How do you describe these beautifully crafted, expertly distilled, cleverly brewed, sophisticated beverages?
Intoxicating with their lingering aromatic notes, their delicately spiced after-taste and ever-so finely balanced subtle bitterness. Intoxicating in a manner that fills your senses, rather than dulls them.
A feat of craft, surely. Yet we refer to these beverages with negative connotations, we refer to them as the non-alc, alcohol-free, alternatives to their, implied, superior alcoholic counterparts. Although they might be inspired by the production methods of drinks which are designed to include alcohol, which is a brilliant flavour extractor, they are now bounding in their own direction.
The Mockingbird drink is distilled with the same Blue Weber Agave plant used in Tequila, straight from the town of Tequila in Mexico. Cleverly named Mockingbird, a reference to the Mockingbirds’ trademark move – to imitate/mock. It is the first of its kind and a fantastic drink in its own right, could it be the pioneer of a new category made from the Blue Weber Agave plant?
People are starting to realize that alcohol doesn’t have to be the key component to a sophisticated drink worth savouring. That one can get creative in one’s methods, focusing on the true flavor components of sweet, bitter, nutty or floral overtones.
Brunswick Aces are creating a new type of beverage category which enables consumers to recognize an expertly crafted beverage, for what it is, not what it isn’t in it.
...and they have called that drink a Sapiir [sa-piir].
Designed to provide similar connotations to what has now become a normative behaviour - sharing alcoholic beverages at a get together, Sapiir enables everyone regardless of religion or lifestyle choice, to share in that moment.
Imagine sitting with friends, sipping Sapiir’s in an elegant yet modest glass, letting the drink fill your senses, paying attention to all the overlaying notes and conversing about the flavors present for you.
A Sapiir, as determined by its creators Brunswick Aces, is distilled without additives or sweeteners and blended with a minimum of 4 natural botanicals. The production of Sapiir must not include alcohol, utilizing age-old techniques to extract the flavours instead.
And served best with friends. Like any good drink.
Will it take off? And will we see more categories like ‘Sapiir’ come to the fore?
Only time will tell whether this new drink category will revolutionize the beverage world creating with novel tastes with its inspired creative genius.
Guest blog: Sophie Williamson - No and Low Drinks Guide