The Smokey Italian Saint

Wotcha!

Last week, I asked if any of you had found any new “keepers” from this year’s Dry January. I heard from Stephen Y., who discovered BrewDog’s Cold AF and Delirio NA. The latter was new to me too. Turns out it’s the non-alc version of Delirium Tremens, the strong golden ale from Belgium’s Huyghe Brewery. One for me to track down — thank you, Stephen!

On that note, I do love hearing from you, so please reach out and share your thoughts or suggestions. It helps me broaden my perspective and motivates me as I write each week.

As always — enjoy some great drinks this week.

Myles

P.S. And a shout-out to Jonathan B. who was filling the shelves of our local supermarket with non-alcoholic goodies late yesterday evening. Pleasure chatting with you sir!

In this week’s edition:

NAN
New NA Drink News

COCKTAIL
St. Agrestis - Phoney Mezcal Negroni

CIDER
2 Towns Ciderhouse - Guava Get Down

Read time: 5 minutes 47 seconds

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BEER: I love a good ESB (Extra Special Bitter), which is why I’ll be tracking down Into The Wilderness—a collaboration between Go Brewing and actor Luke Gulbranson. (Link)

WINE: BOLLE are on fire right now with yet another new release—BOLLE Chardonnay Reserve. (Link)

FUNCTIONAL TONIC: This one sounds particularly intriguing: Aire has launched a brand-new functional Mexican Sparkling Tonic in two flavors. (Link)

FUNCTIONAL CIDER: Not sure if we’ll see this in the States, but over in the UK, Sentia Spirits are introducing a functional cider. (Link)

COCKTAIL

ModSub’s thoughts: There are some things in life I only need to do once or twice a year to feel satisfied. I love a good burger, but once I’ve had one, I’m good for six months or more. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown to love classical music. One visit to the symphony to witness the aural power of a full orchestra, and I’m happy to wait until the following year to experience it again. NFL? Once a year. And so, too, do I add a mezcal cocktail to that list.

I love mezcal — but not every night, week or even month. I’ll order one at a bar when I’m traveling — somewhere that looks like they know what they’re doing — and think to myself, this is amazing. Then I tuck it back into the dusty suitcase of my brain and store it away for another appearance some time down the line. Last night was one of those moments when all I wanted was a mezcal cocktail. It took me all of two seconds to figure out exactly what I needed.

St. Agrestis is best known for its Phony Negroni, a drink I have long lauded, along with its phenomenal sibling, Amaro Falso. In October 2023, the Brooklyn-based company added the Phony Mezcal Negroni to the lineup, giving the Italian cocktail a south-of-the-border smoky twist that is at first unusual and then entirely intoxicating — though clearly not because of alcohol.

It takes 30 ingredients to make the original Phony Negroni. For the mezcal version, they added smoked nopales — the pads of the prickly pear cactus — to the original recipe, giving the cocktail a smoky flavor reminiscent of the original agave spirit. The result is a delightful combination of bitterness, a touch of sweetness, and an earthy smokiness that gently ushers the botanicals across the palate with a mild, peaty waft.

You know what? I’d forgotten how good this Phony Mezcal Negroni is. There’s no place for this on a “once-a-year” list. That would be depriving myself of one of the best RTD NA cocktails on the market. Why on earth would I do that?

Now, what time does Killer Burger close tonight?

How St. Agrestis describes Phoney Mezcal Negroni: Our award-winning, ready-to-serve St. Agrestis Non-Alcoholic Phony Mezcal Negroni is made with 30 real, raw, non-GMO ingredients. With emphasized mezcal qualities from smoked nopales cactus, expect vegetal complexity and earthiness. Perfectly balanced with the bitter foundation of our award-winning Phony Negroni®, enjoy the smoke with none of the booze.

Previously on the ModSub:
• St. Agrestis - Amaro Falso
• St. Agrestis - Phoney Espresso

CIDER

ModSub’s thoughts: It feels like an age since I’ve covered a non-alcoholic cider, so I was stoked to hear 2 Towns Ciderhouse were adding a third SKU to their line of non-alc scrumpies. After the fully-leaded version became a fan favorite, 2 Towns decided to spread the love further with a non-alc version of Guava Get Down, releasing it in time for this year’s Dry January.

This new cider has big shoes to fill, following on from the A+ Cosmic Crisp and the surprisingly (to me) moreish Pacific Pineapple. But fill them it does. As I sat down to write this — bubbles popping and spinning up the glass next to me — I realized I knew nothing about guava. It’s not like I’d never heard of it, but honestly, I couldn’t pick it out of a tropical fruit lineup if my life depended on it.

Did I know that guava is actually a berry and that it has more than twice the amount of vitamin C you’d find in the average orange? I did not. Guava also helps regulate blood sugar, and the leaves are widely used in traditional medicine to aid digestion. There are over 100 varieties, ranging from white to pink and red to yellow. Some are sweet, some are tart and the ones grown in Hawaii taste like strawberries. A ripe guava can be extraordinarily fragrant, with a floral scent that would give even the most pungent bouquet of flowers a run for its money. Don’t let them overripen, though, as the effect is not so pleasing.

I’m sometimes wary of ciders with added fruit. They can be hit or miss. If the companion fruit muscles out the apples, it’s not for me. However, I’m happy to report that the balance of the fruits in Guava Get Down is perfect. This is a 95% crisp cider, with just a touch of sweet guava purée rounding out the acidity with a very mild strawberry-like sweetness. But it’s barely there, which is why this cider is so fabulous. Like a PNW cider that’s gone for a beach holiday wearing just a guava speedo. Okay, maybe that’s not the best metaphor to get you to try this, but you get where I’m coming from. 

2 Towns Ciderhouse’s Cosmic Crisp has been in my top three non-alcoholic ciders over the last few years. Might it just get pushed out by Guava Get Down? Quite possibly. 

Let me know when you’ve tried it.

How 2 Towns Ciderhouse describes Guava Get Down: Bright, breezy, and ready to boogie, Guava Get Down channels beach-day vibes with a Northwest twist. Pink guava puree brings a lush, tropical aroma to a base of fresh-pressed Northwest apples, for a funky-fresh cider with a rhythm all its own. Using exclusively sourced Northwest apples, each batch is fresh-pressed with a custom blend of ingredients. After fermentation, the alcohol is gently removed low and slow until it reaches less than 0.5% AB. The newly dealcoholized cider is finished and blended to create a crisp, clean cider that you can enjoy anytime.

Previously on the ModSub: 2 Towns Ciderhouse - Cosmic Crisp

LAST WEEK’S EDITION

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• Blog thumbnail photo credit: Murtaza Saifee