NAN

Non-Alcoholic News my Nan would approve of!

🍹 COCKTAIL: Super excited to hear that St Agrestis is launching Phony Mezcal Negroni, the smoky cousin to the highly popular Phony Negroni. (link)

🏴‍☠️ SPIRITS: The previously reported release of Captain Morgan Spiced Gold 0.0 is seemingly geting ramped up for a global launch. Check out the new ad for the “Why You Whying?” (link)

🍾 WINE: You should now be able to find Giesen’s Sparkling Brut, the latest in their great collection of NA wines. (link)

📰 NEWSLETTER: The Modern Substitute was excited to be included in a Portland Tribune article this week on non-alcoholic options and resources for Sober October. (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.

Sober Carpenter - Craft Cider

• Quebec, Canada

• Calories: 70

• Serving: 16 fl.oz.

• ABV: <0.5%

• Buy: sobercarpenter.com • store locator 

• Price: $42 for a 12-pack direct from the brewery, I bought a single can for $3.49

The ModSub thoughts: What’s that saying about London buses? You wait ages for a bus and then two come along at the same time. That's exactly my recent experience with NA cider. I wasn’t aware of any non-alcoholic ciders in North America, despite keeping an eye out for them for 18 months. Then a few weeks ago, Golden State’s Dry & Mighty showed up at one of my local stores, and now Sober Carpenter’s Craft Cider has also materialized! There’s actually a third, but I’ll save that for another time.

Sober Carpenter hails from Quebec, a city that has become an epicenter of Canadian non-alcoholic drink producers. Started in 2019 by two siblings, the brewery has grown rapidly and now offers a wide range of core beer products and the odd, limited run, such as their current Black IPA, which, from the description, sounds amazing.

This dry cider will definitely put a zing in your step. It’s gentle on the apple flavor, but heavy on the tang! Your lips will be tingling from the acidity and carbonation. This is a fun drink, not to mention a very decent cider. Plus, I do love a beer/cider that comes in a 16 fl. oz. can. A proper pint and all.

Craft Cider is reasonably easy to find, and if you are a cider fan, I suggest you make time to get your hands on some.

How Sober Carpenter describes their Craft Cider: “Our dry cider comes from carefully selecting apples whose juice is fermented respecting classic techniques. Using the most advanced technology, we dealcoholize our cider, removing the alcohol but keeping the flavor you love. The result is a balanced, crisp, refreshing, slightly effervescent dealcoholize cider.”

Learn more about Sober Carpenter at sobercarpenter.com

DE SOI - CHAMPIGNON DREAMS

• Nashville, TN

• Calories: 60 (35 per can)

• Serving: 8 fl.oz. in can (5 fl.oz. per serving)

• ABV: 0%

• Buy: drinkdesoi.com • store locator

• Price: $21-$25 for a 4-pack

The ModSub thoughts: What do you get when you pair superstars, Katy Perry and master distiller Morgan McLachlan? De Soi aperitifs is what you get. Together they launched their line of bottled and canned non-alcoholic drinks during Dry January last year.

The collaboration unsurprisingly got a lot of attention and with subsequent investments helping to expand distribution, De Soi has quickly positioned itself prominently in the current NA drinks boom.

Initially they released a trio of drinks, Golden Hour, Purple Lune and Champignon Dreams followed by Tres Rose, which launched earlier this year. I have yet to try any of them and so I picked up a can of Champignon Dreams to see what the duo have come up with.

All of De Soi’s drinks contain adaptogens, essentially a concoction of specific botanicals to help you relax in the same way the initial calming affects of alcohol do. I’m not going to pretend to be an expert so here are a couple articles that dig a little deeper - here and here.

Champignon Dreams contains reishi mushroom, passion flower and L-theanine, all of which contribute to calming and elevating your mood. Possibly it was psychosomatic but I felt mildy giddy after drinking this, though Mrs. ModSub didn’t feel a thing.

Seconds into your first sip of a Champignon Dreams, it would be easy to mistake it for an Italian Chinotto for its cola-like taste. Switch the bitter-orange taste for De Soi’s strawberries and grapefruit and you aren’t a million miles off.

The 8 fl.oz. can go a long way too, comfortably filling two rocks glasses which seems like good value. I’m a fan and I’m looking forward to exploring the rest of the line. Giddy, or not.

How De Soi describes their Champignon Dreams: “Champignon Dreams is made with a dreamy duo of reishi mushroom and passion flower to ease you into the evening. Juicy and balanced, this apéritif has notes of sticky summer strawberries, bitter grapefruit, and earth for a good time in a glass!“

Learn more about De Soi at drinkdesoi.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 2

PASSION AT THE DISCO

• Anders Erickson

• ABV: 0%

Recipe from Anders Erickson:

• 1 oz. (30 ml) lime juice

• 1 oz. (30 ml) passion fruit syrup

• 2 oz. (60 ml) Fever Tree Indian Tonic Water

• Mint leaf for garnish

Watch the video to learn how to make it. (4:16)

The ModSub thoughts: How did you get on with last week’s “A Little Thyme Off?” My whole family loved it. I’m still thrilled to have learned about thyme syrup.

Talking of syrups, this week’s challenge is to make “Passion at the Disco” which features passion fruit syrup. This is a delicious, tangy, sweet libation with a slight bitter edge.

Much the same as the Verjus hunt a few weeks back, I did initially have problems finding passion fruit syrup. Perhaps because it’s not something I had bought before and I was looking in the wrong places. With some deeper digging, I found one by Portland Syrups and I have listed some additional options below on purchasing or making your own.

Pull this little number out before a dinner party and I’d wager your guests will be talking about it all evening. Let me know how you like and send me a picture to be entered into the contest!

Options for getting your hands on passion fruit syrup:

Purchase

• Portland Syrups: Citrus-Passion Syrup - $14

• Liber Syrups: Tropical Passion Fruit Syrup - $12

• Torani: Passion Fruit Syrup - $10.59

Make Your Own

• Sugar Salt Magic - recipe

• Moody Mixologist - recipe

• Emily Laurae - recipe 

How Anders Erickson describes Passion at the Disco: “This is an equal balance of sweet, sour and bitter from the tonic water. I like that it’s served in a little chilled glass. You get the little bit of ice chunks on it that’s really nice.”

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

BEFORE YOU GO … PLEASE DO THIS

If you enjoyed this week’s newsletter, please take 15 seconds to support The Modern Substitute by:

1. Referring this newsletter to a friend. Next week, we will be launching the The ModSub Community Board. If you have a side hustle, passion project, or anything and anyone really cool you'd like to see featured on the Board, simply share this newsletter with three people (your referral link is right below), and you'll be included in an upcoming issue.

2. A like or a share on our new Instagram or LinkedIn pages would go along way to help the ‘ole algorithym elevator.

Thank you and have a great weekend!

Did You Miss Last Week’s Newsletter?