Pinkies Down for the NA Crowd

MODSUB109

Wotcha!

I’d like to take a quick minute before we get into this week’s newsletter to congratulate both Laura Silverman and Derek Brown on their induction into the Sans Bar Non-Alcoholic Hall of Fame this week in Austin.

Laura has been a tireless advocate for the non-alcoholic drinks industry for well over a decade, spreading the word through Zero Proof Nation and the brilliant ZPN Map. She also never fails to find a moment to support the people around her — she’s one in a million.

Derek has a storied career as a mixologist, beverage expert, and pioneer of mindful drinking. He’s been hired across the country to create no- and low-alcohol programs, written cocktail books, hosts his own podcast, and founded the Mindful Drinking Fest.

I’d like to thank both of them for the support they’ve shown me over the last couple of years and wish them well at the celebrations in Texas this weekend.

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

Myles

P.S. Shout-out to Stephen Y., who discovered Athletic Brewing’s Fest Brew during Sober October and has since become a big fan!

In this week’s edition:

NAN
New NA Drink News

BEER
Underwood - Rosé Bubbles

FUNCTIONAL SPIRIT
To Be Honest - Focus

EXTRA READS
The World’s Largest NA Selection

Read time: 5 minutes 58 seconds

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New Non-Alcoholic Drink News

NORTH AMERICA

SPIRITS: London’s Hayman’s Gin—who’ve been kicking about since 1863—are launching Hayman’s 0%. (Link)

COCKTAILS: Brand-new releases coming from Per Se include Pink Daiquiri and Gin & Tonic. (Link)

BEER: The wonderfully named Bald Birds Brewing has just released a hazy non-alc IPA. (Link)

BEER: Always exciting to hear about a new NA dark beer—Harmon’s Craft Brewing debuts Dempsey’s Non-Alc Stout. (Link)

COCKTAILS: If you live near a Sprouts, you’ll be able to get your hands on one or all three of the Spiced and Sparkling Collection from Kul Mocks. The three fall flavors are a limited run until the end of the year and exclusive to the supermarket chain. (Link)

BEER: Here’s a collab you might not have been expecting — Athletic Brewing have teamed up with Vans Warped Tour to produce Side Stage. (Link)

COCKTAILS: One of ModSub’s faves—Lucky Frog Beverages—has just dropped a new Repose flavor. (Link)

WORLDWIDE

WINE: UK demi-bottle fans will be pleased to hear that Bolle are releasing 375ml versions of their Blanc de Blancs and Rosé sparkling wines. (Link)

WINE

ModSub’s thoughts: The plan was to be a doctor. But a temporary harvest job at Rex Hill Winery in Dundee, Oregon back in 1997, changed everything for Ryan Harms. After school, he switched coasts, taking a job at Bergström Wines and learning the trade in the Willamette Valley, including six years making wine at Hawks View Cellars. Less than a decade later, Harms went out on his own, starting Union Wine Company with the goal of bringing people “great Oregon wines, without the fuss.”

Union Wine Company is home to three labels—perhaps most notably Underwood, which quickly gained notoriety in 2014 for the “beerification” of wine, producing affordable, high-quality wine in 12oz cans. While not the first to do so—canned wine has existed in the U.S. since at least the 1930s—Underwood’s range of canned wines, with their unmistakably sharp design, has risen to become the country’s top-selling brand, all achieved with a tongue-in-cheek #pinkiesdown attitude.

Alongside innovation, Union Wine Company has a strong sustainability mission. They’ve achieved both B Corp and LIVE certification and support both national organizations like the National Parks Foundation and The Nature Conservancy, as well as local ones like the Willamette Riverkeepers and SOLVE.

So as an Oregonian—okay, an English Oregonian—I’ve been waiting patiently for Underwood to respond to the growing consumer interest in non-alcoholic wine. And now they have, with the release of Underwood Non-Alcoholic Rosé Bubbles.

Made with grapes from around the state, Rosé Bubbles is bright and undeniably playful, with notes of watermelon, Mt. Hood strawberries (the best in the world—I’m not biased, honest guv), and a tart grapefruit finish, all delivered on a swirl of lively carbonation. It’s a mouthful of fun, and each can contains the equivalent of two glasses.

What’s also fabulous about Rosé Bubbles in a can—as opposed to a full-size bottle—is its portability. That’s precisely why Underwood pursued it, taking a leaf out of the Oregon playbook, where almost everything in the state encourages you to be outdoors. What better way, then, to carry your wine on a hike, on the river, or even on the golf course than within the confines of a 12oz can? I’m thrilled to see what else Underwood comes up with—knowing them, Rosé Bubbles won’t be the last non-alcoholic wine-in-a-can we’re treated to.

Rosé Bubbles is currently available in local outlets and online, ahead of a full national rollout for Dry January. Get yours before someone else does!

How Underwood describes Rosé Bubbles: Occasions for celebration sometimes happens when you prefer to stay sharp. So we decided to make a non-alcoholic wine, the Underwood way. This is actual wine, made from Oregon grapes and crafted with the same care and passion you know from us, just without the part that gets in the way of tomorrow. Stay out late. Show up early.

FUNCTIONAL SPIRIT

ModSub’s thoughts: With the holiday season just around the corner, having a few cocktail recipe ideas up your sleeve for the gatherings ahead isn’t the worst idea. So if gin is your thing, let me introduce you to Focus from To Be Honest, a CBD hemp–infused gin alternative. 

Straight out of the bottle, the first sip will have your mouth tingling with delight. The heavy juniper notes are tempered by a light touch of lavender, while a flourish of citrus rounds out the edges. On the finish, there’s a tart bitterness from grapefruit and more than just a hint of pepper to give a final nudge of spice. You could easily just sip Focus neat if that’s your style—but then you’d be missing out on what it can do in a cocktail.

Flipping through the To Be Honest online recipe page, I opted for the Citrus Refresher, a lime zinger of a cocktail with agave and soda water. Bright and zesty lime juice takes center stage, while the tart citrus pulls the piney, herbaceous juniper to the front to play an accompanying role. The agave brings just the right touch of sweetness to a drink that ends up tasting something akin to a gin-inspired margarita. Fabulous.

Next up was Lust Peachy, perhaps a take on a Peach Gin Fizz. Here, the juniper and peach seem like long-lost soulmates—so well do they work together. Lime juice, just an ounce this time, balances the sweetness, while the ginger beer adds a warm spice to the mix. This is a non-alcoholic cocktail that could be enjoyed as much while warming yourself by the fireside as while sitting on a sun-soaked beach. Once again, splendid.

Headquartered in San Luis Obispo, To Be Honest founders Michelle Houston and Jeremy Fleming have taken a measured approach to growth, putting their energy into building up direct-to-consumer sales through their website and expanding nationally via bottle shops on Faire and AirGoods. On the ground, they’ve built a following through tastings and restaurant partnerships, spreading the word about To Be Honest county by surrounding county.

The beverage industry is notoriously competitive and extraordinarily difficult to scale, and it’s easy to lose your footing quickly. This fledgling company, though, is purposely taking things one step at a time—which, in an already crowded marketplace, seems more than wise.

So this holiday season, treat yourself—or someone else—to a bottle of Focus, and support a small business that, at least thus far, seems to be doing everything right.

Each fl.oz of To Be Honest contains 25mg of CBD. 

How does To Be Honest describe Focus: Our inaugural spirit, inspired by a London-dry gin, offers an elevated non-alcoholic alternative to replace the liquor in your cocktail. Designed for those seeking an alcohol free option with sophistication, flavor and complexity. Juniper-forward, herbaceous, and botanical flavor profile.

EXTRA READS