep pink liquid as pretty as it is tasty.

Learn more about Avec Drinks at avecdrinks.com

CHAMOMILE CELERY SOUR

• NYT / Blink Tea

• ABV: 0%

• Difficulty: Easy but a little time consuming

Ingredients 

Celery Simple Syrup

• 1 cup of granulated sugar

• 1 cup of celery leaves

• 4 whole allspice berries

• 10 whole black peppercorns

• Sea salt

• 1 cup of water

Chamomile Tea Base

• 2 chamomile teabags

• 2 x 3” pieces of lemon peel

• 2 cups of water

If you have a NYT Cooking subscription you can find the recipe here. If you don’t then Blink Tea does too. 

The ModSub thoughts: One of the very first cocktails I made, with this newsletter in mind, was a Chamomile Celery Sour early last summer. In hindsight, given the multitude of cocktails I could have chosen as a starting point, choosing this one strikes me as more than a little odd.

Perhaps I was bemused that celery, something so “uncocktail-like,” could in fact be a key ingredient for a drink in a fancy glass. Celery, after all, is for the base of soups or for my dearly-departed mother to channel-fill with cottage cheese. Although it made a recent comeback in a great #SaveTheCelery pre-Superbowl advert, celery surely isn’t for sipping at a dinner party.

I’m glad I did push through the amusement and actually make this, though. Even as a cocktail-making freshman, I think this one ranks high among the ones that I have attempted. It’s an extraordinary collection of flavors, floral but a little grassy from tea with a touch of citrus from the lemon. Woven in is a vegetal sweetness that both compliments the floral tea while adding a gentle earthiness. It’s absolutely ace!

Keep this one in your back pocket for when your friends next come around for supper. You can bet your bottom dollar it will impress them no end. Here’s to odd vegetables making splendid cocktails.

How does Blink Tea describes their Chamomile Celery Sour: Its fresh apple and hay tasting notes offer a lovely laid-back contrast to the bold earthiness of good ole celery. Enjoy this mocktail straight up in a chilled glass, or over ice with a splash of soda or tonic water. The Chamomile Celery Sour is a quirky, refreshing and delicious winner!