Dry doesn't have to mean dull.

As a new generation is coming of age we're seeing the drinks & hospitality landscape head towards a 'No & Low' revolution. An entire generation of drinkers choosing to moderate their drinking by intentionally picking the alcohol-free or low-alcohol options on menus.

On average, Gen-Z are drinking 20% less than their Millennial counterparts, who in turn tend to drink less than previous generations too.

With more & more people embracing the moderation movement and with health and well-being becoming ever prevalent key status markers, we are seeing that shift in younger Millennial and Gen-Z mindsets reflect how they are socialising and indulging.

The question is how are drinks brands and hospitality venues responding to the new drinking, partying, and relaxation habits of this new, young, in-the-know digital native consumer? And can they do more in a world of less consumption?

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ENJOYMENT: ATTRACTING & DRIVING CHOICE

Gen-Z’s may be at the forefront of the trend, but how can brands and venues get guests of all ages to choose low & no options? The key is in creating equivalent experiences that don’t make guests feel like they are missing out.

An interesting example is the work of Thimus, a research agency looking at the neuroscience behind our food and drink choices. They partnered with Impossible Foods to look at the emotional responses we have to consuming meat, in order to design them into plant-based products.

To tap into this moderation movement, no & low brands must look beyond the traditional ways of designing serves and products, and into the psychology of what makes drinks enjoyable. People want to be rewarded with the equivalent emotional and sensory cues that they would get from an alcoholic drink – from serve design to sensory experience, to service theatricality, to chemical physiological response.?

As of 2022, the non-alcoholic category surpassed $11 billion, driven by demand for more hangover-free options. The investment into the category has been transformative, not only for non-drinkers but for the drinks trade.

Some 21% of people of legal drinking age are estimated to be taking part in Dry - or Damp - January this year.

We now see a plethora of choices for those wishing to steer away from the booze-heavy options, with global giants like Martini chasing the aperitivo moment with Floreale and Vibrante, and British brand Lyre’s recreating classics like dry and sweet vermouth, alongside their own London Dry Gin iteration (which mixes excellently with tonic water).

BRANDS WE'RE LOVING AT THE MOMENT!

Botivo Aperitif for those who want something light and great with food

Brooklyn Special Effects is tasty alc-free lager for those looking for a crispy boi

Free Motion Hazy IPA by Left Handed Giant Brewing is great too!

Guinness 0.0 because… Guinness.

Anything Everleaf great for cocktails and spritzes

In-Tune CBD mixers for unwinding in the evening

Three Spirit for functional elixirs designed by plant scientists and bartenders to enhance your mood

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WHAT'S NEXT: ADAPTING TO ADAPTOGENS

Our answer to the key question of “what’s next?” is embracing and transforming ‘functional drinking’ - the practice of drinking with the purpose of benefitting one’s body or mind. This Silicone-valley loved practice that uses scientifically created nootropics (cognitive enhancers and health supplements), is actually much older and natural than we might first believe. Humans have relied on plants such as yerba mate, ginseng, valerian root and ashwaganda to heal, relax or supercharge them for thousands of years.

How do you take the wellness practices that use adaptogens, herbal remedies, supplements, nootropics and transport that in a social and hospitality setting? Many of these ingredients, along with others, have found their way into the drinks industry with the intention of creating ‘functional cocktails’, whether they be alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

We predict that in a couple of years, our TikTok feeds will be inundated with bedtime routine videos that don’t start in the creator’s homes, but in bars and restaurants. Priming yourself for a restful sleep, a creative brainstorm, and a beauty routine, will start with the perfectly chosen 'functional cocktail”' with ingredients mixed to enhance your wellness.

Sweet&Chilli's latest project - NOOBIES is all about exploring the experimental side of non-alcoholic drinks. Featuring exclusively during January at Nine Lives bar in London Bridge, the menu explores ancient medicinal plants such as dandelion and meadowsweet - scientifically proven to have real healing properties. And their modern equivalent, Nootropics - cognitive enhancers that engineer our emotions. NOOBIES uses both families of ingredients to create cocktails that elevate your experience.

You can try the NOOBIES menu at Nine Lives bar in London... available until 31st January 2024!

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A QUICK GUIDE TO FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS...

NOOTROPICS are compounds that enhance cognitive performance.

5-HTP is a brain chemical that is a precursor to serotonin, the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter. It helps stabilize your mood and lower your stress levels when taken over time in a supplement.

GABA is another naturally occurring neurotransmitter that reduces the excitability of neurons throughout the brain, resulting in less worry and stress.

L-THEANINE suppresses the brain’s response to caffeine, diminishing the negative side effects. When caffeine and L-Theanine combine they impart a focused energy that extends the length of caffeine’s effect on the body and eliminates the dreaded caffeine crash.

CAFFEINE is perhaps the most well-known nootropic, it helps wake you up in the morning and keeps your mind and body alert and energized.

?ADAPTOGENS or adaptogenic substances are used in herbal medicine for the claimed stabilization of physiological processes and the promotion of homeostasis.

YERBA MATE is a plant species of the holly genus that is native to South America. The leaves of the plant can be steeped in hot water to make a beverage known as mate. Brewed cold it is used to make tereré. Both the plant and the beverage contain caffeine.

CHLOROPHYLL is any of several related green pigments found in cyanobacteria and in the chloroplasts of algae and plants.

KAVA is a beverage or extract made from the Piper methysticum plant. In the South Pacific, it's a popular drink that is used in ceremonies for relaxation.

TURNERA DIFFUSA (DAMIANA) is a shrub native to southern Texas in the United States, Central America, Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. It belongs to the family Passifloraceae. Damiana is an ingredient in a traditional Mexican liqueur, which is sometimes used in lieu of triple sec in margaritas. Mexican folklore claims that it was used in the "original" margarita. The damiana margarita is popular in the Los Cabos region of Mexico.

Drinks Design by Alex King & Stevie Kane

Creative Direction by Ioana Iliesiu

Design & Photography by Amel Mafouf & George Higham

#SweetandChilliDrinks #NOOBIES #LowandNo #NonAlcoholicDrinks