The Ingenious Indie Sequel

Wotcha!

Remember last week when I told you about Sam Bail’s guide — The Sober Partying Playbook?

In a fit of “creative word scramble” — her words, not mine — I pointed you to her website as Bright Social Lights. It is, in fact, Bright Nights Social. My apologies.

Still, Bright Social Lights isn’t the worst name for a company, and the domain is still up for grabs!

Anyway, enjoy some great drinks this week.

Cheers,

Myles

In this week’s edition:

NAN
New NA Drink News

COCKTAILS
(parenthesis) - Before Dusk and After Midnight

BEER
Easy Does It - Original Brew

Read time: 6 minutes 42 seconds

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COCKTAILS: Three is the magic number of new ready-to-drink cocktails from Ritual Zero Proof. (Link)

BEER: Heineken creates an offshoot in Outdoor Brewing Company, launching two beers with electrolytes, vitamin C and magnesium aimed at the active lifestyle folks. (Link)

COCKTAILS

ModSub thoughts: When (parenthesis) announced the launch of Before Dusk and After Midnight a few months back, I couldn’t help but think of Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy. Primarily, of course, because of the similarity in the names, but also because the new additions to the vinegar-based spirit line were every bit as excitedly anticipated by me, at least, as the second and third instalments of Jesse and Celine’s love story.

The films, if you happened to be living under a rock between 1995 and 2013, followed the chance encounter of Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy’s characters meeting on a train in Europe. The two disembark in Vienna, spending the evening through the following morning walking around the city, chatting about life, love and philosophy. With each passing minute, you watch the two fall in love with each other, and their chemistry is intoxicating. And then, as night turns to day, a promise of a future rendezvous is made, the credits roll, and the audience is left to guess what might have been.

At least until the sequel, Before Sunset, came out nine years later. The follow-up catches up with the two characters at Jesse’s book signing in Paris. The promise was never kept, and their lives have moved on. Regret colors much of the dialogue this time around, and yet, as the film progresses, glimpses of hope emerge that the two might finally have a second chance at the relationship they have both so longed for. Again, Linklater leaves us without an answer until the much-talked-about final chapter, Before Midnight. After another nine-year wait, the final instalment is heartbreakingly raw, unforgiving to both lovers and, for many who champion the trilogy, too close to the bone to watch a second time.

Perhaps it’s a stretch to try and draw parallels between one of the best cinematic love stories of the last four decades and the new ready-to-drink cocktails from (parenthesis). But after I tried both Before and After, the small-batch non-alcoholic spirits that debuted last year, I thought two things: firstly, holy crap, this fabulous drink is going to wake some people up in ways they haven’t yet imagined; and secondly, where will (parenthesis) go from here? Because I want more of these, just as I wanted more of Jesse and Celine’s love story back in 1995.

And so, for (parenthesis), Before Dusk and After Midnight is their Before Sunset moment—a continuation of the story of two people creating extraordinary non-alcoholic drinks, a sequel to the indie beverage classics they wowed us with the first time out.

Both Before Dusk and After Midnight utilise the kelp-based vinegar foundation that makes up the parent spirits, offering that interruption and pause, working as a replacement for the bite alcohol gives you. There’s also thankfully no carbonation. 

Before Dusk builds on the grapefruit and orange from the spirit, the citrus and vinegar combining beautifully to present a cocktail that is, at first, delicate, yet never far from the bluster of herbs and bitterness.

After Midnight marries After (the spirit) with a stunning lavender-coloured butterfly pea tea. The spirit itself is an intense affair and, as mentioned in my review, you’ll either love it or hate it. Aside from the colour, the addition of the tea softens the strong, condensed flavour of the botanicals, effectively watering it down to appeal to a wider audience.

These ready-to-drink cocktails from (parenthesis) play an ingenious dual role. They are undoubtedly impressive in their own right, particularly Before Dusk. More importantly, though, they show an entire bar industry—and homebody cocktail makers like me—a glimpse of what can be done with these spirits. Neat, they are a delightfully acquired taste. As the base of a cocktail, Before and After are truly some of the very best non-alcoholic spirits out there.

How (parenthesis) describes Before Dusk: Before Dusk is a handmade botanical aperitif. Invigorate your senses by slowly savoring this complex, mouth-stimulating drink on the rocks.

How (parenthesis) describes After Midnight: After Midnight is a handmade botanical shrub. Connect with your senses by slow-sipping this balanced blend of botanicals on the rocks.

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BEER

ModSub thoughts: If you happen to be heading to Southern California this summer and enjoy non-alcoholic beer, you’ll find no shortage of options from a healthy number of breweries up and down the coastline. But if you also happen to be visiting a few skateboard parks along the way, don’t be surprised if you see a bunch of folks drinking Easy Does It.

Started by pro skater Erik Ellington, along with co-founders Kellen Roland and Jon Warren, the trio have positioned the fledgling NA beer brand as a lifestyle beer for skaters, punks and the various subcultures that sprout from that scene — and, of course, anyone else who just wants a tasty American lager.

Despite the fact that Ellington is now a decade into his sobriety, Easy Does It isn’t necessarily about promoting a strict sober lifestyle. Far from it. It’s meant to embrace a more moderate lifestyle that enables you to do the things you want to do without being hindered by the negatives that can come with alcohol consumption.

I don’t pretend to know anything about the skater scene other than a brief dip of the toe into the San Jose scene back in the late ’90s as a plus one. There seemed to be a work-hard, play-hard mentality among the folks I met. It was more than a little reminiscent of my experience in the music industry, though without the bruised elbows and knees. So it’s not hard to see why Ellington, now 48 years old, could see the benefits a non-alcoholic beer could bring to his community.

Ellington brought in his old Alaskan friend Gabe Fletcher, owner of Anchorage Brewing Company and a master brewer in his own right, to help create their first beer — Original Brew. The result is an American non-alcoholic lager that gives even the best of its competition a run for its money. Aside from the golden pour, decent head, and impressive lacing, what really stands out is the mouthfeel. So many lagers are disappointingly watery. Not Original Brew. It’s got an impressive weight to it, almost making the moderate carbonation seem like an afterthought. The malts bring toastiness, the Saaz hops add earthy undertones, and there’s a touch of honey towards the end before a mildly bitter finish.

In a market that seems to be putting out more non-alcoholic beer than there are shelves to fill, it’s pretty important to come out the traps with a highly impressive debut. Original Brew is just that and more.

Easy Does It is available throughout Southern California at supermarkets, bottle shops, and a whole host of BevMo locations. If you aren’t heading that way anytime soon, Original Brew — along with the newly launched Original Gold Mexican Lager — is available on their website. No skateboard required.

How Easy Does It describes Original Brew: We’ve gone to great lengths to capture the familiar golden-straw hue, aromatic character, and floral honey notes of classic American beer. There’s a clean snap at the finish that keeps you coming back. A touch of honey shows up in the aroma and flavor... not sweet, just balanced. Smooth texture. Refreshingly easy finish. No bullshit. Just a good beer.

EXTRA READS