Staying sober’ish? Get curious about these local products

Contrary to popular belief, being sober doesn’t have to be boring. To prove our point, we rounded up five local products that will ensure you’ll be the one having the last laugh if anyone mocks your mocktail.

Photo | Abby Wiseman

Lumette! Bright Light and London Dry Alt-Gin

Every good cocktail starts with a good spirit, but what do you drink when spirits are out of the equation? Try Lumette! alt-gins. These non-alcoholic spirits emulate many of the traditional botanical flavours, but without the alcohol and definitely without the calories. Developed by the same people behind award-winning Sheringham Distillery in Sooke, Lumette! is a formidable substitute for the real deal. We even tested it ourselves by making a Zero Proof Clover Club. 

Learn more and order here.

Photo | Abby Wiseman

Mixers and Elixirs Fruit Shrubs

A shrub is a throwback drink from pre-Coca Cola days when it was a favourite among English farmers and sailors. It’s made from fruit juice and vinegar and sold as a concentrate. We highly recommend Heidi Kuhn’s Mixers and Elixirs for those venturing to try a shrub. Her shrubs come in a beautiful array of flavours, like quince, black currant, and cherry thyme. Her shrubs are perfect with water and soda or as an added ingredient in a mocktail. Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like straight-up vinegar. In fact, the vinegar emulates that little bit of tartness found in many cocktails. 

Learn more and order here.

Photo | Abby Wiseman

Odd Society Syrups

Odd Society is best known for their gin and whiskey, but they’ve branched out to provide take-home syrups due to the pandemic. Bar Manager, Olivia Povarchook, keeps a rotation of flavours on hand, sold independently or as part of a cocktail kit. A mainstay is the Hibiscus Cinnamon Syrup, which Povarchook includes in her Vera Cruz non-alcoholic cocktail recipe, which you can find here. 

Learn more and order here.

Photo | Abby Wiseman

Bittered Sling Bitters

One of the most challenging flavours to replicate in a mocktail is that bitter bite of alcohol, which is why no sober bartending kit is complete without a couple of bottles of bitters. Essentially, bitters are spirits that are infused with fruit, spices, leaves, bark, roots, and herbs, so they are not completely zero proof. However, the flavours are so intense that only a few drops are needed to have the desired effect. We tracked down these Juniper and Orange bitters from Bittered Sling, which we highly recommend. There are few local bitters companies kicking about, including Ms. Better’s Bitters and The Apothecary Bitters Company. 

Learn More and order here

Photo | Abby Wiseman

Callister Soda Co.

The list wouldn’t be complete without a soda or two. We highly recommend you ditch the big brands for Callister Soda. Ginger mint, raspberry earl grey, and hibiscus lemonade are just a few of the more creative sodas on offer. Callister is also a co-working brewery where small-scale brewers can get their foot in the door. They take a similar craft approach to their sodas, making the sodas in small batches with less sugar. They are great on their own or as an added ingredient in a mocktail. 

Learn more and order here.