Substitute Without Sacrifice

A Beginner's Guide to the Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks

MODSUB - SPECIAL EDITION

Wotcha!

I know! It’s not Saturday morning.

It’s Wednesday morning and it’s January 1.

Happy New Year!

Why are you receiving this today? Over the past couple of months, I’ve been working on a guide designed for those who are just starting their journey into the world of non-alcoholic drinks.

With over 2,000 adult non-alcoholic beverages on the market, the sheer number of options can feel overwhelming. I often meet people who have no idea there’s so much more beyond Clausthaler and Shirley Temples.

That’s why I created this guide—to help people take their first steps. It’s a resource they can turn to when faced with a shelf full of unfamiliar drinks or when searching for something specific but not knowing where to begin.

You are the first to see this guide (aside from Mrs. ModSub), and I’d truly appreciate your help in any—or all—of the following ways:

  1. Download a copy (details below) and share any feedback you have. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

  2. Share the guide with someone who might benefit—a friend, family member, or colleague. I’d be grateful if you could pass along the link so they can download their own copy.

  3. Help spread the word. If you know someone whose audience might benefit from this guide, please let me know. I’d be so grateful for your support in reaching more people.

That’s all for now! Enjoy your new year, and I’ll be back on Saturday morning with a couple of corkers.

Cheers,

Myles

What’s in it and how does it help people?

  • 30-page ebook

  • Tips on the three mental hurdles to overcome - set yourself up for success

  • Where to find NA drinks - short answer: lots of places

  • 50+ beverage companies providing non-alc beers, wines, spirits and ready-to-drink cocktails - including links to explore, purchase and find

  • Three additional resources for finding bars, restaurants, breweries and bottle shops that sell or serve NA drinks when out on the town or travelling

What drinks are included?

This guide is designed to help people get started. Unlike the newsletter, which focuses on individual drinks, this guide highlights the beverage companies themselves. This allows readers to explore the full range of drinks each company offers.

For example, if you enjoy NA beer but aren’t familiar with what each brewery produces, you’ll find links to 10 different breweries, making it easy to see the variety of beers they sell.

Non-alcoholic wines are another common question I get. In response, I’ve listed 10 companies to check out, along with an additional 5 producers of wine alternatives that might be more your style.

I’ve divided spirits into two sections: traditional spirits, like gin, whisky, and tequila, and non-traditional spirits, showcasing an exciting range of unique and innovative options. For the traditional spirits, I’ve taken a slightly different approach by listing my five personal favorites rather than comprehensive brand listings—though a full spirits guide is coming soon.

Lastly, I’ve included 10 RTD (ready-to-drink) cocktail brands offering over 30 unique canned drinks that are well worth exploring.

Where can I get the guide?

You can download the guide here.

It is a free resource but if you feel like supporting me in this endeavor there is a "pay-what-you-can" feature where you can set the price to any amount you'd like to contribute—your support is truly appreciated.

A quick disclaimer

It was incredibly difficult to narrow these brands and their drinks into a manageable guide. I could have written 120 pages and included 200 brands, but that would have defeated the purpose of this guide—to help people get started. My goal was to keep it simple and approachable.

For the more seasoned non-alc drinkers and industry professionals reading this, you may notice some key brands are missing. That’s intentional. This is by no means an exhaustive list. There was just no way it could be.

I selected these companies based on several criteria, including the quality of their drinks and their accessibility—how easy they are to find and purchase. Future guides will explore each category in greater depth.

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