How to build a low and no bar menu

Worthy wine

There’s a similar ethos at Bolle regarding low and no wine. “We believe that choosing not to drink alcohol should never mean accepting a lower-quality experience,” says chief executive Gary Read. “That’s why Bolle has reimagined non-alcoholic wine through a patented double-fermentation process that creates the complexity, texture and balance of premium sparkling wine, but without the alcohol.”

The winemaker is “deliberately subtle” about the alcohol content though: “Our bottles don’t shout ‘0%’ because those who are moderating don’t want to be defined by what’s missing,” added Read.

For those sites unsure of alcohol-free wine demand and the prospect of wastage when opening a full bottle, Eisberg feels it has a solution. “We’ve introduced our Be Free cans range, which offers smaller formats of alcohol-free sparkling wine that helps venues to manage stock efficiently while offering guests a convenient, high-quality option,” says Dan Harwood, managing director for Eisberg’s SW Wines Europe.

If sites want to meet demand for those looking to cut down rather than cut out alcohol when it comes to wine, there is a mid-strength alternative. “We work with our hospitality partners to provide the wine option for traditionally low points in the day for customers purchasing alcohol, such as lunch or mid-week,” says 6Percent Wine co-founder, Russell Lamb. “By doing this it can increase the rate of sale.”

Sparkling food pairings

Other non-alcoholic drinks can fill the function of wine too, particularly when served with a meal. Drinks brand Jukes produces its three apple cider vinegar-based drinks in two formats: as a concentrate, meant to be mixed by the drinker, and as a premixed sparkling drink, best served over ice. Founder and chief executive Matthew Jukes says: “Hardly any no and low drinks were made with elite or even everyday gastronomy in mind, so to that end, all Jukes drinks are perfumed, sleek, highly complex and bone dry. They are built from the ground up, with no upper limit on the scale of flavour or depth of field.”

Sparkling teas can fit into this category as well, says Saicho founder Charlie Winkworth-Smith: “Unlike many non-alcoholic alternatives that are trying to replicate something else, we’re working with a product that has its own inherent complexity and sophistication. As more people understand tea’s potential for food pairing, we see sparkling tea carving out its own distinct category rather than being positioned as a wine substitute.”

LA Brewery founder Louise Avery agrees with prioritising food pairing: “With wine-like qualities and carefully balanced acidity, our sparkling teas have been designed to pair beautifully with food,” she says. “Operators should also consider the design of the no and low products they’re serving to customers. LA Brewery’s range also comes in corked bottles that mimic the ‘popping’ tradition associated with celebratory occasions.”

Recreating the spirit

Although many non-alcoholic spirits replicate the same sense of occasion as their alcoholic cousins, some in the moderation movement object to the term ‘mocktails’, feeling that labelling the drinks as such means they’re seen as ‘lesser’.

Gavin Troman, spirits category manager at wholesaler Booker, says these serves should be “of a high-quality with layers of flavour in beautiful glassware and aromatic garnishes that justifies the price point”. He says: “Consider offering a selection of alcohol-free spritzes that mirror the classic profiles of traditional cocktails. This reduces customer hesitation by providing familiar taste experiences without alcohol content.”

Meanwhile, Imme Ermgassen, co-founder of non-alcoholic apéritif Botivo, believes there’s a strong commercial case for offering alcohol-free spirits. “The difference in cash margin between a lime and soda and a Botivo and soda is over £5,” she says. “When hospitality margins are under huge pressure, improving the non-alcoholic section of the menu is one of the easier wins.”

Mariam Mahmud, co-founder of Kahol Spirits, adds: “We share transparent pricing breakdowns with projected margins based on standard cocktail builds, helping operators see the clear business case for diversifying their drinks offering to include strong low and no options.”

Mixers also play a key role in catering to these changing trends and consumer habits, and Carlsberg Britvic’s London Essence Company brand is designing its product development with low and no serves in mind, as well as traditional alcoholic and premium soft drinks.

“Whether it’s mixing the distinctive ginger ale or blood orange and elderflower tonic water with an alcoholic or non-alcoholic spirit, or enjoying them as a standalone drink served over ice, the range allows guests to enhance their drinking experiences with no compromise,” says Russell Goldman, managing director of the group’s breakthrough brands.

With alcohol losing its default status as the out-of-home drink of choice, operators now can’t afford not to offer a diverse beverage menu.

Suppliers

6Percent Wine www.6percent.wine

Beak Brewery beakbrewery.com

Bolle www.bolledrinks.co.uk

Booker www.booker.co.uk

Botivo www.botivodrinks.com

Carlsberg Britvic carlsbergbritvic.co.uk

Eisberg eisberg.co.uk

Heineken UK www.heineken.co.uk

Jukes jukescordialities.com

Kahol Spirits www.kaholspirits.com

LA Brewery labrewery.co.uk

Otter Brewery otterbrewery.com

Saicho www.saichodrinks.com

Photo: Tsyb Oleh/Shutterstock