Non-alc RTDs

Though non-alc spirits answer a clear consumer need, there remain substantial hurdles to convincing consumers not only to buy them, but to try them in the first place. The most immediate of these is cost, followed a close second by confusion of what and how to drink them. Much like their spirit cousins, RTDs then, seem to offer a solution. But are they cause for confusion?

As the weather begins to brighten – and the correlation between sensible Government Covid policy, and the spiking number of new cases broadens ever further – one thing’s for certain; alfresco drinking is on the horizon. Did you know if you spot your first inappropriately shirtless man by the end of March, it’s going to be a great summer? We’ve counted two so far.

But we digress. Longer evenings and shorter sleeves mean that it must be RTD season. Yes, though the season for canned drinks seems to have drifted into most of the year, spring is a particularly ripe time for new launches aimed at summer drinking, from hard seltzers to now….. non-alc RTDs.

The necessity for portable, canned formats during the first Covid lockdowns prompted much of the first wave of these products in Spring 2021. They included Gordon’s 0.0, Lyre’s, Caleno, Amplify, Stryyk, and Martini. Most – though not all – stuck to the formular of non-alc alternatives of familiar serves, such as a gin and tonic. However, the new launches for 2022 are a little more creative.

The need for something different – but not too different

First up, there’s the new range from non-alc aperitif brand Everleaf. The brand, one of the first non-alc spirits originally launched in the UK by bartender and conservation biologist Paul Mathew in January 2019. It expanded the range, adding Everleaf Mountain and Marine in late 2020, renaming the original Forest.

Aptly, they’ve chosen the trending spritz serve for their debut into canned formats. Everleaf Forest Spritz is described as bittersweet with saffron, vanilla and honeyed orange blossom. Mountain Spritz combines cherry blossom, strawberry and rosehip. And Marine Spritz uses bergamot and savoury seaweeds.

Adding a twist

Even when keeping things simple, brands are adding a twist and following the trends. Also new to market are the non-alc expressions from St Andrews-based distiller Eden Mill, which has combined its alcohol-free ‘gin’ Eden Nil with both tonic (as expected) and lemonade.

The brand says they are intended to provide alternatives to “typical soft drinks”, so its interesting that they have opted to mix with one of the most widely available soft drinks, and one that’s become a default choice for abstainers who struggle to find sophisticated non-alc brands behind the average bar. Perhaps the sweet and familiar will prove a tempting lure to consumers who have not yet tried its non-alcoholic?distillate made using water, juniper, coriander, lemon balm and cardamom?

Sensorial fulfilment

Perhaps the most innovative approach comes from the Mocktails brand. Though producers are increasingly mastering replicating the taste of spirits in their non-alcoholic formulas, they often fall down when it comes to other sensory experiences. The heat, and let’s put it delicately, the high you get from booze are a frontier only being attempted by a few. But when it comes to mouthfeel, the Mocktails brand is the first to attempt to offer something satisfying in a can.

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