Going sober no longer has to be a drag. Jazz up your January evenings with these sparkling alternatives to booze, says Catherine Whyte
Many moons ago I made the unthinkable decision to go teetotal. I say unthinkable because up until I actually did it, that’s what it was. All those raised eyebrows and puzzled stares. People simply just couldn’t understand it. ‘Go on,’ they would say, ‘Just one!’. My subsequent refusals were often met with pity: I knew they thought I was mad. Fair to admit, after the umpteenth bloody orange juice, I thought I was bonkers, too.
Happily, tempora mutantur. To refuse the booze is quite normal these days. There are even designated months – Sober October and Dry January – in which we are positively encouraged to veto the vino. Not surprising then that significant strides in variety and taste have been made.
Belvoir’s new Shiraz Without the Hangover (pictured above) is a prime example. Made with Shiraz red grape juice, it has a semi-sweet fruity flavour with a dry finish and a hint of spice. Just like the alcoholic variety this rich dark red alcohol-free version slips down nicely with a steak or boeuf bourguignon. Priced at £2.99, it is exclusive to Tesco stores until March 2017.
Alternatively, buy direct from: belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk
The best tonic
If you are looking for a worthy G&T substitute why not try Seedlip – the world’s first non-alcoholic spirit. There are two varieties: Spice 94 (made with all spice, cardamom, oak, lemon and grapefruit) and Garden 108 (featuring such botanicals as peas, elderflower, hay, spearmint, rosemary and thyme). You can find Seedlip in many of London’s trendiest bars (go to seedlipdrinks.com for a full list), as well as Heston Blumenthal’s The Hinds Head in Bray and Tom Kerridge’s The Hand and Flowers in Marlow.
Seedlip’s (trademarked) tag line simply reads “Solving the dilemma of what to drink when you are not drinking”. Oh how I wish it had been around 20 years ago.
Calling the shots
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Comprised almost entirely from cold-pressed raw ginger juice (with a smidgen of lemon and apple juice thrown in) these powerful little drinks pack a real punch.
Add them to juice by all means, or just down them in one. MOJU’s Ginger Booster costs £1.95 each or £19.95 for a box of 12.
Order from mojudrinks.com
Spice up your mocktails
© Michael Franke
You have ditched the daiquiris and weaned yourself off the wine... but what to do if you just can’t face another J20? Try these local establishments for some fruity fun:
• The Botanist in Farnham has an excellent range of imaginative non-alcoholic drinks. I like the look of the Cucumber and Rosemary Cooler (£4.50), in which the two main ingredients are mixed with a splash of sugar syrup, elderflower cordial and lengthened with fresh lime and apple juice. Note to self (for February): it’s also good with gin.
• Kingston’s Comptoir Libanais serves up Laziza Apple and Laziza Raspberry non-alcoholic fruit beers (£2.95), as well as zesty homemade lemonades (pictured) and frozen blended lemonades laced with seasonal herbs (from £3.45).
• Guildford’s Long Bar (part of the Harbour Hotel) is a sexy venue with a super selection. The Virgin Mojito is a winner, as is the Lychee and Hibiscus Fizz (both £5.50). You won’t feel left out of the fun, that’s for sure.
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