The Bit and the Wild White

MODSUB#61

Wotcha!

Three things:

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Okay enjoy this week’s drinks.

Myles

In this week’s edition:

NAN
New NA Drink News

WINE
Saint Viviana - Sauvignon Blanc

BEER
Bitburger - 0.0% Drive

Read time: 5 minutes 29 seconds

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NAN
New NA Drink News

NORTH AMERICA

• WINE ALT: Here’s an exciting new release in the wine alternative space: Crisp White by Proxies. In their words, it is “the best non-alc white you've ever tasted.” (Link)

• SPIRIT: Fresh off Megan Klein’s cool as a cucumber appearance on Shark Tank, Little Saints has announced their new non-alc spirit, St. Juniper. (Link)

• BEER: Revered NA brewery, Beaglepuss Brewing, has Bohemian Subterfuge Czech Pale coming in December. Christmas stockings will be bulging around the country. (Link)

• SPIRIT: You can now pre-order the intriguing Matchatini, the newest spirit from Kin Euphorics. (Link)

• BEER: Remember Athletic Brewing’s Geralt’s Gold, the collaboration with the Netflix show, “The Witcher?” Well the brewery and streaming platfom have teamed up again for the new documentary, “Our Oceans,” by releasing Marine Odyssey IPA. (Link)

WORLDWIDE

• WINE ALT: Sparkling tea folks The REAL Co. have collaborated with the UK’s oldest wine and spirits retailer, Berry Bros. & Rudd to produce a new Alcohol-Free Sparkling - First Flush Darjeeling. (Link)

WINE

ModSub: In almost every sport, there are players who grab most of the attention—whether they deserve it or not. The center forward, the quarterback, the point guard, the pitcher, the goaltender ... and the list goes on. They steal the spotlight for obvious reasons and often receive more than their fair share of coverage compared to their teammates.

But for every showman, there are countless central midfielders, linemen, grinders, utility players, and centers. These are the unsung heroes—the quiet, dependable players who mostly fly under the radar because they do their jobs so well. They’re never the journeymen, never the superstars, but no team finds success without them.

When I think of Saint Viviana’s two wines—their Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc—they both fall into the “unsung hero” category. Sure, they often appear on “best of” lists, and customer reviews on various sites are invariably glowing. Yet, I can’t help but wonder if they receive the attention they truly deserve in a market where other brands shout a little louder about their products.

I wrote about the Cabernet Sauvignon back in March, but today I want to shine a light on its sibling, the Sauvignon Blanc. Made with grapes sourced just up the road from me in the Columbia Valley on the Washington side of the river, this wine is characteristically dry with high acidity. Delightfully crisp and grassy, it boasts prominent notes of zesty grapefruit—with no added sugar to mask or overwhelm the flavors. I’m no sommelier, and one might tell me I’m wrong, but I honestly find it hard to tell that the alcohol is missing from this wine. At the end of the day, that’s exactly what I’m looking for.

Here’s to the quiet, dependable ones—whether it’s someone on your favorite team or the wine you pour into your glass. They are both should be added to your grocery list for next week’s fesitvities.

How does Saint Viviana describe their Sauvignon Blanc: Dry and lively non-alcoholic Sauvignon Blanc from Washington State. Green herbs on the nose, ripe orange, grapefruit and melon on the palate. Bracing acidity for a mouthwatering finish that brings you back for another sip ... or gulp. Saint Viviana starts with super premium wine, which means fewer additives. Fewer additives means better flavor with less sugar and lower calories. Maybe you really can have it all.

*If you are wondering why there are no “Web” and “Find” buttons for this recommendation, that’s because Saint Viviana is a proprietry wine from online NA store The Zero Proof. Please be aware you can also find these wines in stores like Total Wine, local bottle shops and on Amazon.

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BEER

ModSub: Last week, I popped into a supermarket in Central Oregon I hadn’t visited in over a decade just to have a nose about and see what NA products they were carrying. Standing in front of a large double-doored fridge full of NA beer, an employee walked past, shot me a look, and said, without breaking stride, “it just keeps getting bigger and bigger.” You don’t know the half of it, I thought.

As I looked back to the fridge, there, amongst the usual suspects, was a 16 fl.oz. can of Bitburger 0.0% Drive. Well Guten Abend to you mister, and I popped a couple in my basket. 

Like most German breweries, Bitburger has been ahead of the NA beer game, pioneering years before most other countries even entered the scene. The beer I was taking home that evening was first launched in 1992—some 24 years before Athletic Brewing was even a glimmer in Bill Shufelt’s mind. Take a moment to think about that.

In the before times, I’ve enjoyed a fair few pints of their regular Pilsner on long ago visits to Hamburg and Berlin, but I haven’t yet had their non-alcoholic version, let along one in a tallboy. 

The brewery was founded in 1817 by one Johann Wallenborn and has always been at the top of the German beer game. Their regular Pilsner has been the nation’s best-selling beer on tap for decades.

To the beer itself though; while 0.0% Drive, as a Pilsner, falls squarely into the light beer category, it is by no means light on taste. If gentle sweetness greets you at the fore, it’s quickly overtaken by the roasted malts and a faint herbaceous note. As quick as a flash, it becomes obvious all three have just been pace-makers for the hops, and their full-blooded bitterness, to take you to the finish line. 

A brewer once told me that a Pilsner is the hardest beer to perfect. Granted, Bitburger has had since 1817 to perfect their craft—or 1992 for the NA version, if we’re quibbling—but wow, they’ve nailed it.

How does Bitburger describe their 0.0% Drive: 0.0% Premium Pils Drive Alkoholfrei​ (alcohol-free) – This beer shows a resplendent straw-colored gold with stable, white foam. Sweet, roasty aromas coalesce with honey and fresh Gingerbread and are complemented by ripe grain and pleasantly bitter herbs. A delicate tingly fresh taste with lasting hops and notes of vermouth are finished with a bittersweet malty flavour for the full-flavoured taste.

*Bitburger 0.0% Drive also comes in 11.2 fl.oz. bottles (6-packs) which can be found in Total Wine, BevMo and multiple locations. It will likely be easier to find it in this format.

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