Solving the dilemma of ‘what to drink when you’re NOT drinking’, Seedlip – world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit – is our go to beverage during the nationwide alcohol ban.
The world is at the beginning of a paradigm shift in how it drinks, and global alcohol and sugary soft drink volumes are continuing to decline. Furthermore, a younger audience is shunning alcohol altogether. Seedlip is uniquely positioned to capitalise on the opportunity presented by what to drink when you’re not drinking, by increasing the repertoire available to those not drinking.
Encapsulating the spirit of mindful drinking, Seedlip is pioneering a new generation of no-alcohol spirits using manufacturing processes, ingredients, formats, occasions and rituals common to their alcoholic counterparts, to produce a sophisticated alternative non-alcoholic drink. Better yet, it boasts zero calories and its sugar-free, sweetener-free and artificial flavour-free, making a Seedlip and tonic the credible adult drink for those not drinking. At the same time, the trend of drinking less-but-better is also fuelling a shift towards higher-end products such as Seedlip.
Launched in November 2015, Seedlip sold out in London’s Selfridges and is now served 150 Michelin-star restaurants and the world’s top cocktail bars, hotels, restaurants and retailers across London, Barcelona, Stockholm, Berlin, Copenhagen, Milan, Stockholm, Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sydney, Melbourne and now South Africa.
Ben Branson founded Seedlip in his kitchen in the English woods with a small copper still and a copy of The Art of Distillation written in 1651 which documents distilled non-alcoholic herbal remedies used by apothecaries. Blended and bottled in England, Seedlip has created a coveted bespoke maceration, copper pot distillation and filtration process for each individual botanical that takes six weeks.
Available in two expressions, Seedlip Garden 108 captures the essence of the English countryside with sophisticated top notes of the handpicked peas and hay from the founder’s family farm with a complex herbal base character of spearmint, rosemary and thyme. Seedlip Spice 94 is aromatic with strong spice (all spice berries and cardamom) and citrus (lemon and grapefruit peel) top notes and a long bitter from the highest quality barks (oak and cascarilla). Both spirits are best served with tonic or as the base for martini or sour style non-alcoholic cocktails.
Ben Branson says: “My family’s 300-year farming heritage coupled with a career working on drinks brands laid the foundations to spend two years working with distillers, growers and historians to create adult, complex drinks when, for whatever reason, you’re not drinking alcohol.”
Says Rowan Leibbrandt, founding owner of Truman & Orange, the South African drinks company importing Seedlip, “The global wellness trend has spurred a move away from artificial flavours to lighter, more natural ingredients. South Africa is no different and we’re aiming to offer our consumers greater choice when they are not drinking. We believe that South Africans are ready for Seedlip: it’s been embraced by the world’s food and drink pioneers, so why not here in SA?”
GARDEN TODDY
Ingredients
50ml Seedlip Garden 108
20ml Fresh Lemon Juice
20ml Cloudy Apple Juice
10ml Lemon Verbena Syrup (make it by bringing 2 cups of water and a handful of lemon verbena to the boil, infuse it for 30 minutes and then add 4 cups of caster sugar. Cool, pop it in the fridge and use it after 24 hours.)
Details: trumanandorange.com or seedlipdrinks.com or order direct from [email protected]
