The current customer interest in noalcohol and low-alcohol drinks (NOLO) is transforming the face of beverage service, including retailers, bars and restaurants. It’s forced those in the industry to rethink their menus and product offering, often coming up with creative ways to provide consumers with varied drinks that are just as good as the real deal.
Owner of Continental Deli Bar Bistro in Sydney’s Newtown, Michael Nicolian says that while there has been growth in demand for non alcoholic drinks for some time, it has really grown in the past year. “You’re seeing it more and more in what’s available at bottle shops and bars and they are cropping up on menus everywhere,” he says. “Also within food service you’re seeing a massive trend in people consuming them.”
According to market researcher Wine Intelligence, sales of NOLO wine in Australia are expected to grow by 20% annually over the next three years, doubling in volume by 2025. Nicolian sees it as a consumer-driven movement, which has created demand for high quality non-alcoholic products across the board. “As trends in food and drink come and go, quality rises to match,” he says. “And that’s definitely what’s happened with the nonalcoholic beers. I think the difference between a beer and non-alcoholic beer now is minimal in terms of taste.”
Continental Deli Bar Bistro also uses nonalcoholic gins to make alcohol-free cocktails, often in the style of a gin and tonic. Nicolian’s favourite non-alcoholic drink, however, is a Shrub (see recipe, right), which uses a fruit syrup and vinegar as a base. “Shrubs are a great alternative to alcohol, and preserve your favourite fruit flavour for the whole year to enjoy when out of season,” he says.
James Irvine, Creative Director and bartender of Gin Drinks at Four Pillars, says the alcohol free cocktail space is in a really exciting place. “Brands, consumers, and drink professionals alike are coming together with interesting approaches to what previously would’ve been an after-thought, captured under ‘mocktail’,” he says. “We’re seeing more innovation, passion and drive, not dissimilar to the amount of effort that goes into a cracking cocktail, becoming the new norm in the alcohol-free space.”
Four Pillars has recently released its first nonalcoholic gin, called Bandwagon, which is already gaining a strong following, through retail outlets and in bars and restaurants. “This is more than a trend and it’s here to stay,” says Irvine. “I believe that you can deliver the same impactful balance of flavour and structure to an alcohol-free cocktail. Use flavourful ingredients – whether that be fresh produce, mixers or alcohol-free spirit brands. I think the messaging of NOLO is a great initiative. If you’re taking a break for whatever reason, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavour and fun.
“There are a couple of things to bear in mind when making alcohol-free drinks compared to using booze. However, as a general rule – keep it simple and let the product do the talking.”
