Orange is the New Hack

MODSUB108

Wotcha!

How is it already November?

I’ve got to admit, Sober October felt a little lackluster this year. It seemed like there was less of a push from the brand side—both in terms of new drinks and promotion.

Perhaps they’re saving it all up for January. We’ll see.

Did anyone come across a new non-alc drink they were head-over-heels for last month?

Hit reply and let me know.

Anyway, as always, enjoy some great drinks this week.

Myles

In this week’s edition:

NAN
New NA Drink News

BEER
Deschutes - Fresh Haze IPA

COCKTAIL
Pentire - Coastal Spritz

EXTRA READS
World’s Smallest NA Beer

Read time: 4 minutes 19 seconds

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New Non-Alcoholic Drink News

NORTH AMERICA

SPIRITS: Orchard from Sylva gets a U.S. launch. Don’t hang around—this limited run won’t last long. (Link)

WINE: Exciting news from the BOLLE camp with the launch of their Grand Reserve Blanc de Blancs. (Link)

FUNCTIONAL: Missed this single-serve launch from Artet in September. The 2 oz to-go bottles of their flagship amaro-inspired aperitif contain 5 mg THC—an intriguing option for all those holiday parties coming up. (Link)

FUNCTIONAL: Staying with THC-infused drinks, Highpour has debuted their brand-new spirit made from premium agave. (Link)

FUNCTIONAL: Ohio’s Rhinegeist Brewery has launched Fuzzy Bones, a line of low-dose THC sodas in three flavors. (Link)

COCKTAILS: Cocktail-delivery innovators SAYSO are launching stick packs of their Margarita, Spicy Margarita, and Dirty Martini flavors. (Link)

BEER: Fresh Hop IPA and Wet Hop IPA are two new limited runs from Athletic Brewing. (Link)

SPIRITS: Texas-based Teaspoon, a subsidiary of Dynasty Spirits, has launched four non-alc spirits—whiskey, gin, tequila, and Italian spritz. (Link)

COCKTAILS: Already picking up awards, Edna’s has launched a Margarita to add to their line. (Link)

BEER

ModSub’s thoughts: Yep, I’m going to gush about Deschutes Brewery again. For those of you who have recently joined the ModSub, the Bend brewery is one of a handful in the U.S. who can do no wrong in my eyes. Since they dipped their toe into the NA beer scene with Black Butte Porter a few years back, they’ve quietly released one beer after another—each reaching a level of excellence that sets the industry bar ever higher.

With six NA beers on the market, it would seem their huge financial investment in BrewVo® technology to produce quality non-alcoholic beers has been a smart move. Their ability to replicate NA versions of their fully-leaded bestsellers is extraordinary, not to mention the two collaborations with Patagonia Provisions: the Organic Gold and Organic IPA. Both shine in their own right.

So it’s unlikely I’ll be able to conjure much of anything negative to say about their latest release—Fresh Haze IPA. Mostly because it’s truly bloody brilliant.

There’s no getting past the star of the show. The punch of citrus and tropical fruit notes—orange being the commanding flavor—is vibrant from the off, its welcome intensity perhaps only matched by the beer’s hoppy aroma. The malty body brings a touch of sweetness; the bitterness is mild yet ever-present, along with a pour that’s a dirty-orange cloud. For those of you who like a juicy, fruit-forward IPA, this will blow your socks off. As I say, the bar is being set ever higher. Well played, Deschutes. Well played.

Which leaves me with just one question— is there a non-alcoholic Mirror Pond Pale Ale around the corner?

Watch this space.

How Deschutes describes Fresh Haze IPA: Non-Alcoholic Fresh Haze IPA delivers a juicy explosion of lively citrus, orange, and tropical fruit notes that blend into a smooth and hazy malt body. It's so close to the original Fresh Haze IPA that you'll be left wondering how in the world it's Non-Alcoholic. 

Previously on the ModSub: Black Butte Non-Alcoholic, Fresh Squeezed Non-Alcoholic IPA and Patagonia Provisions (colab) Non-Alcoholic Kernza Golden Brew.

COCKTAIL

ModSub’s thoughts: If I’ve been giving Deschutes more than their fair share of love in the last year, it’s been a long while since I’ve shown the same for Pentire. In fact, aside from a quick mention last December when I covered the fabulous Hilfens Hophit cocktail Hop, Spritz and Jump, I have to go back to issue #3. Yikes.

So when I recently spotted a can of Coastal Spritz while out shopping last week, it felt like the perfect time to revisit. The ready-to-drink cocktail, when mixed with HopHit, left such a lasting impression on me.

As a quick reminder, Pentire have been around since 2019 and hail from Cornwall in southwest England. Initially producing two well-received non-alcoholic spirits—Adrift and Seaward—Pentire were quickly embraced by high-end restaurants in the UK capital. Within a couple of years, they expanded across the pond, headquartering their U.S. operations in Los Angeles.

Later in 2022, Coastal Spritz was introduced as the brand’s third spirit, arriving first in 750ml bottles, with the RTD single-serve following a year later. The flavor profile comprises Sea Rosemary, Blood Orange, Oakwood and a proprietary distillation of botanicals found along the Cornish coastline.

The canned version adds tonic water and, with the ingredients above, delivers a bitter, gently saline cocktail that balances herbal bite with the sweetness of blood orange. Notes of pine and sage mingle with the earthy depth of Oakwood and grapefruit-like citrus. It could so easily have tipped into being overly intense, but the recipe is thoughtfully composed—and the reward is splendid.

Pentire have built their brand around coastal living: Embracing what nature throws at you and enjoying the simple things in life—albeit through a refined, quality-driven lens. As I sit here typing away at this newsletter before this evening’s deadline, I can’t help but wish I were sipping a can of Coastal Spritz watching the sun go down at one of the many gorgeous Oregon beaches.

How does Pentire describe Coastal Spritz: A perfect balance of naturally bitter flavours and refreshing coastal tones. Pre-mixed and ready to enjoy straight from the can.

Previously on the ModSub: Seaward and Tonic

EXTRA READS