NAN

Non-Alcoholic News my Nan would approve of!

• 🍺 BEER: Hot on the heals of last week’s Sour recommendation, Sober Carpenter have just released a Raspberry Sour. (link)

• 🍹 COCKTAILS: Pentire has just announced a limited run of their Coastal Spritz in a RTD can. (link)

• 🍷 WINE: Winesellers, Ltd, a Chicago-based distributor will rolling out a Spanish sparkling wine called Mas Fi Zero. (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.

CURIOUS ELIXIRS - NO. 1

• New York, NY

• Calories: 85

• Serving: 12 fl.oz. (two servings per bottle)

• ABV: 0%

• Buy: curiouselixirs.com • store locator •  available at online stores

• Price: $40 for 4 bottles (8 servings) or $98 for 12 bottles (24 servings) - Monthly Club Members discount available

The ModSub thoughts: I remember going to a birthday party at a Shriner's clubhouse years ago. The bar was selling mystery shots from bottles that were wrapped in tin foil for $2. It was a fun game to play with your friends because invariably the bottles were filled with liquor that nobody wanted to touch with a ten-foot pole. The fun part, of course, was seeing what liquor you ended up with and then watching your friends' faces when they had to chug back a glassful of Sambuca or the like! No-one was a winner but a lot of laughs were had.

Now, whenever I spot a row of Curious Elixirs bottles on a shelf, it triggers memories of those foil-covered bottles albeit in a good way. That’s because the bottles are truly a gorgeous mystery unto themselves. Caramel font on a chocolate brown label on a brown bottle. Numbered No. 1 through No. 7, they don’t give too much away about their contents but they stand out from their peers with smoldering elegance. 

Of course, you can also look at the back of the bottle and read the description, but where's the fun in that? Besides, if you left your reading glasses at home, which in my case I had, that option is lost on you.

So, what's No. 1 like? It's said to replicate the taste of a Negroni Sbagliato, replacing the traditional gin with Prosecco. However, as someone who always stuck to the original Negroni in the beforetimes, I can neither confirm nor deny this. What I can confirm is that No. 1 offers a delightful, slightly viscous cocktail featuring a bitter pomegranate base with hints of lemon and a peppery blend of anise, menthol, and eucalyptus on the finish. With the added inclusion of rhodiola, an adaptogen, it also imparts a subtle mental boost.

As I explore these different beverages each week, I mentally categorize each of them. For me, No. 1 falls into the "treat" category, reserved for special occasions, dinner parties, or as a well-deserved reward after a challenging week. This partly boils down to the cost, but it's also about reserving some drinks for those unique moments—special drinks for special times.

Stay tuned as I delve into No. 2 through No. 7 in the coming months. 

How Curious Elixirs describe No. 1: Beautifully bitter booze-free pomegranate cocktail inspired by the Negroni Sbagliato, infused with rhodiola to lift you up.

Learn more about Curious Elixirs at curiouselixirs.com

BE WELL - CHARDONNAY

• Sonoma County, CA

• Calories: 20

• Serving: 24.5 fl.oz. (8 fl.oz. per individual serving)

• ABV: 0.5%

• Buy: Total Wine & More seem to be the only place that stocks it. Available in person and online. 

• Price: $14.99

The ModSub thoughts: Be Well's Chardonnay came highly recommended by a good friend of mine in Seattle. Even though she typically enjoys a single glass of wine in the evening, she made a decision a couple of years ago to opt for non-alcoholic wine during the week and save regular wine for the weekends. Taking the initiative, she ordered almost every non-alcoholic wine she could get her hands on, tasted them all over a few weeks, and settled on her mid-week white, rosé, and red wine choices - one of each. Decision made.

When exploring the relatively small world of non-alcoholic wines, you're bound to encounter some strong consumer opinions. As my friend discovered, if wine is your preference, finding your go-to choices involves a significant amount of trial and error.

I suppose though, the trial and error process holds true for any non-alcoholic category you might explore. It's all new, and yet it isn't entirely new, if you catch my drift. It carries the same name, but will it provide the same satisfaction without the alcohol? 

The wine category, in particular, seems to evoke remarkably strong feelings. Select nearly any non-alcoholic wine, search for reviews, and you'll find divided opinion as significant as the one that Marmite has been flanked by for decades.

However, when it comes to Be Well's Chardonnay, I'm firmly on the positive side of the aisle, and I definitely recommend this wine. De-alcoholized from a full-strength wine, the Chardonnay undergoes a process involving a Spinning Cone Column* that gently removes the alcohol while preserving the aromas and flavors. The result is a wine that showcases all the characteristics of a fine Chardonnay - hints of apple with a subtle buttery taste and a touch of oak.

I may not be the type to enjoy a glass of wine every night, but when it comes to a good bottle of wine to complement a meal, this is an excellent choice, especially considering its affordability. As the holiday season approaches, I'll undoubtedly keep a few bottles of this on hand.

*While Be Well’s description of their process on their web site did not specifically mention the name of de-alcoholization process, it did seem like they were describing the Spinning Cone Column process of alcohol removal. 

How Be Well describes their Chardonnay: This elegant dealcoholized chardonnay opens with aromas of fresh tree fruit, leading to notes of Golden Delicious apple, a touch of honey, and hints of oak and vanilla on the finish.

Learn more about Be Well at bewellwines.com

DESCHUTES BREWERY - BLACK BUTTE NON-ALCOHOLIC

• Bend, Oregon

• Calories: 100

• Serving: 12 fl.oz.

• ABV: 0.5%

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

• Price: $14.00

The ModSub thoughts: When I'm asked about non-alcoholic beer, I'm always surprised to see how many folks are taken aback by the fact that Deschutes Brewery's Black Butte Porter has a non-alcoholic sibling. I love being able to tell them that if they enjoyed the best-selling flagship original, they'll feel right at home with the de-alcoholized version because there is very little discernible difference.

According to reports, when Deschutes launched Black Butte Non-Alcoholic, they sent out press packages containing both the regular Black Butte  Porter and the new NA version, confident that writers wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

It is difficult to be sure. Black Butte Non-Alcoholic joins a small but successful club of beers that replicates a brewery's legacy beer so closely that they could confidently offer it to the public without fearing any backlash. Other breweries like Guinness and Stella Artois come to mind in this exclusive category.

Despite winning awards worldwide, including the World Beer Cup and Best of Craft Beer Awards, this excellent Porter still seems to be overshadowed by other breweries vying for attention. However, as the seasons change and darker beers become more popular, along with the unprecedented attention that non-alcoholic drinks are receiving, I hope we find Black Butte on the menu at more bars and restaurants around the country this fall and winter.

If not, then fill your fridge at home. Stock up on some Black Butte Non-Alcoholic and enjoy the roasty, chocolatey, coffee flavors and the lovely bitter finish of the alcohol-free version of one of the best dark beers out there. I'm just as confident as Deschutes are, you'll be glad you did.

Pair it with a nice cozy, roaring fire.

How Deschutes Brewery describes their Black Butte Non-Alocholic: Behold a true craft beer drinking experience without the alcohol. Distinct in style and quality, this non-alcoholic version of Black Butte Porter delivers delicious flavor & balanced drinkability. It’s so similar to the iconic original you’ll be surprised it’s not.

Learn more about Deschutes Brewery at deschutesbrewery.com