Passion in Red

MODSUB#89

Wotcha!

The last thing I do before going to sleep on a Sunday evening is read two of my favorite newsletters. One is all about newsletter growth—something that would put most people to sleep, but I usually find quite exhilarating. Admittedly, it’s probably not the smartest thing to read right before I’m meant to rest for the week ahead.

So, straight after that, I open the weekly edition of The Boonly by Irena Spegar. It’s been one of my favorite reads for the past 18 months. Each issue includes a lovely selection of books, articles, ideas, recipes and products—along with a consistent feature called “Sunday With,” where people from all walks of life share what their Sundays look like and what they love about them.

A few months ago, Irena kindly asked me to write about my Sundays—and here’s what I wrote. 

Enjoy some great drinks ths week.

Cheers, Myles

In this week’s edition:

NAN
New NA Drink News

APERITIVO
Baladin - Passione In Rosso

BEER
Roaming Nobles - West Coast IPA

FUNCTIONAL SODA
Corpse Reviver - Botanical

Read time: 6 minutes 59 seconds

NAN
New Non-Alcoholic Drink News

NORTH AMERICA

• FUNCTIONAL: Here’s a new low-dose THC Tropical tonic from Afterdream a collaboration between Amass Botanicals and Morgan McLachlan. (Link)

• BEER: Tom Holland’s BERO have added Double Tasty, a West Coast Style IPA to their growing line of non-alcoholic beers. (Link)

• COCKTAIL: Over in Ohio, Insa Mocktails have debuted three non-alcoholic cocktails—Mojito, Pina Colada and Hibiscus Pineapple. (Link)

• BEER: It’s been a little quiet from Brooklyn Brewery for a while now but they are back in the news with two new NA beers: Brooklyn Pils and Playa De Brooklyn. (Link)

• BEER: Salt Lake’s Uinta Brewing are releasing, Cutthroat Zero, an NA version of their Cutthroat Pale Ale. (Link)

• BEER: One of ModSub’s favourite Canadian breweries, Harmon’s Craft Brewing, has a three-way collab going with BAOS Podcast and hops supplier, Hops Connect, bringing to life a limited release No Filter Non-Alc Hazy IPA. (Link)

From our sponsor

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Masters of Ceremony are Sam Bail, founder of Third Place Bar, and Laura Silverman, founder of Zero Proof Nation, and the panel of judges are industry experts. 

Winners will be announced September 27 at NYC’s first Zero Proof Festival, Drinks with Benefits. Gain recognition, exposure and growth.

Enter now: bottleraiders.com/zero-proof-choice-awards/

Thank you for supporting our sponsors who in turn support this newsletter.

APERITIVO

The ModSub thoughts: A quirky pastime of mine over the last few years has been to peruse specialty food stores in search of somewhat obscure drinks I can not only enjoy myself but ultimately share with you in this newsletter. You should try it sometime—you never know what you might find.

A week or two ago, I was in a local specialty food store here in Portland and came across Passione in Rosso from Italy’s Baladin.

I first encountered Baladin about 18 months ago during another obscure drinks forage, when I discovered their Spuma Nera—a cola-alternative chinotto soda. It’s similar to Coke but far, far nicer. The company primarily makes beers, which I have to say look and sound fantastic (though sadly they’re not non-alcoholic). But dig a little deeper and you’ll find they make just about everything else too—from cider to spirits, and sodas to aperitifs—all of which look very intriguing.

So when I spotted the Baladin name alongside the words "inconfondibile e originale gusto italiano,” there was no way that little 200ml bottle wasn’t coming home with me.

I won’t lie—when I picked up the bottle, my mind immediately questioned the color of the drink. But a quick glance at the ingredients reassured me: carrot and blackcurrant concentrate in place of any artificial coloring. I was also reminded of the company’s commitment to sustainability and to using ingredients sourced from local regions within Italy.

The blackcurrant leads the way with a sweet, almost cherry-like flavor. There’s a hint of earthy tartness and a finish that offers glimpses of bitterness—though honestly, it never quite peeks its head fully around the curtain.

It’s somewhere between a bitter aperitif and a cherry soda. And if you like your drinks scoring high on the international bitterness units (IBU) scale and your lips to pucker, Passione in Rosso probably won’t be your thing. Still, if your mates are all guzzling Aperol and you’re feeling left out, a bottle of this little blackcurrant number might well be worth your time. It’s a fun drink—and fun’s what it’s all about. Right?

How does Baladin describe Passione in Rosso: Well sadly I can’t find any mention of the drink on their website, so you are stuck with mine!

NOTE: I’ve linked the “Buy” to the Minus Moonshine store in Brooklyn, NY. You can buy from there or just do a google search and you’ll find a number of places selling ut online. Failing that, just stumble across it like I did!

Please also be aware that the majority of the Baladin’s products do contain alcohol, so tread carefully if you are just looking for their non-alc products.

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BEER

The ModSub thoughts: It’s always a treat to hear that one of your favorite breweries is releasing a seasonal beer. The challenge, of course, is making sure to get your hands on some before it inevitably sells out. Lucky for me, Marla from Roaming Nobles reached out and asked if I’d like to try their brand-new West Coast IPA.

While the brewery has collaborated with Anna Buxton from Steeplejack Brewing on several of their past releases, this new seasonal sees them teaming up with Sean Burke—the former brewer who made his mark at The Commons and Von Ebert Brewing before co-founding ForeLand Beer. Widely regarded as one of Oregon’s foremost master brewers, Burke shocked the industry by stepping away from brewing in 2023 to pursue other passions. So it feels like something of a coup for Roaming Nobles to have coaxed him out of brewing retirement to work on this IPA.

And I, for one, am so glad they did. This is a perfect summer IPA—bursting with warm tropical and citrus flavors, carried all the way through to the finish on a gentle wave of hops, the aftertaste lingering pleasantly for what seems like hours. It’s wildly refreshing with pinpoint balance.

The curse of a successful seasonal beer is that it leaves fans wondering why it was brewed for only a limited run rather than being added permanently to the core lineup. I’d wager Roaming Nobles may want to have their answers ready.

It’s certainly one of the best from Oregon’s first non-alcoholic craft brewery.

How does brew master, Sean Burke, describe the West Coast IPA: “NA craft beer is a space for innovation and exploration. It’s been fun to work with the Roaming Nobles team to be a part of bringing their newest seasonal style out to Oregon consumers. It’s a west coast ipa with notes of tropical fruit and citrus.”

NOTE: Presently Roaming Nobles is only available in Oregon and cannot be purchased online. If you live here, or are passing through, please hit the “FIND” button and look for locations across the state to enjoy this and the brewery’s other beers.

FUNCTIONAL SODA

The ModSub thoughts: The power of eye-catching packaging worked its magic on me last weekend as I scoured the shelves of my local deli for a drink to accompany my lunch. Sure enough, I couldn’t pull myself away from the gorgeous green can art of Corpse Reviver’s Botanical.

The can of Corpse Reviver I picked up shouldn’t be confused with the 19th-century cocktails once deemed effective hangover cures—though the concept of revitalization still holds true for the drinks from this Colorado-based, female-founded beverage company. Instead of alcohol as a hair-of-the-dog remedy, this 21st-century version delivers a daily dose of electrolytes.

I grabbed Botanical off the deli shelf, and upon popping the tab on the can, I was met with a strong and very pleasant waft of anise—the licorice notes waking up my taste buds. I’m normally not a huge fan of green teas, but the combination of ingredients in Botanical makes it a real standout. 

Alongside the licorice from the anise, there’s cardamom with its sweet, earthy spice, and a tart brightness from the pomegranate. A healthy serving of lemon curbs any excessive sweetness. What you’re left with is a very well-balanced functional soda, packed with an electrolyte blend of potassium, magnesium, L-theanine, zinc, and sodium.

On the back of one tasting, I can’t speak to the effectiveness of the electrolytes—but I can tell you, whether it revived this old sack of bones or not, Botanical tastes really rather fabulous. So much so I’m going back to look for the other flavors—Guava Rose and Prickly Pear. 

How does Corpse Reviver describe Botanical: Awaken from the depths with Botanical - a dark and daring blend forged from the underground. Cardamom’s earthy warmth mixes with the licorice bite of anise, while the richness of pomegranate and the sharp edge of lemon slice through the gloom. Green tea seeps into the mix like whispers from beyond, each note a chilling reminder of life’s fleeting edge. Inspired by the classic Corpse Reviver cocktail, this potion doesn’t just refresh—it resurrects. Embrace the dark elegance of botanicals and let the moment consume you.

COMMENTS
Share Your Thoughts

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Here are some suggestions:

1. What are your “Three in the Fridge” drinks right now?

2. What seasonal beers are you currently enjoying?

3. Do you have a shout-out for a bar or restaurant that has a great NA menu? Let me know so I can share with the other readers.

Have other questions? Let me know. Hit REPLY.

READS
Last Week’s Edition

You know the times are changing when Phoney Negroni makes it on to HBO’s And Just Like That.