High on DRY
Nonalcoholic liquors a great way to have a smooth year
Dry January has turned from a niche trend into a full-blown movement, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier. It took me a long time to get (and stay) sober, and though I know it’s not the right life choice for everyone, I truly cannot recommend it enough. And the new year is as good a time as any to try it out for yourself.
Even if you’re not the type to make resolutions, it’s not a bad idea to spend January atoning for the digestible hedonism of the holidays. And think of your future self, too. Abstaining from alcohol for a few weeks will help clear your head and let your body bounce back after 31 days of hardcore cookie consumption, and perhaps help you forget the agony of a few unplanned hangovers.
Considering that most beverages on earth are naturally nonalcoholic (drinking more water really should be a New Year’s resolution for everyone), and taking into account the recent zero-proof beverage boom, participating in Dry January is pretty darn easy. It’s also a good reason to treat yourself to some brand-new zero-proof drinks you may be curious about, like any one of the excellent readyto-drink canned cocktails that have hit store shelves in the past few years.
As for the many nonalcoholic “replacement” spirits on the market, it’s important to remember that they’ll never be perfect replications without the presence of alcohol, and that’s more than OK. Each of them is beautiful in its own special way and has its own role to play in the beverage landscape.
Here are some of our favorite bottles in several spirits categories that you should keep on your radar for Dry January.
NONALCOHOLIC GINS
Gin is more than a beverage — it’s a vibe. Boisterous by nature, gin is a symphony of strong botanicals that, when done well, makes the alcoholic flavor seem almost irrelevant.
“What’s really interesting about gin is that, by definition, it only has to have juniper in it,” said Eric Fooy, co-owner of Dutch Courage. “As for the rest of the botanicals, you can go nuts.”
With that amount of leeway, nonalcoholic-gin producers have created a class of product that’s more than passable — it’s extraordinary.
Monday Gin. Few nonalcoholic spirits can be enjoyed solo; this one can, and it’s one of the best. Enjoy it deeply chilled and neat, or on the rocks. A twist of citrus is nice but not necessary. $45
Vera Gino. Behind the juniper are hints of cardamom and angelica, which pair spectacularly with lime syrup in a classic gimlet. $13
Gin-Ish. With a bit more bite and burn than other top-tier zero-proof gins, GinIsh is a good base for cocktails that are diluted with soda water, like a Tom Collins. $35
Pentire. A unique spirit that tastes of the Cornish coast, Pentire’s notes of samphire and sea salt balance brilliantly with tonic water. $40
Damrak. Though distilled with a bevy of citrus and aromatics, Damrak tastes somewhat like a sophisticated pickle juice, which you should read as the highest of compliments. You should take it well chilled with a few olives in your glass. $30
Free Spirits. With bold notes of citrus peels and a peppery kick, this zero-proof gin is assertive enough to hold its own with grapefruit juice in a greyhound. $38
NONALCOHOLIC RUMS
While I remain ecstatic for the very existence of nonalcoholic white rum, I have yet to find one worth its price tag. Dark rum, however, is a different story. That’s because with complex, strongly flavored spirits, nonalcoholic distillers have more variables to play with and more routes to explore in their quest to make something that tastes (almost) like the real thing.
Are they perfect replicas? Of course not, because rum tastes like alcohol, but these nonalcoholic rum alternatives are good enough to create the illusion of the “grown-up” cocktails I still crave.
Rumish. Bold and boisterous, this rum alternative follows its assertive spice notes with vanilla, citrus and oak. Lovely in a mojito, a daiquiri, or anyplace else rum likes to play with a spot of sugar and a squirt of fresh citrus. $36
Ritual. Notes of roasted banana, with a smack of spicy warmth at the tail end, mean Ritual’s spirit alternatives are meant for mixed drinks. Use this in easy cocktails where rum delights in making its presence known, like rum and cola. $30
Seir Hill Biscayne. Seir Hill Biscayne is made for cocktails, with bold notes of dark molasses and charred oak, hints of vanilla and black raspberry, and a fierce gingery bite that cuts through any mixer. $35
Lyre’s Dark Cane. A slightly sweet spirit with strong notes of caramel and vanilla, this one is best used in sweet drinks, particularly of the tiki variety. $25
CleanCo. The color and flavor of a beautifully golden caramel, this bottle has toasty notes of clove, star anise and cayenne pepper. Try it in sweetened drinks like hot buttered rum or a bee’s knees. $30
Caleno Dark & Spicy. Behind the warmth of island spices are fruity hints of pineapple, coconut and lime.
It’s lovely when paired with something simple that lets it properly shine, like ginger ale. $30
Monday Rum. Much like its gin, Monday’s rum is a complex, satisfying sip. You’ll find lots of your favorite rummy notes, like ripe bananas, toasty tobacco and sweet sugar cane. $45
NONALCOHOLIC WHISKEYS
Whiskey is a serious drink made for serious occasions, and in the world of zero-proof spirits, nonalcoholic whiskeys must work twice as hard to be successful or be taken seriously. No one is spending upward of $40 for a bottle of whiskey-ish liquid that needs to be drowned in cola to be palatable.
Spiritless, Kentucky 74. As if by magic, this quaff delivers everything there is to love about whiskey, but without the booze or harsh burning sensation. Upfront are spectacular, almost creamy notes of vanilla that skip hand-in-hand with toasted oak, blossoming into something that straddles the line between smoke and sunshine. It’s a “fake” whiskey that deserves to be tasted straight. If you’re not one to savor spirits neat, try this in something timeless, like an old fashioned or mint julep. $37
NKD LDY. Reverse-distilled from real Kentucky bourbon, NKD LDY has some of the top-line whiskey notes you’re expecting (vanilla; oak; toffee), but stronger notes you’re not (it tastes remarkably like slightly underripe Anjou pears). Though not as entirely convincing as the similarly made Spiritless, it is a fine “whiskey” in its own special way, and a great selection if you’re in the mood to Irish-up your morning coffee. $35
Monday. Unlike Monday’s superlative zero-proof gin, which is convincing enough to be enjoyed neat, the company’s entry into the whiskey category is best enjoyed in a cocktail that highlights its strong flavors of caramel, while concealing its lack of smoke and char. Mix with a touch of nonalcoholic vermouth (Lyre’s Apéritif Rosso works wonderfully) and one or two fancy cherries, and you’ve got yourself a highly respectable Manhattan. $45
Cut Above. This brand new entry into the nonalcoholic whiskey category tastes like butter pecan ice cream grew up, had a few spectacular hedonistic years, then settled down and got sober. Sipped solo, Cut Above whiskey is outright enjoyable, and could almost be sipped as a sober alternative to Drambuie. If you’re not looking for liqueur, it’s best enjoyed in cocktails where it won’t be obscured by louder flavors. Pick up a bottle around the holidays and get ready to be enthralled by eggnog once again. $35
Gnista Barreled Oak. A celebration of everything nonalcoholic spirits can and should be. Smoky, complicated and irresistible, it’s what you should be sipping if you like your whiskey straight or on the rocks. $32
NONALCOHOLIC TEQUILAS
Nonalcoholic tequilas are not a novelty but a proper ingredient to be mixed thoughtfully.
After I got older and sober, I never thought I would be able to taste tequila again, much less one I could appreciate with a wiser, less reckless palate. But here we are, living in a golden age of nonalcoholic beverages, where not only do I have access to nonalcoholic tequila, but I have access to many nonalcoholic tequilas. There are tequilas I can slowly sip from chilled rocks glasses and blend up into poolside-worthy frozen or on-the-rocks margaritas. There are even tequilas that taste lovely served with club soda and a twist of lime.
CleanCo Non-Alcoholic Tequila Alternative. A gentle spirit with floral agave flavor, perfect for drinking simply with a spritz of citrus. $30
Ritual Tequila Alternative. Ritual Zero-Proof is possibly the most readily available tequila alternative; found in many bottle shops that are just beginning to wade into the world of nonalcoholic spirits. This nonalcoholic tequila is definitely made for mixing, with an exceptionally strong burn that isn’t great for sipping but is perfect for making its presence known when in the company of other, louder ingredients. $30
Free Spirits The Spirit of Tequila.
Free Spirits’ take on tequila is oaky and smoky; quiet enough that it can be easily buried in cocktails, but loud enough to be heard through club soda or, for that paloma, grapefruit soda. $37
Lyre’s Agave Blanco and Agave Reserva.
The Blanco is rich with floral agave and hints of citrus and can be enjoyed simply; the Reserva has a slightly stronger peppery bite, making it the better of the two for mixed drinks. $25
Trejo’s Spirits Tequila Alternative. This celebrity-endorsed sober spirit is just about as close to the real thing as it can be, with gently-sweet grassy notes up front and a hint of spice, followed by a bloom of agave with a peppery kick. $36
NONALCOHOLIC BITTERS
Bitters have always seemed like a safe nonalcoholic option behind the bar; they’re found on supermarket shelves next to bottles of Day-Glo margarita mix and jars of pearl onions. But it turns out that bitters not only contain alcohol but do so in concentrations of up to 45%. As the zero-proof movement has continued to pick up steam, however, a new crop of small-batch bitters makers has turned to an alternative ingredient as a base: glycerin.
When tasting glycerin-based bitters, it’s easy to identify the flavors listed on the label. Rather than a potent cacophony of indeterminate extractions that build a solid wall of bitter, nonalcoholic bitters are mellow, with more discernible notes. Explore them as something shiny, new and brimming with possibility.
All The Bitter. Created by two former French Laundry sommeliers, this small-batch company produces bitters with highly discernible flavors that make them easy to experiment with, and tasty enough that you’ll want to use them generously. The orange bitters are particularly extraordinary; mixed with zero-proof gin, a smidgen of orange marmalade and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, it makes for a terrific spirit-free stand-in for a Pegu Club. $26.50 for 4 ounces.
Bab Louie. These alcohol-free bitters are as aggressively potent as their alcohol-steeped counterparts, making them ideal to use in classic cocktail recipes where they can more than hold their own against myriad flavors. Try the cherry bitters with some nonalcoholic whiskey if you’re missing Manhattans. $11.50 for 1 ounce.
Dram. Made with locally sourced herbs and aromatics in a small Colorado mountain town, Dram’s bitters are something that deserve to be used with intention and thoughtfully enjoyed. One of my favorites, the Lavender Lemon Balm, mixes extraordinarily well with fresh lemon juice and tonic for a refreshing zero-proof summer beverage. $19 for 4 ounces.
El Guapo. This woman-owned outlet from New Orleans also produces a bevy of outstanding cocktail mixes and flavored syrups, so it’s not surprising that all of its 12 handmade varieties of bitters deserve to be far more than background players. While they work wonderfully in cocktails, it almost seems a shame to obscure their delicately calibrated, multilayered flavors with anything else. A simple bitters and soda has never been better. $20 for 4 ounces.
A RECIPE
All that being said, you can make a great drink without any spirits at all.
This smoky, citrusy cocktail gets an herbal lift from the rosemary and just a hint of bitterness from the citrus pith. (Like your drinks sweeter? Add a bit of simple syrup.) The drink is ideal for wintertime, when citrus fruits enter their peak season, bringing a wide variety of oranges that deserve to be consumed with gusto. If you’ve yet to experience the wonders of a Cara Cara orange, you must. You will have enough broiled orange slices for 3 to 4 drinks.
It’s best to use the broiled orange slices right away, but they can be refrigerated. Place the slices in an airtight container with parchment or wax paper between the slices and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Burnt Orange Tonic With Rosemary
For the burnt orange slices: 2 large Cara Cara oranges
(see note)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus
more for the pan 2 tablespoons honey ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
For the drink:
3 broiled orange slices
¼ cup pomegranate juice 1 (7.5-ounce) can ice-cold
tonic water
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Ice
Make the burnt orange slices: Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and preheat to 500 degrees.
Line a large sheet pan with foil and lightly oil it. Trim the ends off the oranges, then slice each one into six rounds about ¼-inch thick. Place on the prepared pan, drizzle with the olive oil and honey, and toss well to coat. Spread the orange slices in a single layer and sprinkle with the salt.
Broil for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the orange slices begin to darken and caramelize. Add the rosemary and continue broiling for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant, watching closely so that neither the herbs nor oranges burn. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
Make the drink: Place the orange slices on the bottom of a highball glass. (If your orange slices stick to the sheet pan, use a thin metal spatula to loosen them.) Add the pomegranate juice and gently muddle. Add the tonic water and rosemary sprig and stir. Top with ice and serve. Makes 1 drink.
Note: Can substitute blood oranges, tangerines, mandarins or clementines.