Drinks doctor: How do I inject some interest into my non-alcoholic drinks offering?

Pairing soft drinks with menus and hunting out artisan and unusual no-alcohol spirits should intrigue guests, says Nicola Tickle, co-owner of Heft and its front of house and bar director

It’s been a strange few years for all of us and while many drinks trends, like craft gin and rum, seem to literally go from strength to strength, the one we maybe didn’t see coming so fast was the rise in sobriety and slick alcohol-free beverages.

There seem to be many theories –- perhaps we all overindulged in those long lockdowns days, maybe it was finally being released back into the beloved British pub or it might even just be a matter of looking after one’s health. Either way, small and large drinks producers have seized the moment and are developing some epic things.

For us at Heft, in the depths of the rural Lake District, this really couldn’t be any more exciting. For so long the driver’s options have been limited to a sad glass of orange juice, but now we are able to match our cocktail list like-for-like with mocktails. Who wouldn’t prefer a faux margarita made with our own lilac syrup rather than a glass of water?

On top of this we’re now seeing a rise in ‘botanical spirits’ which, rather than de-alcoholised spirits, are a class in themselves – we’re big fans of Pentire and its wonderful spirit Seaward, which is now among our bestselling apéritifs. It boasts delicate flavours of woodruff and sea buckthorn, which marry up perfectly with the foraged elements found in our set menus.

Working on a soft pairing to sit alongside our dinner menu, we’re able to use some of the amazing produce from the kitchen and the local area. Hedgerows and fields are blooming at the moment and we’re lucky enough to be hauling in baskets of elderflower, sweet cicely, gorse and Douglas fir to name a few. All of which we’ll be turning into juices and syrups that pair thoughtfully and perfectly with this season’s dishes – another option to the more traditional wine flight with just as much, if not more care and effort involved.

As well as spirits, we’re also lucky enough to have a fantastic selection of small breweries on our doorstep and a couple of them, namely Fell and Farm Yard Brew Co, are producing the most amazing hazy pale ales. Packed full of the hoppy Azacca and Mosaic flavours we love so much in our cask ales, but giving you all the buzz of a hangover-free weekend.

All in all, it doesn’t look like low- and no-alcohol drinks are going to go away at any point, and if anything, they’re getting better by the season.

Seasonal food and drink pairing: Asti Spumante and fruit desserts

Some wines have a bad rep that they really don’t deserve anymore, Asti Spumante being one of them. It’s so much better today than we remember it from years ago! Tosti’s bottle is a fabulous floral explosion of blossoms, honey, bright citrus and stone fruits. Pair with your favourite fruit dessert.

Do you have a question for one of the Drinks Doctors? Send your query to drinks@thecaterer.com

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