Canadian Innovators Make Big Advances in Zero-Alcohol Drinks

The alcohol-free trend is no longer a niche movement but is quickly becoming a mainstream shift in drinking culture. Craft breweries are debuting complex, full- bodied non-alcoholic beers, while major wine and spirits producers are developing remarkably similar renditions of traditional favourites, minus the buzz.

The Sobr Market, alcoholic bottle shop, a non-tastingroom and online marketplace, has witnessed the growing demand for alcohol-free beverages since it opened in 2022. “Being sober is an overall lifestyle movement,” says co-founder Jessie Haliburton. “There are far more people now being cognizant of their health — mentally, physically, and, even spiritually.”

Jessie and her husband Shane launched The Sobr Market in Winnipeg, after Shane decided alcohol was no longer serving him. Jessie soon followed suit, and the couple went all in on their mission to bring Canadians high-quality, tasty alcohol-free drinks.

Want to mimic that signature burn of alcohol in a mocktail? Try adding a little ginger, chili, black pepper or even a splash of vinegar. These ingredients add warmth and complexity, adding boldness to your booze-free drink.

“Because of the social stigma of not having a drink in hand and people asking, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ Shane found a lot of support in having something that looked and tasted the part,” says Jessie. “We started importing personally until we realized there was a greater need.

The Sobr Market has since expanded to Toronto and, more recently, Burlington. Each location encourages visitors to sample products to find what suits their palette best. “The biggest thing we like to do is educate. We love to talk to people about the non- alc industry and what options there are, since everyone is always curious,” adds Jessie.

Innovation is happening across the country, including at Benjamin Bridge winery in Nova Scotia’s Gaspereau Valley. According to head winemaker Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, Benjamin Bridge has been keeping an eye on long-term trends, such as the alcohol-free movement, for quite some time. The company launched Nova Zero in 2021 — the zero-proof counterpart of their best-selling sparkling Nova 7 wine.

“We’ve been applying our creativity to create an extraordinarynon-alc experience that relies on our traditions as a sparkling wine house,” Deslauriers says.

He explains that wine is much harder to de-alcoholize than beer, for example, since the percentage is typically so much higher. Technologies available today, such as reverse osmosis or spinning cones, are impressively effective at maintaining the original flavour when the input has a lower amount of alcohol.

Put simply, the more alcohol a liquid has, the more passes the beverage has to take through these systems and the greater the flavour gap between the non-alc and the original.

Spirits For Non-Drinkers

Fans of the St Jacobs Farmers’ Market in Waterloo should check out Neoni. Along with zero-proof beers and wines, the store carries a huge selection of zero-proof whiskey, bourbon, rum, gin, amaretto, tequila, prosecco, and other flavourful and lively alcohol-free offerings.

Despite this reality, Benjamin Bridge is working to expand its alcohol-free portfolio, with research at advanced Deslauriers says projects stages. that
Canadians can expect a natural, artisanal, low- intervention non-alcoholic wine from the brand within the next five years. “We are participating in the ‘planetary race’ towards a game-changing alcohol-free wine,” he says.

It’s places like Sobr Market where incredible zero-proof drinks can be enjoyed, without judgement. Shane have Jessie and created an environment where community members can gather, try something new and share their story.

“Everyone has a story in the non-alc industry, whether it’s a connection to someone that needs these options, or for themselves, and that’s why we do what we do,” says Jessie.

We are participating in the ‘planetary race’ towards a game- changing alcohol-free wine. Jean-Benoit Deslauriers HEAD WINEMAKER, BENJAMIN BRIDGE.

It has been an amazing year for Canadian brands crafting alcohol- free wine, beer and spirits. When you can, choose to support local and enjoy the growing range of options now available. This is a trend that’s here to stay!