Not too long ago, in a bar not that far away, the mention of a low or non-alcoholic (or ‘nolo’) cocktail would be been greeted with scorn. Once the laughing had died down, if the barman could be convinced you didn’t just want a Ginger Ale-style mixer, the best he could offer would be something in the realm of a Shirley Temple (and that’s assuming he knew how to make it).
Today, in what I’m told is the same galaxy, the bar-scape is very different. People wanting nolo cocktails are embraced, companies are distilling non-alcoholic spirits and events like Dry July are gaining more followers by the year.
And if you think this all sounds a little alien, then be reassured Toto, it seems we really are in a conservative and metaphorical Kansas. You see, we are in the midst of what social commentators are calling Generation Dry.
And if you think you need a drink (a real one) now, then just wait, it gets better.
Not only must we accept the choices that non-alcoholic drinker friends have made but we must for the sake of social harmony, also enable them in their endeavours. We live in an age that is all about choice, and while no-alcoholic drinkers are about as welcome as a vegetarian at a barbecue, they are our friends, so apparently we need to make an effort.
But be aware, like vegetarians they are not going to be fobbed off with a wiled piece of lettuce. We’ve been told, you can’t just shove a Coke in their hands and hope for the best.
Now it may seem completely counterintuitive for us to be recommending you stock your home bar with non-alcoholic drinks but what can you do? We say embrace non-alcoholic distilled spirits or fear the consequences (we hear sober people can be frightening).
Seedlip’s Non & Low-ABV Pop Up
Now if you don’t know where to start, Seedlip (who produced the first non-alcoholic spirit) are here to help. No matter where you are in the world, tonight and tomorrow night (24th & 25th July respectively), Seeplip will be creating a cocktail pop-up bar, entitled Nolo.
That’s right, from LA to Sydney, Stockholm and Guangzhou, 15 of the world’s top venues will be serving no- and low-abv drinks using Seedlip across different timezones.
Now aside from this being a bit of a logistical nightmare, the brand want to show cocktail connoisseurs that life can still be pretty good when you are dry.
Now we are not suggesting that you adopt this way of life, by any means, but we do think events like this are a great way to understand what you can create in a ‘nolo’ environment. It will allow you to come the perfect host, as you will be able to create tasty concoctions for both your drinking and non-drinking friends.
So Who Is Taking Part?
So if you are in Sydney get along to PS40 or if you are in Melbourne drop in on the Black Pearl to learn some handy recipes you can reproduce at home.
In case you are curious, some of the other bars taking part include Panda & Sons in Edinburgh, Dandelyan in London, Tjoget in Stockholm, Paradiso in Barcelona, Flying Dutchman in Amsterdam, The Clumsies in Greece, Operation Dagger in Singapore, The Old Man in Hong Kong, Hope & Sesame in Guangzhou, Parasol & Swing in Auckland, Pretty Ugly in Toronto, Bon Voyage in San Francisco, Walker Inn in LA and Nitecap in New York.
What Else Is Going On?
It might be also worth mentioning that Seedlip have also just introduced their third non-alcoholic spirit, Grove 42. A celebration of the Orange, Grove 42 has been described as “an adult, citrus blend of copper-pot distillates including Bitter Orange, Mandarin, Blood Orange, Lemongrass, Ginger & Lemon.”
Additionally the brand will be releasing a non-alcoholic cocktail book at the end of the year. intending to offer grown-up solutions to what to drink when you are not drinking, the book will have recipes crafted by a collective of the world’s “best bartenders”. Focusing on flavour, the book promises to offer their insight, ethos and techniques alongside each recipe. Look out for it in November.
For more info go to Seedlip
