Club Soda Mindful Drinking Festival: 20th July, Spitalfields Market, London, E1
The cynic in BarLifeUK wonders if the biggest trend surrounding mindful drinking is that of brands scrambling to make money out of it. The low-and-no alcohol spirit sector is growing faster than a bored rich bloke can say ‘I’m launching a small batch gin’, and as with any market, the liquids on offer vary in quality.
Bartenders who wish to learn more about no-alcohol spirits, and taste as many as possible in order to sort the wheat from the chaff, will be interested to hear that 13 botanical, alcohol-free distillates will be on show at the Mindful Drinking Festival at Spitalfields Market later this month. In addition, a range of zero – 0.5% ABV beers, ciders, wines, and ‘adult soft drinks’ will also be available to sample.
The festival has been arranged by Club Soda, with our industry’s very own Camille Vidal (La Maison Wellness) curating masterclass sessions about flavour and low-abv cocktails.
Entry is free, and will be open between 11:00 and 17:00 on Saturday July 20th.
No-alcohol spirits on show include:
- CEDER’S is a distilled non-alcoholic alt-gin made with classic gin and exotic South African botanicals and available in three variants, all juniper based.
- Caleño is inspired by founder Ellie’s Colombian family roots.
- The Bitter Note, all the intense and unique flavour of the traditional ‘Amaro Italiano’ with none of the alcohol.
- Sea Arch is made by Geoff and Sarah, who run a pub in Torquay, and contains sea kelp.
- Senser Spirits is being launched at the festival and the world’s first range of botanically-active, alcohol-free PLANT SPIRITS™ .
- Borrago was developed by Tom Tuke-Hastings and named after the borage – a bright blue edible flower.
- Everleaf, a non-alcoholic aperitif that can be mixed with soda or tonic in a Spritz, used in cocktails, or even just drunk straight on the rocks.
- Peak Zero Proof is an alcohol-free cordial which when used as gin makes an alcohol free G&T which only has 6 calories in a measure.
- Silk Tree Botanics comes from Dublin, Ireland.
- Teetotal GnT is made in Skipton, Yorkshire.
- Xachoh – another new launch, authentically distilled using only premium purposeful Silk Road herbs and spices to traditional recipes.
- Stryyk – also new to the festival this summer, offering three expressions; NOT VODKA, NOT GIN and NOT RUM.
- Atopia is the first ultra-low alcohol spirit from family distillers William Grant & Sons. At just 0.5% ABV, Atopia is now available nationwide at Sainsbury’s and Ocado.
More Mindful Drinking Festival information can be found on the event’s website.
Images courtesy of Club Soda