Say cheers to being alcohol free!

Dry July is suddenly upon us and for many, taking a sip  step back from alcohol can prove to be quite difficult especially when countless restaurants and bars are releasing their new and very delicious range of winter cocktails.

Here, in help to starting, promoting, pro-longing or even enhancing your Dry July, we’ve tracked down some of the finest, tastiest, most creative distilled spirits that are surprisingly alcohol free. So whether you’re looking for an alternative or you wish to enjoy some classic cocktails minus the alcohol, here’s what to drink when you’re not drinking.

ALTD Spirits

Pronounced “altered,” we present to you Australia’s very own all-natural, alcohol-free distilled botanical spirit, ALTD Spirits. Launching in April 2018, ALTD is the perfect ingredient to create cocktail classics such as an Espresso Martini, a Margarita and even a Moscow Mule – all without the alcohol component. ALTD’s latest release, the Golden Emperor, is the third release from this renowned anti-alcohol spirit brand. Along with Silver Princess and Green Grocer, all three of ALTD’s spirits are made from 100% Australian ingredients and are micro-distilled by the brand in Sydney’s North Shore. The Artarmon warehouse produces the premium, full-flavoured, alcohol-free alternatives from start to finish. Be sure to try all three distinctly different flavours this July.

ALTD Golden Emperor

The finale of the trilogy, The Golden Emperor is described as having a luxurious taste with bitter-sweet orange notes, toasted spices and roasted flavours. For a sweeter berry undertone, the Silver Princess may be the right option for you, especially with the cinnamon and honey myrtle finish. This has the perfect combination of tart, sour punch, desert limes and strawberry gum. Finally, for a more full-bodied, sharp and citrus character, the Green Grocer will be your ultimate pick. The beverage elegantly combines native thyme, lemon myrtle, bush lemon peel and green grapefruit to create a longer, more vibrant finish. Hand-crafted in small batches using traditional copper stills, the ingredients native to or grown in Australia are exclusively sourced from Indigenous suppliers, ethical farmers and innovative producers. From there the copper distillations see the extraction of the natural waters from the botanical cellular walls of Australian plants. On top of being alcohol-free, ALTD is renowned for also being sugar-free, sustainably sourced, plant-based and vegan-friendly. It is purely botanical to bottle.

ALTD Spirits

Lyre’s

We would be lying to you if we didn’t admit that Lyre’s are in fact a game changer. After being in development for over two years, today, Australian owned and operated Lyre’s has a more than impressive bottle portfolio to showcase. How impressive? Well, if you’re looking for an alternative to American Malt, Spice Cane, Coffee Liqueur, Rosso Vermouth, Amaretto, Triple Sec, Dry London Spirit, Highland Malt and even Absinthe (yes, absinthe), Lyre’s have it. Their philosophy is quite simple: they help bartenders understand there’s a non-alcoholic match for every cocktail-like drink. Lovingly crafted, alcohol-free and inspired by classic spirits, anything that seems impossible is most certainly possible with Lyre’s. Perfect for those who don’t wish to consume alcohol but still wish to enjoy the taste of a drink, Lyre’s stepped in to make this a reality – minus the overly sweet, fruit juice concoction drinkers are usually served.

Regardless if you’re sourcing an Old Fashioned, a classic Negroni, a Martini, Manhattan, Espresso Martini or even Mai Tai, with Lyre’s the options are indeed endless. Each of the 12 bottles are perfect mixed in a cocktail, shaken, stirred or even straight – the ultimate decision is really how you’d like it served. Standouts from the collection include the Coffee Liqueur which encapsulates a full flavoured bouquet with high notes of espresso, spice, caramel and toasted nuts with a classic vanilla finish; Absinthe which has potent flavours of verbena, anise, fine herbs, licorice, lemon and a surprising candy bouquet enjoyed best as classic cocktail wash or as an aperitif with a wedge of lemon or cucumber; American Malt  that as generous notes of vanilla, toasted nuts and a soothing herbal hint to provide a mellow and dry finish; and finally, Amaretto, which is chestnut coloured, has an almond taste and a favourable tangy spice for the perfect balance between the nutty and candied vanilla flavours. This can be enjoyed as a classic liqueur on ice or mixed with lemon, orange and maraschino to create a classic amaretto sour. All original in flavour, this is not just any alternative, but the finest range of non-alcoholic classic spirits the world has ever seen. Perfect for Dry July and the other eleven months of the year.

Lyre’s

Seedlip

Founded by Ben Branson in the comfort of his kitchen in the woods, Seedlip is one of the world’s first distilled, non-alcoholic spirits that began with the help of a small copper still and John French’s The Art of Distillation (1651). Proudly made with no calories, sweetener, sugar and no artificial flavours to create an easy and sophisticated adult alternative to alcohol. Bottled and blended in England, the origins of Seedlip is accredited to Ben’s family’s long line of farming heritage that dates back to 300 years within the farming industry. This family owned and operated farm worked as the inspiration for Seedlip’s three expressions: Garden 108, Spice 94 and Grove 42. Designed using particular aspects from the family home, its produce and the very adorable animals found on the farmland.

The entire design process, from growing produce to distilling, bottling and labelling all takes place of Ben’s family farm grounds. As for the taste, by using a peculiar distillation technique which includes maceration, copper pot distillation and a filtration process for each individual botanical, this six-week procedure creates the ever so fragrant and diverse flavours of the Seedlip range. Garden 108 encapsulates the English countryside with explicit notes of the handpicked peas and hay that’s then combined with a herbal base of spearmint, rosemary and thyme. Spice 94 is best described as a combination of allspice, berries and cardamom with hints of lemon and grapefruit peel with an oak and distinct cascarilla finish. Finally, Grove 94 celebrates the intensity and vivaciousness of an orange. The citrus-based expression has a strong taste profile revolved around bitter orange, mandarin, blood orange, lemongrass, ginger and lemon. After launching in November of 2015, today, Seedlip is served in over 6000 cocktail bars, hotels, Michelin starred restaurants and retailers across London, Sydney, Melbourne, Milan, New York, San Francisco and Hong Kong. Seedlip has blossomed into a pioneer for the non-alcoholic beverage industry.

Seedlip

For more information, visit Dry July.