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January, or Dry January, as some choose to refer to it, is well underway, and in that spirit – or rather lack thereof – we at Vada have rounded up some Alcohol-free options at both bars and to buy to drink at home.
Amplify
Alcohol-free spirit, Amplify aims to refresh the alcohol-free spirit sector, positioning itself as the perfect choice for those who don’t want to compromise on their experience when choosing not to drink alcohol. Like traditional spirits, Amplify is distilled and made with a host of invigorating ingredients such as juniper berries, coriander seeds, Angelica root, lemon peel, lemongrass and ginseng root. These fragrant botanicals combine with vibrant, punchy orange and citrus – the perfect choice for mindful drinking this Dry January.
Saicho
Saicho, a brand new sparkling cold-brewed tea brand wants to transform the way we pair non-alcoholic drinks with food. Packaged in beautiful 500ml bottles, Saicho comes in a range of three sparkling teas; Jasmine, Darjeeling and Hojicha, all designed to be served chilled in a Champagne flute or coupe. Cold-brewed for twenty-four hours to extract the most delicate and complex flavours from the tea leaves, Saicho teas are then finely balanced with a hint of sweetness and a dash of acidity. As a finishing touch, sparkling the tea enhances the flavour and creates an effervescent drink that can be enjoyed as a non-alcoholic alternative to Champagne or Prosecco.
For those wanting to try Saicho at a bar, during Dry January Andrei Marcu, head bartender at bar Coupette, has created a crisp, gently effervescing Tea Light Spritz which will be added to the venue’s cocktail menu throughout January.
Fentimans Botanical drinks and mixers
For a more established choice Fentimans, makers of natural botanical drinks for over 100 years, make the perfect addition to any spritz style drinks you might be making. Fentimans is the only brewer in the UK to use the time-honoured process of botanical brewing to produce natural and exquisitely crafted beverages that have a rich and complex taste. Noteably, the brand has just released its ‘light’ range.
Near and Far bar
With the newly launched Near & Far bar in Camden has unveiled London’s largest non-alcoholic offering across its sites in Peckham and Camden. The extensive non-alcoholic selection includes hangover-free mocktails aptly named the ‘Designated Driver’ and ‘The Virgin Margy’ alongside a vast selection of non-alcoholic beers, wines, non-alcoholic spirits and sparkling wine.
The team are using dry January to launch the menu but with consumer trends pointing towards less alcoholic drinks, Near & Far aim to give drinkers its largest non-alcoholic offering possible throughout the year to cater for everyone’s needs. During weekends the headache-free menu will be added to its bottomless brunch options which will differ over both sites.
