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IF THE WORD ‘mocktail’ leaves a sickly-sweet taste in your mouth, you’re not alone.
As non-alcoholic alternatives to the traditional cocktail, ‘mocktails’ can conjure images of syrupy, sugar-laden drinks. But this is a perception that more and more mixologists are now actively challenging.
Thanks in part to a growing focus on health, more Irish people are consciously seeking non-alcoholic, low-sugar alternatives on nights out – which means drinks which don’t look (and taste) like they should only be served to the tune of Wham’s Club Tropicana.
The Journal.ie chatted to those at the helm of Dublin’s bar scene about the growing interest in innovative non-alcoholic cocktails – and where to look if you’re in the market for a hold-the-hangover drinks menu.
“There’s a ton of different reasons as to why people are cutting down or cutting out alcohol completely,” Billie Johnson, bar manager of MVP, tells us.
Lots of our customers, who come in looking for the non-alcohol menu, aren’t abstaining 24/7 either. In fact, quite a few of them are simply cutting down their alcohol intake, not drinking for a few weeks, or they’re driving and just want to come into the bar for half an hour for a catch-up with a friend in the evening.
Similarly, Drop Dead Twice, a BYOB cocktail bar on Dublin’s Francis Street, tells us that each group they cater to will generally include one or two people who have chosen to go alcohol-free.
While they say it’s rare to encounter an entirely alcohol-free group, they’re well versed in creating alcohol-free mixed drinks.
“More often than not, this is due to pregnancy or having a dry month,” they explained.
We have had ladies, who are very early on in their pregnancy, call ahead and ask us to discreetly make them ‘mocktails’ that look the same as everyone else’s drinks so as not to raise any red flags with the rest of the group, as they aren’t ready to announce their pregnancy.
With more and more establishments acknowledging the value in investing in the alcohol-free section of their menu, the days where non-drinkers are forced to deliberate between a soft drink or the bar’s token alcohol-free beer are on the decline.
“For a very long time, the only non-alcoholic option was a bottled carbonated soda of some kind, or a sickly combination of syrups and juices that left the consumer with a sugar rush and the inevitable crash,” says Pat Thomas of The Little Pig Speakeasy.
Another trailblazer in Dublin’s no-alcohol scene is Vaughan Yates. He wondered what the city’s alcohol-free community could be offered in terms of venue – a musing which led to the establishment of Dublin’s first ever alcohol-free bar; The Virgin Mary on Capel Street.
“They can go to hotels possibly, or existing bars, but they might not want to be in those types of environments, especially if they get quite loud and they’re not drinking,” he explains.
So that’s where the idea stemmed from; to offer people who didn’t want to be around alcohol a venue to go to that still has all the same cues as those venues that do have alcohol.
“With The Virgin Mary, we are simply offering a different way to drink,” head bartender Anna Walsh tells us.
With the menu, we’ve ticked all boxes. Some drinks are light and delicate, more of a Martini-style in a delicate glass. Or if you want a more punchy Tiki-style drink, we tick that box too. If you feel like a certain style of drink, you can have that.
“It’s a serious alternative, with similar taste profiles, but a lot better for you,” Vaughn says of the bar’s drink selection.
Indeed, the intricacy involved in creating these profiles cannot be overstated. “One of the key aspects to a really good mixed drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic!) is the ability to balance out the different flavours whilst still being able to taste all the elements – sweet, sour, herbal, bitter, floral, et cetera,” Billie says of MVP’s approach to their menu.
And like Billie, Anna believes the growing interest in the zero-alcohol drink scene is reflective of a more health-conscious nation. A customer’s desire to skip alcohol shouldn’t mean sacrificing taste or quality, she says.
If you’re in a cocktail bar in a group of people, you’d like your drink to be of the same quality as the ones with alcohol in.
“As a nation, we are extremely social,” she adds. “We are naturally good humoured and I really do believe that we can have the craic with or without booze.”
Interested in this ever-growing arena of the Dublin bar scene? Sounds like it’s time for a pub crawl.
MVP
Located on Upper Clanbrassil St, MVP is a member of the Bodytonic family and well known for its Sober Sundays.
“My aim is to have a really rounded non-alcoholic cocktail list to rival our standard cocktail list, covering different flavour profiles to suit different tastes,” bar manager Billie tells us.
Drop Dead Twice
With a team of dedicated mixologists at its helm, this Francis St BYOB bar caters to large groups keen to create their own customised mixed drinks.
“We are always very happy to create ‘mocktails’ and generally have a few peeps in each week joining us as part of a wider group!”
The Little Pig Speakeasy
A throwback to the Prohibition era, customers of the Little Pig Speakeasy enjoy the semi-clandestine nature of the place.
While known for its traditional cocktails, the hidden bar definitely delivers on the no-alcohol front. Watch out for the Wicklow Street Spritz and the bar’s riff on the traditional Whiskey Sour.
777
A hugely popular spot on Dublin’s South Great George’s Street, 777′s menu features a Designated Driver section, aimed at anyone who has no intention of entertaining a hangover the morning after the night before. Pro-tip: Try their non-alcoholic margaritas.
The Bernard Shaw
The Bernard Shaw is another example of Bodytonic’s contribution to the alcohol-free scene in the capital.
With an extensive low ABV and non-alcoholic selection, this South Richmond St bar is a must.
The Virgin Mary
Dublin’s first ever alcohol-free bar will be opening its doors in the not-too-distant future, and looks set to impress on a number of levels.
“All of our ingredients are homemade and we’re keeping it on the lower-sugar level as well. Our cocktail menu is fully vegan, and our wines are also vegan which means anyone can drink them!”
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What a mess.
This is one Test the Government have Failed..!!
Some courses would have been subject to grade inflation due to some students getting higher marks due the addition of the CPSE mark. Some students were initially marked down and now have been awarded higher marks will still not get their courses due to this.
They need to publish what the CAO points should have been for each course had this error not occurred.
Students missing out because of others incorrectly receiving inflated grades will then have clarity around whether they should have received a first round offer on their preferred course at a minimum.
It’s the very least they deserve at this stage.
This should be easy to do, and we should not be hiding this from the students. It would be purely in the interest of fairness.
Happy news but how many have lost their place in Universities or places of learning outside the Republic of Ireland
Government to blame, orange man bad to blame, schools to blame, testers to blame.. Any chance anyone will ever blame China??? Unbelievable how they have been given a free pass by the MSM and the lefties.
@Crispy Brown: people will never blame China because there are afraid of the what the Chinese could do. That’s if they haven’t done it already.
@Crispy Brown: What has China got to do with a failed Leaving Cert calculation of grades system? Lol?
@Crispy Brown: get a life Crispy
Can we please offer most courses online and allow more students enrol. “Live” lectures are over rated.
Since the same (faulty) criteria was passed on everybody, why is it a problem? The entire solution was a compromise.
@Niall:
Agree!
Credit where credit is due, Norma has now fully redeemed herself by overseeing speedy resolution to problems caused by coding errors in grading system.
And Govt has promised that no student will lose out on their first choice college course, so a plan must be getting hatched to address any capacity issues in colleges. Like for example, offering courses online. Doh! How big a deal is that during a pandemic using modern tech, when, already, many sectors of the economy are actively embracing remote working.
It’s hard to listen to ongoing squeals from College suits that there is no space, that lecture halls on some courses are choc a bloc.
Someone explain to them that there’s no extra work required, just income generation & capex saving opps by offering lectures online.
A’s for everyone.
@Full Circle: “A” for the Asses who messed it up. Too many Teachers in the Dáil who essentially haven’t learnt their lessons or done their homework. Dianna Fáil should stop parachuting Novices into positions way above their capacity.
Did anyone get downgraded?
@John Smith: No. Higher grade however awarded will be the grade you keep.
@John Smith: Think I read that no one will be downgraded. Could be wrong but almost certain.
@John Smith: “Did anyone get downgraded?”
– I wonder what this means:
“Foley stressed that no students would receive a lower grade from the review”
– maybe it was added after you read the article.
Why didn’t they finish testing the code and the results before CAO? What a mess.
Insufficient school buses at start of school, issues with the grading system, schools pretty much left alone with organising social distancing…
Very cunning to swap the ministers just before reopening of the country
@Vanessa: Don’t get the school bus issue. Since when is it the taxpayer or Gov’s job to deliver your little Billy to school?
I hope someone topped up the credit on her phone.
onwards and upwards to the next crisis
What happened to people, like my son, who had exemption for Irish?
When they receive the “test message”, will they have to post a correct answer, and more importantly, will there answer be marked correctly. Unlike the spelling in the article. Proof read guys before you post. It just looks lazy not to.
Anna Anna, we want Anna
The department of education have got an F here.
Why can’t we comment on the covid numbers thread?
Does the demographic of LC participants use SMS anymore?
Take a year off now
it would be easy to blame the software company. Most people are. The govt are and all the media outlets seem to be too. But remember the govt went to them with a requirement and then changed that requirement at the last minute. In software the when your client asks you for something and then changes their mind you will run into problems. It is inevitable.
Just look at the govt HSE PPARS mess. Budget was 9 million and topped out at 220 million and still didn’t work properly. Too many cooks spoil the broth. The govt kept moving the goalposts all the way through the project. Just look it up and read the report.
I assume that due to their inability to carry out the task which they were paid for the company that made this serious error will refund any payment received
looks like polymetrika are a one man show who may be clever with math but can’t code to save himself……..
no procurement process…so.thats what you get Norma
Enough!
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