25 May Please The Palate Pick of the Week: The Trend of Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Enjoying a glass of wine or a balanced cocktail with a meal is a pleasure in life. Sipping on a glass of wine or a tasty cocktail with friends is a social activity. But, what if you do not want or you cannot drink alcohol? Luckily there is a growing trend of non-alcoholic drinks and Los Angeles is leading the charge. And, the opportunity to find delicious, balanced, flavorful non-alcoholic drinks is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Distill Ventures, the first accelerator for the spirits industry, found that 83% of bar managers in Los Angeles think non-alcoholic cocktails are part of a growing trend. And, more than 40% of restaurants in Los Angles offer a non-alcoholic specific drinks menu. With brands like Seedlip, the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirits, we no longer need to order overly sweet “mocktails” attempting to mimic a classic cocktail or fruit juices when we want to have a drink. Seedlip and other soon to be released non-alcoholic spirits are creating a new category, not trying to copy an existing one. And, when used in drinks, the flavors and textures are complex and refreshing. This week I enjoyed some cocktails from top bartenders around Los Angeles and each one was presented beautifully and paired well with lunch. And, when lunch was over, I did not feel full and felt refreshed and able to drive home. The Cooling Cup (by Tobin Shea) Seedlip non-alcoholic spirit, verjus blanc, pineapple, lemon, house-made tonic Venus De Milo (by Aaron Polsky) zero proof cane cordial, blood orange juice, lime, simple syrup, tarragon Who You Callin Fiddlehead (by Christine Wiseman) non-alcoholic spirit, snap pea, marjoram, pink peppercorn, celery, coconut water Little Luxuries (by Devon Tarby) Seedlip Gove 42, spiced coffee cordial, orange-ginger cream, cinnamon As we see the trend of non-alcoholic drinks on menus in bars and restaurants, we can rest assured that we can have the same experience as someone who is drinking an alcoholic drink and that is why the trench of non-alcoholic drinks is the Please The Palate pick of the week.