NAN

Non-Alcoholic News my Nan would approve of!

🍺 BEER: Bauhuas Brew Lab from Minneapolis have launched a line of NA beers called NAH to accompany their regular product line. (link)

🍹 SPIRITS: Seedlip have just released a new TV ad with Regé-Jean Page from Bridgerton. (link)

🍹 SPIRITS: One Direction’s Zayn Malik has joined Mixoloshe, a line of RTD non-alcoholic cocktails, as co-owner. (link)

🍹 SPIRITS: The celebrities are out in force this week. F1’s Lewis Hamilton is launching a non-alcoholic tequila called Almave. (link)

📰 GOOD READ: Bank’s Botanicals, from Australia, have a great blog article titled, “Why Non-Alcoholic Drinks are not cheap.” (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.

GO BREWING - NEW SCHOOL SOUR

• Naperville, IL

• Calories: 63

• Serving: 12 fl.oz.

• ABV: <0.5%

• Buy: gobrewing.com • store locator • widely available at online stores

• Price: $13.99 for a 6-pack

The ModSub thoughts: I find myself researching non-alcoholic drinks pretty much 5-to-6 days a week, and Go Brewing has consistently appeared on my radar. Almost everything I've read about this brewery has been overwhelmingly positive.

Born out of the necessity to reduce excessive drinking during the pandemic, a situation I can personally relate to, Joe and Heather Chura took a self-imposed break in 2020. It was during this time that they conceived Go Brewing.

Like many others in this community, they noticed the lack of readily available non-alcoholic options and suitable places to enjoy them. Alongside Bruce Etzcorn and James Bigler, the Churas set out to create their own brewery.

Two years later, they have developed an impressive lineup of beers and a taproom that offers live music, yoga classes and Wim Hof cold plunge tubs?!

I had been planning to order some of Go Brewing's beers through their website. However, thanks to a chance visit to my favorite bottle shop, where I was picking out another beer for an Instagram post, I found a sample 6-pack on the shelf. Boom! I rushed home, immediately went online, and asked some of my NA-beer buddies who rave about Go Brewing to decide which one to try first. And here I am, sipping on a remarkably tasty New School Sour.

Even in the before times, I was never a big fan of sours. Perhaps I wasn't paying attention, but it seemed like they had their moment of popularity and then faded into the background.

However, this New School Sour is exceptional. A perfect harmony between the sweetness of the blueberries and strawberries and the sourness, with neither battling to take the foreground. 

I strongly recommend keeping this brewery on your radar. I still have a handful of their other beers to try and I'll provide updates as I taste them. Check out their monthly beer club which is more than reasonable at $1.94 to $2.05 per can.

P.S. I love their tagline, “Remember Tomorrow.”

DON’T MISS THIS: Go Brewing currently has a Sober October All In Mixed Pack for $67.99 (plus free shipping). That’s an incredible deal. Thirty 12 fl.oz. cans featuring an assortment of 11 different beers. Assuming this ends at the end of the month, you only have a few days to jump on this offer.

How Go Brewing describes their New School Sour: “This sour brew with the perfect amount of sweetness is an ode to creators. The new school—the ones who build new things, try new things, and make the world more interesting with the shade of a pencil, the spray of a can, and the brush stroke.”

Learn more about Go Brewing at gobrewing.com

Abstinence - Cape Floral

• Cape Town, South Africa

• Calories: 0

• Serving: 25.4 fl.oz. (1.5 fl.oz. per serve)

• ABV: 0%

• Buy: abstinencespirits.com • widely available at online stores • might be available at your best bottle shop

• Price: $35-$40

The ModSub thoughts: It’s a little difficult to walk past an end rack of non-alcoholic spirits and not be stopped in your tracks by the beauty of the Abstinence labels. Full-blown floral displays the like of which wallpaper designers salivate.

So last week I found myself standing in front of a display of Abstinence bottles, wondering how the heck to choose between Cape Citrus, Cape Spice or Cape Floral — all beautiful bottles. With no idea what the taste would be like, I closed my eyes, reached out and grabbed whichever came to hand. 

Abstinence Distillery was founded by Pierre Strydorm and Stefan Coetzee in 2020. Both were veterans of the beverage industry who later left their day jobs to open a gin distillery in Cape Town before later turning their attention toward non-alcoholic small-batch spirits. Inspired by the bio-diversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom, they spent months learning about the multitude of diverse plants in the region. By September of 2022, the distillery was making inroads into the U.S. with four award-winning non-alcoholic spirits and two aperitifs.

Last night, I uncorked the bottle of Cape Floral I had ended up randomly selecting. The “perfect serve” calls for 1.5 fl.oz mixed with 7 fl.oz of premium tonic water, garnished with lemon and berries. The rose geranium contributes both the floral aroma and flavor to the drink, while the juniper takes it closer to the classic gin experience. A touch of bitterness from the Angelica root and a hint of lemon combine to create a delightful concoction. 

For those seeking an alternative to a classic G&T, Cape Floral and Tonic has become a frontrunner. Don’t get me wrong, the Seaward and Tonic I recommended a few weeks ago is still a worthy exploration, but this one narrowly edges it out. If you're assembling a non-alcoholic bar at home, be sure to include both in your spirit collection. It's bound to leave a lasting impression on many levels.

How Abstinence describes their Cape Floral: “Inspired by the astounding biodiversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the Cape Fynbos draws its inspiration from the hero ingredient - the indigenous Cape Rose Geranium. A beautifully floral creation with the addition of Juniper berries, Angelica root and Coriander. A slightly bitter, slightly herbal, and faintly nettle-like creation that pairs well with premium tonics.“

Learn more about Abstinence at abstinencespirits.com

GIRL MEETS DIRT - RUBY SPICED APPLE

• Orcas Island, WA

• Calories: Unknown

• Serving: 12.68 fl.oz. (0.5-1 fl.oz per serving)

• ABV: 0%

• Buy: girlmeetsdirt.com • widely available online

• Price: $17.00 (bottle in picture is a sample)

The ModSub thoughts: The backstory of Girl Meets Dirt invokes feelings of admiration, respect and perhaps a touch of envy. A couple leaves the big city hustle to purchase a farmhouse with an orchard on a beautiful Pacific Northwest island and embarks on a successful journey of sustainable living.

Even the opening video on the company’s website evokes a series of “why couldn't that have been me” reactions as you are taken on a tour of the orchards and processing houses, all set against the breathtaking backdrop of Puget Sound. Of course, this doesn't discount the challenges and hardships that Audra Lawlor, the founder, and her team have undoubtedly faced while building the business. As she says, "It hasn't all been primroses." Still, it's a place where the Monday morning blues surely can't exist.

A decade later, Girl Meets Dirt now produces a wide range of jams, preserves, bitters, and, of course, shrubs. These vinegar-based syrups have been all the rage in the last decade, especially since they found their way into the craft cocktail-making world. However, their history dates back many centuries to Europe and possibly even beyond, to the Middle East.

In the United States, shrubs were commonplace in colonial history as a means to preserve fruits that would quickly spoil. This practice continued all the way to Prohibition, when vinegar syrups were used as cordial alternatives to the banned alcohol. With the rise of refrigeration in the 1950s, shrubs began to disappear, only to make a recent resurgence in the bar scene just a few years ago. In a full circle from the 1920s, shrubs have once again become a prominent part of the non-alcoholic conversation.

After tasting the Ruby Spiced Apple shrub with sparkling water, it’s not hard to see why this drink has been around for centuries. To put in today’s context, if you lean toward sodas, exploring shrubs would be a journey worth taking on. I loved the sweet yet acidic taste so much, I dove straight into the Lemon Lavender sample and maybe liked it even more. I’ve very quickly become a big fan.

How Girl Meets Dirt describes Ruby Spiced Apple: “Tart, island crabapples and heirloom Kings, Gravensteins and Granny Smiths are juiced and accessorized with organic star anise, cinnamon and black peppercorn for a warm spice especially suited for warm days and cold, dark rum. This apple shrub will keep you going back for more, with or without the boozed up addition – it's a uniquely exotic crowd pleaser.”

Learn more about Girl Meets Dirt at girlmeetsdirt.com

🏆 Sober October Contest Winner 🏆

Congratulations to Sonja W. for winning the photo contest!

THE BOARD

What’s The ModSub Community Up To?

• Aaron runs the Super Rider newsletter, which sends a bike video to your inbox every Monday morning, along with fun links, skills and bike-related recommendations.

• Luann is working on the 3rd annual David Bowie Fan Convention in Liverpool July 2024! Bowie's closest collaborators, the Bowie Costume Ball, photo gallery, marketplace, camaraderie, fun! Tix here!

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Thank you and have a great weekend!

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