In search of alcohol-free tipples, Sophie Farrah meets Stuart Elkington, founder of Hampton’s Dry Drinker...
Summer has well and truly arrived, bringing with it an abundance of seasonal events where a fruity Pimm’s or a flute of something fizzy is almost inevitably the order of the day. From weddings and festivals to outdoor concerts, sporting events and more, it seems that nothing goes with warm weather quite like a chilled glass of something alcoholic.
However, before you pour yourself that drink consider that this tipsy trend may be changing, as more and more of us turn our backs on booze.
In 2017, it was reported that drinking rates among British adults were at their lowest since 2005, whilst the same Office for National Statistics survey found the proportion who drank alcohol at least once a week had declined from 64.2% to 56.9%. At drinks giant Diageo’s recent ‘Future of Drinks’ trends session at its World Class global bar-tending finals in Berlin, a panel of leading industry figures hashed out what drinks might look like in 2019, and predicted that demand for low-and no-alcohol – or NOLO, as it is now known – alternatives would continue to grow, with younger consumers driving the change.
“There are plenty of reasons why people are turning to NOLO drinks,” explains Stuart Elkington, founder of Dry Drinker. “There’s a growing trend in taking a more mindful approach to drinking, encouraged by greater awareness.
“But mainly it’s because there are now so many great-tasting alternatives to the previous sweet and sugary non-alcoholic options, and it’s become much more socially acceptable to drink and provide these alternatives.”
Seven years ago Teddington resident Stuart decided to stop drinking in order to get into shape before starting a family. He soon identified that there were very few booze-free alternatives available in the UK.
“I got seriously fed up with the lack of choice, and my wife bet me that I would never quit my job and do something about it, so I did! Dry Drinker is the result,” he explains.
Based in Hampton, the company – the UK’s largest purveyor of low and alcohol-free drinks – offers NOLO beers, wines, spirits, Kombucha and cocktails, all at 0.5% abv or below. When it comes to beer, there are stouts, Pilsners, wheat beers, craft beers, German lagers, fruit beers, pale ales, and IPAs to choose from, all booze-free. If wine is your tipple of choice then there’s a selection of reds, whites, rosés and sparkling wines from established wine houses across Europe and the USA, as well as a selection of alcohol-free spirits, distilled using traditional methods and packed with a variety of infused botanicals, but with no sugar and low calories.
“We started with just six beers, and now we have more than 200 products covering a wide range of categories,” Stuart explains.
“The choice of drinks has increased dramatically, both from the UK and internationally. With beer, it’s great to see it coming from the grassroots, with British microbrewers dedicated to brewing great NOLO beer. Popular big-name brewers are also now realizing that they need to offer a credible NOLO choice, too.”
In the past, and sometimes even now, alcohol-free alternatives have had a reputation for not tasting as good as ‘the real thing’ – too sweet, too artificial, too boring, and so on, but Stuart insists that this is no longer the case.
“The dedication and ingenuity of NOLO drink makers is impressive; they offer complex, satisfying drinks for grown-ups that make alcohol content irrelevant. I think that they are redefining the ‘real thing’.”
“For example, there have been advances in brewing technology and yeasts have been identified that work best for brewing alcohol-free, but the ingredients, basic processes, and the skill of the brewers are the same as they’ve been for hundreds of years.”
With the surge in appetizing NOLO alternatives, alcohol-free pubs and bars are also growing in popularity; in London, booze-free bar Redemption, which asks the question ‘why should socialising always be at the expense of your health?’ now has three venues in the capital, and earlier this year airline Virgin Atlantic launched a new NOLO drinks menu on its flights.
“I thought I would start drinking again once I had lost weight, but over time, I found I just didn’t need or want alcohol,” Stuart adds. “I found NOLO choices gave me that same sense of relief and relaxation at the end of the day that alcohol offers. And I’m also a bit scared of the hangovers now!”
Stuart’s top 3 drinks for the summer
1. The Duchess Alcohol-Free Gin and Tonic
This award-winning drink is packed with flavour, with infused extracts of orange peel, all spice, star anise, cloves and cardamom. It’s also low in sugar and only 38 calories in a 275ml bottle. For the perfect serve over ice, try a wedge of fresh grapefruit. £10.99 for 6 x 275ml, £15.99 for 12 x 275ml
2. Drink in the Sun (0.3%)
This is one of seven amazing NOLO beers we offer from exciting Danish brewery, Mikkeller. It’s a joyous beer, with a hazy orange body, hints of herbs, peach and grapefruit. Serve ice cold. £14.75 for 6 x 330ml, £28.99 for 12 x 330ml
3. Pierre Zéro Prestige Alcohol-Free Red Wine
This is a generous red wine made with Merlot grapes and barrel-matured. Red fruits, spices and vanilla reveal a beautiful complexity and subtle elegance. Ideal to serve with BBQ food, or simply to enjoy after work. £7.99, 750ml
