Here's what you need to know about non-alcoholic spirits (representative) (Source: Pixabay)Consumption of alcohol, though momentarily enjoyable, comes with its share of ill effects — the first and the instantly-felt one being a hangover. But it is not limited to it, as drinking alcohol can have hazardous effects on the heart, liver, waistline, and also the kidneys.
As such, in our attempt to look for healthier alternatives, we came across “spirits” that promise a good time but without “, hangover, and the calories”. Such drinks, for many non-imbibers, are also being touted as a better option than juices, sodas, or just plain water and promise a “complete dining experience”.
What are they?
“When it comes to creating a non-alcoholic beverage list, the easiest way of doing so is by not adding alcohol into a cocktail and serving it as a mocktail. In my opinion that is not a well-balanced drink. Our objective to create these drinks was to make them from scratch ensuring that they give the same excitement of a cocktail to a guest who does not consume alcohol,” said Yash Bhanage, founder and COO at Hunger Inc. Hospitality, The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro and Bombay Sweet Shop.
Free Spirited Cocktails at O Pedro, Mumbai (Source: O Pedro, Mumbai) They have a newly-launched range of free-spirited cocktails including Pedro’s Pear Punch which comes with pear and basil juice with clarified almond milk (lactose-free variant) or the Pep It Up, Patrao — a cross between a Bloody Mary and a Margarita that comes with orange citrate, roasted bell pepper, blackberry and spice.
Non-alcoholic spirits try reproducing the bitterness of alcohol by using different distillates that come from flavouring of fruits while non-alcoholic cocktails use different ingredients rather than fruits. These include ingredients like cordials, tonic waters, cold brew coffee, house-made sodas, clarified fats (like almond milk), syrups, in-house mixes of local herbs, spices, botanicals, bitters, and much more, mentioned Bhanage.
These distilled spirits are made in the same way as a traditional spirit (gin, rum, whiskey, etc.) minus the alcohol, said Vansh Pahuja, Founder, Sober, which produces distilled non-alcoholic spirits with “zero alcohol, zero sugar, and only five calories per serving”.
How are they consumed?
Pahuja said it can be poured with any tonic, water or soda, or any beverage one would ideally add gin to, “making for a sensational sipping experience”.
Tracing the rise
“Like we were having a major ‘craft beer’ movement a few years ago, we are currently witnessing a massive cocktail movement,” Pahuja expressed.
“This has primarily been due to the rise in local/craft gin brands that have come up in the country along with a massive growth in the mixers/tonic category. What’s interesting about this category is that unlike whiskey or vodka, people are willing to try more local/domestic brands vis-à-vis the international ones. Every Indian gin brand has a story to tell that has captivated the interest of the Indian consumer,” Pahuja told indianexpress.com.
Sober’s new offering Sober Gin: Pink Edition which is a “tribute to all the fighters and survivors of breast cancer” managed to exceed expectations with its sales. “Along with our signature botanicals, the Pink Edition also bottles floral notes of strawberry, raspberry and rose. A portion of proceeds from each bottle will be contributed to raise breast cancer awareness. What we aimed to sell in the first three months, we were able to sell within the first two weeks of release,” he said. Notably, the drink contains ingredients such as ashwagandha, green tea extract and tulsi – all distilled with Himalayan juniper berries.
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According to a November 2021 Nielsen survey, non-alcoholic beverage sales increased 33 per cent to $331 million in 2020. In an interview with Insider.com, Nielsen senior vice president Kim Cox said that the survey data suggested that most non-alcoholic beverage consumers aren’t completely sober, but rather want to “have a healthier lifestyle or are losing interest in alcohol” with push towards “lower sugar, lower carb, lower calorie in the beverages space”.
Notably, the non-alcohol spirit rise began in 2016 when startup Seedlip began playing alcohol-free adult beverages in a positive light amping up the lack of calories aspect. The Nielsen survey also noted that annual growth for the category is expected to hit 7.1 per cent by 2025.
According to a 2021 Drizly.com survey, for consumers, the most important factors in their purchase decision when selecting alcohol was
– Calorie count, 20 per cent
– Sugar content, 17 per cent
– “Added health benefit (probiotics, antioxidants, etc.),” 12 per cent
– and low alcohol level or non-alcoholic, 11 per cent.
Do non-alcoholic beverages have any benefits?
Alcohol can cause a lot of damage to the tiny inhabitants of your gut — the microbiome. But experts suggest non-alcoholic spirits can be a better alternative for people who would like to enjoy a drink. “It can lift your mood sans the alcohol and the hangover, of course,” gut microbiome specialist Munmun Ganeriwal told indianexpress.com.
“Because of lot of people these days are looking out what to drink when they are not drinking, these spirits are easily available in many flavours and varieties. Herbs like ginger, turmeric and citrus fruits like orange, mandarin oranges along with hops and spices like cinnamon are often added to give that health twist and the much-needed flavour and zest,” added Ganeriwal.
While some “non-alcoholic beverages can be healthy and may claim to reduce the risk of heart diseases, help you sleep better, aid bone growth or reduce the risk of other illnesses”, it is important to be mindful about excessive consumption, said Dr Siddhant Bhargava, fitness and nutritional scientist, co-founder, Food Darzee.
“There are a lot of them lying on the shelves which are unhealthy. Before grabbing such alternatives, it is highly recommended to check its contents. Also, people with certain medical conditions are advised to consult a nutritionist or a doctor before consuming any non-alcoholic beverages,” advised Dr Bhargava.
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