What to drink during Sober October
With growing numbers of us looking to a healthier lifestyle, cutting back or cutting out alcohol is on the rise. But the biggest barrier we’ve found to giving up the booze? Boredom. Luckily, help is on hand with Barbury Hill’s extensive range of low and no-alcohol options, and here we take a look at what to drink during Sober October. Whether you’re after something to fizz up a Friday evening or bring a spot of sparkle to your Sunday lunch, with Barbury Hill’s growing range of imaginative no and low alcohol drinks, you can enjoy a night out, or in, without the fuzzy head.
From Spritz to Cider
Whatever your tipple, Barbury Hill has an option for you. Heading to an autumn BBQ but don’t know what to bring? How about the refreshing zest of Pulp Cider’s Low Alcohol Apple Craft Cider? Hosting a dinner party and don’t want to miss out on the toast? A sunny October day in the park? Nuisance Drinks’ alcohol-free sodas are refreshingly intriguing. We’ve rounded up some more of Barbury Hill’s best sellers here to help you choose what to drink in Sober October.
Salcombe NLL
While we’ve become somewhat accustomed to reaching for a G&T on a Friday night, our aperitifs have started to feel a little indulgent. So we were more than a little pleased to sample the new zero-alcohol gin from Salcombe Distilling Co. And we’re even more pleased that we can now deliver this delicious spirit to our customers across the UK.
Capitalising on their years of experience in crafting award-winning gins, the team behind Salcombe Distilling Co. have succeeded in creating a no-alcohol gin that packs the same flavour punch as its alcoholic peers. Warming ginger, habanero capsicum and Macedonian juniper berries play on the exotic spices that were carried across the Atlantic aboard 19th century Fruit Schooners, sailing into the Long Island Sound under the bright beacon of the New London Lighthouse. A blend of 15 further botanicals, from cardamon to lemongrass, orange and sage builds rich layers of flavour and depth.
Not only is Salcombe NLL an excellent non-alcoholic drink for Sober October, its botanicals have been carefully selected for their health benefits. Cardamom, lemongrass, ginger, habanero capsicum, orange, and cascarilla bark bring nutrients and bio active compounds that are good for body and brain.
But don’t take our word for it, Salcombe New London Light has just won the 2021 People’s Choice Spirits Award in the ‘Mindful Drinking’ category.
Highball
Another firm favourite here at Barbury Hill HQ, Highball Cocktails add a dash of pizazz for a night on the tiles, but are equally refreshing for an afternoon in the garden or a pre-dinner aperitif. While the market is awash with ‘gin in a tins’, we’ve struggled to find a pre-mixed cocktail of the non-alcoholic variety.
Highball’s founders had the same problem, and so they made their own. From the mint, rum and lime notes of a Mojito to the tart sweetness of a Cosmopolitan, Highball’s alcohol-free cocktails are a world away from the Sober October options of years gone by. Free from preservatives or artificial sweeteners, they’re also vegan and gluten-free, so brownie points all round!
Barbury Hill features a mixed case of six or twelve, which include the Pink G&T, Ginger Dram and Italian Spritz. With six different flavours to choose from, you’re sure to find something to keep you interested throughout Sober October.
Small Beer
Ok, so this one may not be strictly non-alcoholic, but if you’re planning to cut back rather than cut out, then Small Beer is a solid choice. At only 1.0-2.7% ABV, these are full on flavour but low on alcohol. As we move into the cooler months, the 1.0% Dark Lager is ideal for cosying up in front of the fire, with its rich toasted notes of dark chocolate and coffee. The zesty tropical flavours and balanced bitterness of the Session Ale are the tonic for those trying to cling onto the last days of summer, conjuring up memories of long afternoons in beer gardens, but without the headache.
Whether you’re making a long-term lifestyle change, or pressing the reset button with Sober October, Barbury Hill’s range of exciting low and non-alcoholic drinks mean you’ll never be bored or feel you’re missing out. With all the flavour but none of the side effects, you might find yourself turning to these bottles long after October is over.
Discover our full range of low and no-alcohol drinks here.
by Rebecca Lancaster, Copywriter
Rebecca, a talented writer, is a friend of Barbury Hill’s. When she’s not eating the best of British food and drink, she is writing about it. And when she’s not writing about it, she’s thinking about it.