| Welcome to the second edition of High Spirits, the Dry Atlas newsletter on all the latest happenings in booze-free! I’m not sober curious. I recently polled Twitter about sober curiosity. I’m not surprised that the overwhelming majority of my respondents said yes, they consider themselves sober curious. But that puts me in the minority. That said, it’ll surprise none of you that the latest data re-confirms that Americans are drinking less. I agree with the author of this piece in seeing no & low as part of a bigger wellness trend driven by (often young) trendsetters. While the author notes the rise of delicious new non-alc drink options, she does not go so far as to state what I believe to be true: that new non-alc drinks are actually a driving force in the trend rather than merely representing supply growing to meet new demand. New non-alc brands are actually creating new demand as consumers actively choose non-alc drinks over alcoholic drinks. But it’s not just the youths that are driving this trend. Trendsetters of all ages are trying non-alc on for size. That includes TikTok’s @your.internet.dad, an Octogenarian who has been taste testing alcoholic vs. non-alcoholic G&Ts and opening bottles of Noughty prosecco with a saber. Is non-alc what’s keeping him looking so much younger than his age? Your guess is as good as mine. Speaking of TikTok, if you’re not a user you may be confused as to why everyone’s talking about negronis sbagliatos all of a sudden. Here’s a full debrief and here’s the best interpretation of the meme to date, in my humble opinion. TL,DR, there are a million variations on the negroni and this one swaps the gin with prosecco. Our friends from Lyre’s made negronis sbagliatos at Spirited Away during their tasting last week with Aperitif Rosso, Italian Orange and Classico and they were delicious. And pro tip: as in Figlia, one of Spirited Away’s best selling aperitifs, the G in sbagliato is silent. New on Dry Atlas As you’re navigating Dry Atlas this week, don’t miss Shea of @NoBoozeBabes’ favorite drinks including selections from Athletic Brewing, St Agrestis, Lyre’s, Crisp & Crude, Spiritless, Gruvi and more! Parting Question I’ve been thinking about something Sven-Hanson Britt recently tweeted: “…as long as the good no/low stop selling the same product in supermarkets!!!) that’s the fastest way to remove yourself from premium hospitality venues imo…” When a particular non-alcoholic spirit, wine, beer or RTD cocktail becomes widely available in supermarkets and convenience stores, does your opinion of the brand change? If so, does it improve, worsen or does it depend? |
Your Guide to Non-Alcoholic Spirits
In the expanding world of alcohol alternatives, non-alcoholic spirits have emerged as a sophisticated choice for those seeking to savor the ritual and taste of
