NAN

Non-Alcoholic News my Nan would approve of!

• BEER: Go Brewing are teasing the release of Freedom Amber Ale and it is gluten free! (link)

• STORE: Seattle has it’s first NA bottle shop. Cheeky and Dry is now open on Phinney Ridge. (link)

• BEER: If you are in the NYC area, Good Time Brewing have just added an IPA to their product line. (link)

• BEER: Athletic Brewing have re-released Ready Front for Veterans Day, a limited run with 100% of the profits going to veterans organizations. (link)

• MIXERS: AVEC drinks have just come out with a new flavor - Fuji Apple and Cardamon. Yum! (link)

• BEER: Lastly, Indian restaurant fans will be excited to know that Kingfisher Zero has just been released in the UK. Hopefully it will get a stateside release soon. (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.

2 TOWNS CIDERHOUSE - SIDEKICK COSMIC CRISP

• Corvallis, OR

• Calories: 50

• Serving: 12 fl.oz.

• ABV: 0.5%

• Buy: 2townsciderhouse.com • store locator • widely available online and stores

• Price: $12.99-$13.99

The ModSub thoughts: It will not go unnoticed, if you have been reading these weekly recommendations, that I have a special place in my heart for ciders. Three months ago, I wasn’t aware of any non-alcoholic ciders available in the U.S. market, and now I have three very good and very different options to choose from.

2 Towns Ciderhouse has been a prominent fixture in cider making in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade. Started in 2010 by Eugene resident Aaron Sarnoff-Wood and Lee Larsen, who was just up the road in Corvallis, 2 Towns has grown from a DIY garage homebrew project to a company that sells numerous cider variations across 15 states.

The news that 2 Towns was going to launch not one but two non-alcoholic ciders this past August was met with no small measure of excitement in this household.

Sidekick - Pacific Pineapple takes cider in a different direction, combining Costa Rican golden pineapples with PNW apples and delivering a full-flavored, fruity cider that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Sidekick - Cosmic Crisp is the non-alcoholic cousin to one of their flagship ciders, Cosmic Crisp, and this is the one that has me really excited. For all you cider drinkers out there, this is one you’ll want to stock up on next time you are at the supermarket.

Robust in flavor and carbonation, the drink leans gently toward the drier side of the spectrum and is every bit as crisp as its name would imply. If cider is your thing, this is going to be one of your main go-to drinks for many years to come.

How 2 Towns Ciderhouse describes Sidekick - Cosmic Crisp: We’ve finally found a way to package the stars! With a bubbly visual profile that glistens and gleams like starlight and an .5% ABV, Cosmic Crisp® is sure to take you on an interstellar cider experience. Made with a resplendent blend of fresh-pressed Cosmic Crisp® and Northwest apples, this cider shines like starlight while bright, fruit-forward aromatics collide with a high-acid profile for a truly heavenly experience.

Learn more about 2 Towns Ciderhouse at 2townsciderhouse.com

SEEDLIP - GROVE 42

• The Chilterns, England

• Calories: 0

• Serving: 23.7 fl.oz. (usually a 2 fl.oz. serving per cocktail)

• ABV: 0%

• Buy: seedlipdrinks.com • store locator 

• Price: $31.99

The ModSub thoughts: There is no doubt that the non-alcoholic drinks movement went into overdrive in 2019 and continued into the pandemic. New breweries and distilleries popped up, and existing beverage manufacturers saw a new section of the market opening up and acted accordingly. However, individuals like Ben Branson, founder of Seedlip, had already been making waves in the non-alcoholic drinks world some five years earlier.

The idea for Seedlip was born after Ben stumbled across a 17th Century medical recipe book by John French called, “The Art of Distillation.” It highlighted distilled herbal concoctions, and soon after, he bought a copper still and spent a couple of years experimenting with various recipes using plants from his garden.

In 2015, Seedlip Spice 94 was launched in London’s Selfridges, and the response was overwhelmingly positive, selling through 3,000 bottles in the first month. Now Seedlip has grown to become one of the most recognized brands in the category with three spirits - the original Spice 94, Garden 108, and 2018’s Grove 42, which I have in front of me now.

Seedlip’s spirits have been widely embraced over the years, and there are countless recipes out there from both professional and amateur mixologists across the world. The company itself also has a collection of great recipes to dive into.

I decided to try two that caught my eye:

The Cherry Blossom by @zeroproofgirl. I have to admit I deviated from the recipe because I had leftover sour cherry juice from the Cherry Zip recipe and used that in place of the maraschino cherry syrup. When added to the lime and grapefruit juice, it took the bitter/sour taste to another level. It’s definitely going to get your attention, but I do like a bitter drink, so it was a thumbs up from me. Next time, though, I will opt for maraschino cherry syrup and see where the sweetness takes the flavor.

• 1 oz Grove 42

• 1 oz fresh squeezed grapefruit juice

• 1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice

• 1/2 oz maraschino cherry syrup

• Seltzer

Click here for the rest of the recipe.

Blossom: This one was fantastic. Making this made me feel like a proper mixologist for a half a second. I was a little wary at first, as I have never used a raw egg white in a drink before, but I got a thumbs up from Mrs. ModSub, and it was off to the races. One to keep in your special occasions arsenal for sure.

• 2 oz Grove 42

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp sugar syrup

• 1 lemongrass stalk

• 1 egg white

Click here for the rest of the recipe.

As I’ve had this bottle of Grove 42 for a good few weeks, it was great to finally explore some of these cocktails, and I look forward to experimenting with Spice 94 and Garden 108 in the future.

How Seedlip describe Grove 42: A sophisticated, bright, citrus blend of Mediterranean Orange, Lemon Peel, Lemongrass and Ginger with a dry finish.

Learn more about Seedlip at seedlipdrinks.com

BEST DAY BREWING - WEST COAST IPA

• Sausalito, CA

• Calories: 68

• Serving: 12 fl.oz.

• ABV: <0.5%

• Buy: bestdaybrewing.com • store locator (you will need to email them)• widely available online

• Price: $13.99

The ModSub thoughts: You know those moments when you crack open a beer and think, “Damn, that’s a good beer!” I had one of those moments last weekend. Just back from a hike overlooking the Cascade mountains, I was sitting with friends, eating pizza at a food cart pod in Central Oregon.

The air was fresh, if a little chilly, and as I cracked open a can of Best Day West Coast IPA and we chatted about the football game later in the evening, I had one of those “damn, that’s a good beer” moments.

Outdoorsman Tate Huffard founded Best Day Brewing in 2021 and after a couple of years of testing, experimenting, and finally perfecting this IPA for the market, the brewery has expanded quickly.

Their product line is now available in 13 states, with a handful more coming in the next few months and an impressive lineup of five beers. Their Kolsch has been a favorite in the ModSub household for a couple of years now.

The West Coast IPA is truly a cut above, hoppy on the way in, hoppy on the way out, a little malty with a slight lingering bitterness that keeps you coming back for more. It’s a lovely IPA. Go find some and have your “Best Day Yet.”

How Best Day Brewing describe their West Coast IPA: Best Day's West Coast IPA is a tribute to our backyard and its rich history of making damn good beers. It starts with the classic Cascade Hop aromas of Citrus and Pine and a bite on the front end. Middle hopping flavors balance with the malt to leave a nice hint of a lingering hop finish.

Learn more about Best Day Brewing at bestdaybrewing.com