Sophisticated soft drinks to try if you’ve gone dry
It’s offish; no longer are we a nation of alcho-centrics. And, despite Brits being a notoriously and traditionally boozy brunch, it’s not hard to see why. With the ongoing wellbeing and health hype, the idea getting hashtag wasted, acting ridiculously then feeling terrible/anxious/embarrassed/hungover (delete or add as appropriate) isn’t that appealing.
Gen Z is most obviously bucking the booze trend, with more than a quarter of 16-24-year-olds choosing an alcohol-free existence and only one in 10 classing drinking as ‘cool’, according to a study.
For a demographic that prioritises pilates over parties, it’s not wholly surprising the draw of the drug isn’t so strong, but it’s not just the under 25s. A cultural shift is underway. Now almost half of the British population shun regular drinking, leading to the highest Dry January to date in 2018, with 3.1 million people taking part.
Despite the stats, taking heeds of the hazards doesn’t always go down too well. Prying questions and eye rolls are commonplace reactions to not drinking at a party so often the best avoidance tactic is simply faking it with a well-chosen bottle or can. And thankfully the options are pretty much endless nowadays — supermarkets all have special sections, hipster breweries like Nirvana are jumping on the bandwagon and there’s a whole host of healthy drinks that work as alcohol alternatives, like botanical spirits and cold brew coffees.
Here are the best sophisticated soft drinks to try…
Botonique, £6.99
Upsides: It's got added vits (which we've always thought wine was lacking) and is free from artificial flavours
Downsides: The acquired ginseng-y taste
Sandows Cold Brew Soda, £36 for a case of 24
Rosemary Water, £24 for 6 x 330ml
Aqua Libra, £1
Upsides: Crisp, clean and unsweetened, this is a fruity sparkling water
Downsides: Sparkling water isn't everyone's cup of tea
London Essence Co. Rhubarb & Cardamom Crafted Soda, £1.75
Upside: That unique signature taste
Downside: 12.6g of sugar per bottle is on the high side
Fevertree Spiced Ginger Ale, 99p
GlacierFire Volcania Lemonade
Upsides: With 3 calories per serving, this is totally sugar-free and bliss in a bottle
Downsides: Not easy to come by