So, you survived Dry July. Congrats on ditching the booze and waking up without a hangover for a whole month. But who says the fun has to stop now? Staying sober doesn’t mean your drink options are boring. Let’s dive into some delightful non-alcoholic beverages that’ll keep your taste buds tingling and your head clear. Sip-Worthy Sober Options Staying sober can be just as fun and flavorful as any cocktail hour. Cheers to embracing the Dry July life all year round if that’s your thing!
Each year, more and more Australians are embracing Dry July. Whatever the purpose for your month off alcohol, the health benefits of abstaining remain the same. Giving up alcohol for five weeks can have the following benefits: Improved quality of sleep, increase wakefulness, enhanced work performance and improved concentration. You may also lose weight, decrease your cholesterol, lower blood glucose and decrease liver fat. Making it possible for Australians to enjoy their wine moments, just without the alcohol, McGuigan’s – one of Australia’s biggest sellers of no-alcohol wines – has created some Dry July cocktails to share with friends. Nulled Wine Makes 8-10 1 x bottle of McGuigan Zero Shiraz or McGuigan Zero Red Blend 2 cups of cranberry juice 8 cloves 1 cinnamon stick 3 star anise 1 orange sliced Brown sugar to taste (if added sweetness is desired) Add all ingredients to a large saucepan and bring to a very low boil on medium-high heat. Turn heat to low and steam for 20-30 minutes (can leave up to 1 hour if you’ve got more time). Strain, or remove orange slices and spices. Pour into a mug and add garnish. Saintly Spritz Makes 1 120ml McGuigan Rosé or McGuigan Sparkling Rosé 30ml lemonade Mint, to garnish Lemon slice, to garnish Red berries, to garnish Add all ingredients to a glass over ice, stir and enjoy! Rosé Mimosa Makes 8 Syrup: 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup water Cocktail: 1 bottle McGuigan Rosé ½ bottle McGuigan Zero Sparkling 8 rosemary sprigs, to garnish Pomegranate seeds, to garnish In a small saucepan bring the sugar and water to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes until dissolved. Cool and mix in the McGuigan Zero Rosé, then freeze in a loaf pan, breaking up occasionally until frozen solid. Process in batches in a food processor until smooth, then freeze again until firm. Scoop into coupe glasses and top off with McGuigan Zero Sparkling.
Research from DrinkWise indicates that 43% of all alcohol drinkers want to cut down their consumption. Dry July is a great annual reminder to reflect on your drinking habits and reset. Not familiar with the month-long challenge? Dry July is simply a month of going “dry” on alcohol for whatever reason speaks to you, whether that’s to raise money for charity, try to curb negative drinking habits, or even lose a couple kilos. Whatever your reasons, the challenge doesn’t have to be shall we say, challenging, when it comes to socialising or knocking off work for the week. Every year more and more great alcohol free alternatives besides the standard soft drink or soda water are popping onto the market and we’ve rounded them up for you. For the wine lovers Hardy’s, ZERO Hardy’s has taken their wine making experience and perfected it to make alcohol free wine. The Hardy’s ZERO range is crafted using state-of-the-art technology that gently de-alcoholises the wine at a cooler temperature while retaining natural flavours, aromas and body, just like regular wine. The process also makes it lower in sugar and calories compared to other zero-alcohol wines that use traditional dealcoholising methods. Boasting three varieties: ZERO Shiraz, ZERO Chardonnay and ZERO Sparkling, you can sip the wine you love without the alcohol. Plus and Minus, Zero Alcohol Wines Plus and Minus offers a contemporary range of wines developed to be richer in antioxidants, minus the alcohol. ?Their latest innovations are the Plus and Minus Bubbly Rose and Plus and Minus… Read More
With Monday Distillery launching their sophisticated, non-alcoholic beverage range in time for Dry July, there’s no need to feel guilty any longer about enjoying a refreshing G&T on a school night. Gone are the days when you have to wait for Friday (virtual) drinks to quench your thirst with your favourite G&T bursting with refreshing botanicals. With many discovering healthy alternatives during iso and turning to non-alcohol alternatives, Monday Distillery’s offerings have come at a very good time. With fun choices such as the G&T Classic mix with rosemary, seasalt and other botanicals and the G&T Exotic Spice mix with selected spice and botanicals, what’s not to love! There are no artificial additives or flavours in the G&T range, and it’s also sugar and gluten-free. Refreshingly carbonated, Monday Distillery is naturally sweetened with stevia and has subtle hints of natural bitters such as quinine and cinchona bark. Beautifully presented, the four-pack gift box also makes a great gift idea for your health conscious friends and family members. When organising a gathering at yours, it’s also a nice offering for the designated drivers who are yearning for a chilled, G&T in an old fashioned crystal glass with a sprig of rosemary. How very civilised! If you’re more of a whiskey or vodka type looking for an alcohol-free alternative, the good news, it’s in the pipeline, with ‘whiskey without the wobbles’ and ‘vodka without the vengeance’ coming soon. Watch this space! A full list of Monday Distillery stockists can be found here. Cheers!
