Dry January with Seedlip
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Raise a glass to 2021 with a non-alcoholic cocktail
January is the time when many of us resolve to make certain lifestyle changes – and for a growing number that means drinking alcohol less often.
There are plenty of no and low-alcohol beers and wines, but if you’re looking to notch up the sophistication, a non-alcoholic cocktail might be the thing. We've selected two recipes to try using Seedlip, maker of the world's first distilled non-alcoholic spirit in 2015.
non-alcoholic cocktail recipes
Celebratory enough to mark the end of the working week and simple to make, or enjoy them midweek without worrying about the morning after. Seedlip non-alcoholic distilled spirits are sugar and calorie-free.
French 0.5
This is a non-alcoholic twist on the French 75 using zesty, citrus Seedlip Grove 42. It’s a sophisticated, tasty alternative to Champagne and if you’re participating in Dry January this year, every day will feel like a celebration.
Method: Add 50ml Seedlip Grove 42, 15ml lemon juice, 10ml sugar syrup to a cocktail shaker. Shake and double strain into a chilled Champagne flute. Top with kombucha and garnish with a lemon disc.
seedlip spice & tonic
A classic to enjoy any night of the week. The blend of warm, woody spice notes and citrus top notes is the perfect accompaniment to the sparkling bitterness of Indian tonic.
Method: Pour 50ml of Seedlip Spice 94 into a highball filled with ice, top with tonic and garnish with pink grapefruit peel.
make your own sugar syrup
To make sugar syrup, bring 250ml water and 100g caster sugar to the boil. Turn off the heat and cool before using. Strain into a sterilised container, store in the fridge and use within 2-3 weeks.
Why take part in Dry January?
It began in 2013 when the charity, Alcohol Change UK, formalised what many people were doing anyway: going alcohol-free after the Christmas and new year celebrations. This year, an estimated 6.5 million people will take part in Dry January – up by 3.9 million from 2020.
One in three people planning to take part said they had drunk more in 2020 than 2019, with one in five feeling concerned about their alcohol intake since Covid-19 restrictions began, according to the charity.
Taking part can help people to cut down all year: a study of 800 participants by the University of Sussex in 2018 found they were drinking less six months later.
Weight loss is another outcome. That may be because alcohol contains seven calories per gram – almost as many as you’ll find in a gram of fat. For example, a standard glass of 12% ABV wine contains around 133 calories. A pint of 5% ABV beer, meanwhile, 239 calories.
So it’s worth remembering that when you choose a no- or low-alcohol option, you’re not just dialling back the booze, you’re reducing your calorie intake, too.
Seedlip tasting notes
Non-alcoholic distilled spirits launched to revolutionise the way we drink.
Seedlip Spice 94
For those who love the warm flavours of aromatic spices, try a sophisticated blend of allspice berries and cardamom with warm notes from two bark distillates and a bright, zesty finish.
Seedlip Garden 108
A refreshing, herbal and floral blend of peas and hay with traditional garden herb distillates in celebration of the English countryside.
Seedlip Grove 42
A zesty, citrus blend made using three types of Mediterranean orange with ginger, lemongrass and lemon peel. A cool prickle of Japanese sancho peppercorn gives this non-alcoholic spirit a bright, dry finish.