HOW LOW CAN

from Cask & Still Magazine Issue 14

by Cask & Still Magazine

CONNOISSEURS SELECTION

HOW LOW

CAN YOU GO?

Low alcohol, no alcohol – what on earth is it all about?

Written by Geraldine Coates

January 2022 saw the biggest participation ever in Dry January with almost eight million adults in the UK deciding to give up alcohol for the month. That’s almost one in six adults, up 22% on the previous year. Whether all of them actually made it to 31 January alcohol-free is none of our business and people will have different reasons for going dry – over indulgence during the festive season, desire to lose weight and general health concerns being the obvious drivers. What it does show, however, is that even this temporary teetotalism is part of a bigger picture when it comes to consumer patterns and that the trend for healthy eating now well and truly embraces the concept of healthy drinking.

The drinks industry is ever evolving and inventive and, having seen a fall in the sales of alcoholic liquor thanks to that pesky Generation Z (18-25 year olds), almost a third of whom don’t drink at all, a gap in the market has been identifi ed. Where there is a gap there is usually an opportunity and if there isn’t, one will be created. Step in the latest drinks industry trend, a multitude of no alcohol and low alcohol drinks niftily titled “NOLO”.

First some defi nitions: by law ‘low alcohol’ drinks must be bottled at no more than 1.2% ABV and ‘no alcohol’ drinks at 0.05 ABV% (apparently at this level one’s body processes the minute amount of alcohol at the same rate as you consume it). Some are made as full-strength versions and then the alcohol is removed, while others are made by initial maceration and or distilling in alcohol and then adding water.

Low and no alcohol beers have been with us

for a very long time ever since the laws on drinking and driving became something to be reckoned with.

Obviously there have been some ghastly mistakes – Kaliber anyone? But also great products like Heineken (0.0%) and the very delicious Adnam’s Ghost Ship (0.5%) have made non-alcoholic beer a crucial part of beer drinkers’ choices, with sales leaping by 58% between 2019 and 2020. One of the reasons for their undoubted success is that these beers satisfy that ‘I just want a nice long cold beer moment’, because brewers want a nice long cold beer moment’, because brewers tend to turn up the hops to compensate for removing tend to turn up the hops to compensate for removing the alcohol so they actually taste like proper beer. the alcohol so they actually taste like proper beer.

When it comes to non-alcoholic ‘spirits’, an When it comes to non-alcoholic ‘spirits’, an oxymoron quite on the level of ‘military intelligence’, oxymoron quite on the level of ‘military intelligence’, it’s a bit different. Whilst non-alcoholic bitters, it’s a bit different. Whilst non-alcoholic bitters, liqueurs and brown spirits do exist, most of the liqueurs and brown spirits do exist, most of the

NOLO action is centred around white spirits NOLO action is centred around white spirits specifi cally gin substitutes, although, of course specifi cally gin substitutes, although, of course producers can’t use the word ‘gin’ as it is not producers can’t use the word ‘gin’ as it is not bottled at the requisite 37.5% ABV. Here we fi nd bottled at the requisite 37.5% ABV. Here we fi nd the word ‘botanical’ does a lot of heavy lifting, the word ‘botanical’ does a lot of heavy lifting, especially when you look at category leaders especially when you look at category leaders such as Seedlip. such as Seedlip. Seedlip has been the drinks success Seedlip has been the drinks success story of the decade – non-alcoholic story of the decade – non-alcoholic and botanically infused with natural and botanically infused with natural ingredients, it comes in three different ingredients, it comes in three different fl avour profi les: spice, fl avour profi les: spice, citrus and herbal. It citrus and herbal. It is made in a complex is made in a complex process that involves process that involves distillation in a small distillation in a small amount of alcohol amount of alcohol to extract fl avour, to extract fl avour, maceration and maceration and blending. Now blending. Now majority owned by Diageo it has spawned a host of imitations. Seedlip never comes out particularly well in taste tests and many question its price tag, which is in excess of £20. But there’s no question that its very beautiful packaging and its back-to-nature back story have made it a hit amongst a particular audience, which could be defi ned as health conscious, aspirational, over 30-year-olds who like the social aspects of going out for a drink but want a clear head the next day. Research shows too that NOLO drinking is not totally confi ned to the yoga bunny crowd but is increasingly important on business related nights out where people will drink wine with dinner but cut down on alcohol before and after a meal.

Indeed so successful are Seedlip and its many imitators that they have literally invented a market that didn’t really exist fi ve years ago. All the big gin boys – Tanqueray, Gordon’s, Beefeater etc – have now joined in with zero alcohol versions of their fl agship brands and it is estimated there are close to 200 different NOLOs currently on the market, although that fi gure is not purely made up of gin substitutes.

But there is an elephant in this room. The fact is that around 73% of the price of your average bottle of spirits is the tax charged on alcohol. My beef is that many of the low or no variants are priced at around the same level as a bottle of the real McCoy, so what is the justifi cation for charging roughly the same price for drinks that attract no duties or taxes? Especially when there are so many new and sophisticated what we use to call ‘soft drinks’ available for a fraction of the cost if one wants to avoid alcohol.

I spoke to Sipsmith Master Distiller Jared Brown whose own alcohol free

THE DRINKS INDUSTRY IS EVER EVOLVING AND INVENTIVE

LOW GRAVITY ALCOHOL

From left: Seedlip’s non-alcoholic range: Seedlip’s non-alcoholic range: Garden 108, Grove 42 and Spice 94; Sipsmith’s Free Glider Alcohol Free Spirit. (i.e. 0.05% ABV) Freeglider was recently rated the best of the bunch by Jane MacQuitty of The Times.

‘We realised we were not going to be the fi rst NOLO but we really wanted to be the best, so we focused on how to recreate the actual experience of having a G and T without the alcohol. You can’t just make your standard recipe and then remove the alcohol, although some do. It really affects the fi nal fl avour. We went back to the 1800s to see how distillers then were faking the taste of spirit using capsicum, and we looked at the techniques herbalists used to create tinctures. In the end we went through almost 200 iterations of the recipe and experimented with over 100 ingredients.

‘When it comes to price people should understand that making a bottle of Freeglider costs about the same as making a bottle of Sipsmith – the cost of the botanicals is always rising, the techniques we use to distil and macerate are very time consuming. We can’t make Freeglider at our own distillery, it has to be made off-site in a completely sterile environment. When you take this all into account the price is about right.’

I get it. Judging these drinks solely on price is akin to comparing Chanel No 5 with a cheap perfume. There’s a big difference between what reputable distillers are producing and the ‘coloured water’ others make. Also it’s worth remembering that, whilst some us remain a bit cynical, these products are aimed at a demographic who are not only very infl uenced by the desire to lead a healthier lifestyle but who are also extremely image conscious. Quality not price is what counts and consumers will vote with their wallets.

THOMPSON BROTHERS ORGANIC MEDITERRANEAN GIN

28.50 45.7 The Thompson Brothers are two passionate drinks nerds, I don’t think they would mind me calling them that, who I don’t think they would mind me calling them that, who have been champions of great drinks for years. They have have been champions of great drinks for years. They have now turned to making gin and whisky at their distillery now turned to making gin and whisky at their distillery in Dornoch. As you can imagine they have put a huge in Dornoch. As you can imagine they have put a huge amount of thought into this gin. amount of thought into this gin. NOSE: You are greeted with a bright citrus note. With lemons, orange and bergamot leaping out of the glass to be joined with some fresh herbal notes of thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. PALATE: Soft and intense with bright citrus notes. FINISH: The finish is long and intense with citrus fading to herbal notes, juniper, then just a touch of anise.

NOSE: You are greeted with a bright citrus note. With lemons, orange and bergamot leaping out of the glass to be joined with some fresh herbal notes of thyme, rosemary and bay leaf.

Gin

FOUR PILLARS OLIVE LEAF GIN

38 43.8 Four Pillars have been producing great gin just outside Melbourne in the Yarra Valley for several years now, and their overproof gin is just fantastic. This is a relatively new addition to their line-up and took them five years to perfect. They blended together three types of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and olive leaf tea. By adding botanicals like rosemary and bay leaf and macadamia nuts and lemon myrtle they bring a southern European feel while giving a lovely textured gin.

NOSE: Savoury and soft with herbaceous notes of thyme, bay leaf and olive then just a hint of citrus toward the end.

PALATE: Soft, silky and herbaceous, this is beautifully balanced with herbal notes and citrus.

FINISH: The olive oil and macadamia nuts bring a round soft texture that makes the finish go on and on.

BOATYARD OLD TOM GIN

37 41 Boatyard are on a mission to try and make everything themselves (which is not common in the gin world where most gin producers buy in neutral spirit to be redistilled with botanicals to create their gin). This is a richer style of gin that has then been matured in fresh Pedro Ximenez sherry barrels to create a great rich treat of a sipping gin.

NOSE: The nose is rich and intense with dates, figs, sultanas and a touch of juniper.

PALATE: Rich, sweet, and intense with dried fruit, Christmas cake and some lingering juniper on the finish. FINISH: Decadent and rich, this is not like other gins. A wonderful nightcap.