Give These Low- and No-Proof Alternatives a Try
Nick Devine has been slinging drinks for a long time. Even before he landed in Vancouver in 2003, he’d been working the bar for years in London, Oxford, and San Francisco. Since coming to BC, Devine has become one of the leaders of the local craft cocktail revolution. Since his first day behind the bar though, there was something that bothered him.
“You’d see if someone wasn’t drinking, all they would have is pop or juice or a cranberry-soda if you wanted to be fancy, and I thought that wasn’t fair,” says Devine, co-owner of The Cascade Company and Main Street Brewing.
So, he decided to do something about it. In April 2022, just as COVID restrictions were being lifted, Devine launched Edna’s, a line of high-quality, all-natural, non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink canned cocktails. The timing was great, and the feedback has been even better. Edna’s already has national distribution and is about to venture into the United States.
“I’ve actually had this idea since before COVID to do non-alc because I saw it as a growing trend,” he says. “I don’t have a crystal ball or anything. I just saw it as an untapped market. I’ve worked bars so long and I’m just aware.”
“The biggest trend in the world right now might just be no alcohol at all.”
He’s not the only one to notice how many people are cutting back on booze. The biggest trend in the world of alcoholic beverages right now might just be no alcohol at all.
A Drop in Consumption
Whether it’s for a day, a month, or a lifetime, there are many reasons people choose not to drink alcohol. They may be avoiding it for religious, cultural, financial, or health reasons. They may be driving a car later, chairing an important meeting, or in recovery. Or maybe they’re just not in the mood. Whatever the reason, more and more people are lightening up on alcohol.
Take a look at Australia, a nation with a well-known fondness for a pint. Their Dry July Foundation notes that annual alcohol consumption Down Under has dropped from 10.8 litres to 9.4 litres per person over the past 15 years. That’s the lowest in half a century, and the decrease in alcohol consumption has been especially notable among young people. As the Dry July Foundation notes, “Saying no to excessive drinking is the new act of youth rebellion.”
“Saying no to excessive drinking is the new act of youth rebellion.”
Similar numbers have been reported all around the world, including right here in Canada. Statistics Canada reports that around one in five Canadians are drinking less than they did pre-pandemic. StatsCan also reports that in 2015 about 30% of Canadians aged 18 to 34 indulged in occasional bouts of heavy drinking. By 2021, that number dropped to 20%.
For many, the pandemic was a wakeup call. During the lockdowns, restrictions, waves of anxiety, and bouts of boredom, those who consume alcohol drank more of it—a lot more. Now it seems we’re in a period of sober reflection. But even before the pandemic, we were already seeing a gradual shift away from high-ABV wines and spirit-forward cocktails toward lighter, less boozy sips like spritzes, Ranch Water, and other highballs.
“Alcohol-free bars are some of the coolest hangouts on the planet.”
In response, producers are finding ways to leave the booze out entirely while keeping the flavour, sophistication and, yes, the fun. Alcohol-free bars helmed by award-winning bar stars—like Brunswick Aces in Melbourne, The Virgin Mary Bar in Dublin, and Zero Cocktail Bar in Toronto—are some of the coolest hangouts on the planet. And here in British Columbia, we have a wealth of low- and no-proof products to choose from, making sure that every customer can enjoy something delicious.
More Choice Than Ever
Beer is a great example of how many more low- and no-proof options are popping up. According to a recent survey by Future Market Insights (FMI), the global non-alcoholic beer market is expected to be worth more than US $43.6 billion by 2023. That market is expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 7.8%, thanks largely to a focus on health, wellness, and a “mindful drinking” or “sober curious” trend. FMI notes that sales of non-alcoholic beer accounted for nearly a quarter of the US market share in 2022.
No wonder then that every major global brand is jumping on the non-alcoholic beer wagon, including Anheuser-Busch InBev, Heineken, Carlsberg, and Suntory. So are plenty of craft breweries. And forget that boring old sad, watery, single note “near beer.” These days you can find dynamic, complex low- and no-proof sours, IPAs, stouts, and lagers.
“Beer is by far the biggest category in non-alcoholic beverages.”
That’s thanks to some big technological leaps in the processes for de-alcoholizing beer. Whether it’s the old-school “boil-off” method (in which the beer is heated until the alcohol evaporates) or more sophisticated processes such as vacuum distillation, membrane filtration, or reverse osmosis. Special yeasts have also been developed to add flavours specifically for non-alcoholic beers.
Beer is by far the biggest category in non-alcoholic beverages, with wine a distant second. Making non-alcoholic wine is challenging because any process that removes alcohol also removes the subtle flavours connoisseurs crave. Bubbles hide flaws, so many of the best zero-proof wines are fizzy, like the Bottega 0 Prosecco. But technology is helping here too. Australia (with brands like Smoky Bay, Hardys, and Jacob’s Creek) is now producing some terrific options, along with Germany (Leitz Ein Zwei Zero) and Spain (Noughty), while Sweden’s Oddbird is sourcing excellent juice from France and Italy.
Spirits may comprise the smallest zero-proof category but offer the biggest range of creativity. The UK brand Seedlip was the first to shake up the market when it launched Seedlip Spice 94, based on a 300-year-old recipe, in late 2015. (Diageo has since become the majority shareholder.) Other brands have since emerged, like Lyre’s which launched in the UK in 2019 and boasts a vast selection of liqueurs, aperitivos, and base spirits including rum, gin, whisky, and tequila.
Local Libations
All of this gives bartenders exciting new ingredients to play with, retailers profitable new revenue streams, and consumers delicious new options to enjoy. (Indeed, at least two online retailers specializing in non-alcoholic beverages—AFBev.ca and Sansorium.com—have popped up just in BC).
Even better, several local producers are making low- and no-alcohol beverages that range from piquette, a light fermented grape beverage, from Kitsch, Bella, and Birch Block to the zero-proof spirits from Lumette! on Vancouver Island, which currently produces two “alt-gins” and the spiced-rum-like LumRum.
Local craft brewers are joining the zero-proof revolution too, including Central City’s Street Legal series and Phillips Brewing’s iOTA. Some of the most exciting non-alcoholic beverages are the RTD mocktails by Phillips, OPUS, and Edna’s, which are flavourful, well-balanced, and work as mixers as well as standalone beverages.
There is no longer any shortage of choice when it comes to alcohol-free beverages. In 2023, offering something delicious that appeals to all your customers is the thirst-quenching idea whose time has come.