Tasting 5 NON-ALCOHOLIC whiskies! Are they any good?

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 22 май 2024
  • Get 50% off your 1st order of CookUnity - go to cookunity.com/anders & use code ANDERS50 to try for yourself! Thanks to CookUnity for sponsoring a video!
    Non-alcoholic whiskies have become increasingly popular, so today we’re tasting five examples to see what all the hype’s about! I’m new to the world of alternative booze. I like to make NA cocktails from scratch, and honestly, spirit alternatives aren’t cheap. They cost about the same as a bottle of liquor, so when given the choice I tend to go for the real deal. However, in the spirit of Dry January, I figured it was time to give them a shot! We’ll compare them neat and mixed into mocktails to see if any can capture the essence of whiskey. Cheers!
    I haven’t been avoiding spirit alternatives, but I haven’t gone out of my way to try them either. First of all, they’re not cheap. The cost will run you in the ballpark of a bottle of booze - so when given the choice, I tend to go for the real deal.
    Merch! 👉 exlsv.com/collections/anders-...
    My bottle collection at Curiada 👉 bit.ly/whendryjanuaryends
    New customers use code ERICKSON for $5 off!
    Use code ANDERS for free shipping on orders over $200!
    My newsletter: anderserickson.com
    Video/editing/illustrations by Azusa Inaba 🎥 🎨
    TIME STAMPS
    Intro: 0:00
    CookUnity: 1:08
    What is this stuff?: 2:09
    The Lineup: 4:05
    Neat: 5:37
    Mixed: 9:49
    Input from Az: 14:02
    Final Thoughts: 15:05
    THE NON-ALCOHOLIC WHISKIES
    Ritual Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative: amzn.to/48G5kQb
    Spiritless Kentucky 74: amzn.to/3tStloe
    Free Spirits The Spirit of Bourbon: amzn.to/4b1kuRH
    Clean Co. Clean W: amzn.to/427H2wf
    Lyre’s Highland Malt: amzn.to/3vEcMg9
    THE TOOLS
    The Glencairn Glass: amzn.to/3icRVr7
    The coupe: amzn.to/378o4xk
    My workhorse double jigger: amzn.to/3lmmKrK
    My go-to large shaking tin: amzn.to/33vnMLJ
    My go-to small cheater tin: amzn.to/3qecbe5
    Hawthorne strainer: amzn.to/2VBUSWh
    Fine mesh strainer: amzn.to/4akT1dn
    Hand juicer: amzn.to/3ioOwFe
    My citrus bottles: amzn.to/3BScssO
    My syrup carafes: amzn.to/3iezKkZ
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
    Special thanks to our top-tier patrons:
    Adam Greetis
    Jacob Swain
    Brandon Carey
    Randy Calegari
    Matt Dougherty
    Michael Cooney
    Matthew Crowley
    Kevin
    Dzomery
    Derek Patstone
    Rick Turoczy
    Silverio
    Al Gailey
    Joshua Penley
    Sheri Muilenburg
    Connie & Rob Chapin
    Chris Roberts
    Howard Pollack
    Bruce Stark
    Brian Gordon
    David Byrne
    Nate
    Randall Randall
    Nick
    Liana Kangas
    D Pilaitis
    Follow Me:
    Instagram: / anderserickson
    Twitter: / anderserickson_
    Facebook: / andersericksoncocktails
    Send stuff to:
    Anders Erickson
    4610 N. Clark St
    Suite 1051
    Chicago IL, 60640

Комментарии • 322

  • @AndersErickson
    @AndersErickson  4 месяца назад +17

    It’s good to be back!
    Get 50% off your first order of CookUnity meals - go to cookunity.com/anders and use my code ANDERS50 at checkout to try them out for yourself! Thanks to CookUnity for sponsoring this video!

    • @paslowcb
      @paslowcb 4 месяца назад

      Thanks for doing this video. I look forward to similar videos. Cheers!

  • @craftedworkshop
    @craftedworkshop 4 месяца назад +203

    My wife tried some of these while she was pregnant and most were definitely a letdown. The gin variations were definitely better since most of the flavors are from the botanicals.

    • @conormurphy4328
      @conormurphy4328 4 месяца назад +7

      Yea I’ve definitely seen more advertisements for the gin versions making me think they do a better job at capturing the flavour you want.

    • @richmosley2519
      @richmosley2519 4 месяца назад +1

      @craftedworkshop You have a really great channel man! As a woodworker and beverage maker, I tend to spend A LOT of time here. Cheers!

    • @3MPIREOFDEATH
      @3MPIREOFDEATH 4 месяца назад +1

      I got a bottle of the Clean gin so I could make some cocktails for my pregnant sister in-law. It basically tastes like pine sol and I had to dump the bottle.

    • @craftedworkshop
      @craftedworkshop 4 месяца назад

      @@richmosley2519 hah, thanks man! I love Anders' videos and have considered making some cocktail videos of my own on a second channel. Could be fun!

    • @ZerMetKi
      @ZerMetKi 4 месяца назад +1

      You do know they still have a small amount of alcohol, right? Like .5%, but still, they have.

  • @conormurphy4328
    @conormurphy4328 4 месяца назад +97

    My main problem with non-alcoholic spirits is the price as you said at the beginning of the video. As somebody who is slowly building a home bar every bottle counts. So when it comes to choosing between an established bottle of rum or whiskey that I know will at least be quite good or a non-alcoholic spirit that I’ve at best heard as “good enough for a cocktail” but never “just as good” as the spirit it’s mimicking it’s always hard for me to justify adding it to my basket.

    • @ZedsDeadZD
      @ZedsDeadZD 4 месяца назад +7

      And not only the price but you also have to use them up quite fast or they go bad. They also need to be in the fridge. I have non-alc gin but id rather do a mocktail with regular stuff for this reason.

    • @ashleycarroll5337
      @ashleycarroll5337 3 месяца назад

      its hit and miss

    • @tsawy6
      @tsawy6 2 месяца назад

      Like... alcohol is really expensive, and we all know this. As kids we accept this cuz it gets us drunk (and hey, certainly remains a reason), but at a certain point you know you're paying for both the craft and well, taxes. At least in australia, duty runs on a 700 dollar bottle of 37.5% spirit is 35 bucks. If all the non-alcoholic spirits just were 35 dollars cheaper, I would be profoundly more likely to buy them. I think the producers don't want to let that standard go, though, they're trying to pin them to the price of real liquor and it just rankles.

  • @travelingman45
    @travelingman45 4 месяца назад +97

    Could we get more mocktails this month too? I actually consistently made a couple of the mocktails from last year throughout the entire year for different reasons. I absolutely loved the bitter one. It was so good!

    • @kathyperantie5160
      @kathyperantie5160 4 месяца назад +5

      Agreed! The cherry zip was a great one that I made several times.

    • @pandapanda8954
      @pandapanda8954 4 месяца назад +2

      Yes Yes! Please do one on fake GIN!!

    • @Rwebs
      @Rwebs 4 месяца назад +8

      Yes! Second this, they don’t even have to have an NA spirit, I just want some non-alcoholic drinks that taste good or mimic the experience of making a cocktail.

  • @Michael253
    @Michael253 4 месяца назад +40

    I like the Lyre’s non-alcoholic spirits (they have many varieties). But I do half-and-half cocktails with them just to enjoy lower APV drinks.

    • @jeffpowanda8821
      @jeffpowanda8821 4 месяца назад +7

      Good idea. For that reason alone I'm tempted to get a bottle of Lyre's.

  • @devbot8426
    @devbot8426 4 месяца назад +26

    I love making drinks, and have some friends who don't drink. This is an option to have on the table, but like you, I think mocktails made from scratch are a lot better.
    Would love to see more content for mocktails!

  • @Danny-qi4lp
    @Danny-qi4lp 4 месяца назад

    Happy New Year! Glad you are back, on the channel.

  • @literaturegeek1570
    @literaturegeek1570 4 месяца назад +8

    How fitting. I tried the Lyre's American Malt one yesterday. Without having watched the video yet: my own impression was, it is very watery on it's own. It was great and very enjoyable in the Whisky Sour we made.
    The description fits really well! "If water tasted like whisky." 😂 Can second that for my Lyre's experience.

  • @Dr_Bombay
    @Dr_Bombay 4 месяца назад +3

    all of your videos are interesting, and somehow this one was even moreso! the both of you had facial reactions that were priceless, and said everything that needed to be said for some of them. i'm now SUPER intrigued to try the Lyre's Highland Malt now, just because you both were so emphatic about that one. the foaminess of all of them was definitely a bit odd, though!

  • @KoraLajoie
    @KoraLajoie 4 месяца назад

    I loved this video, and would love to see more for other types! It's nice to see what brands you enjoy for anyone who wants to cut back a little, or people who are pregnant and want to feel like they're endulging with friends

  • @FalkiPL
    @FalkiPL 4 месяца назад

    Loved this vid! Now I know (sort of...) what to expect 😊

  • @pipernyle871
    @pipernyle871 4 месяца назад

    Super interesting. Thanks Anders.

  • @kabel9357
    @kabel9357 4 месяца назад +1

    thanks for taking one for the team.

  • @rafaelmartinez5452
    @rafaelmartinez5452 4 месяца назад +7

    Welcome back Anders!!
    We missed you these past couple of weeks. Interesting drinks Ive never considered partaking in Dry January as it is my birthday month and I rarely make myself a drink.

    • @AndersErickson
      @AndersErickson  4 месяца назад +1

      Happy Birthday!

    • @rafaelmartinez5452
      @rafaelmartinez5452 4 месяца назад

      @@AndersErickson Thank You Anders! May you and Az have a great prosperous year ahead of you. I can't wait to see what you have in store for this my favorite channel. Hoping you put out your very own book soon.

    • @Wisdom-Nuggets-Tid-Bits
      @Wisdom-Nuggets-Tid-Bits 4 месяца назад

      What is "Dry January". More importantly....why?

    • @rafaelmartinez5452
      @rafaelmartinez5452 4 месяца назад +1

      @@Wisdom-Nuggets-Tid-Bits Dry January is when you start of the first Monty of the year not drinking any alcohol as to take a break from drinking. Everything in moderation is good to do.

    • @Wisdom-Nuggets-Tid-Bits
      @Wisdom-Nuggets-Tid-Bits 4 месяца назад

      @@rafaelmartinez5452 Ah, sounds strange, but ok. Ya hear of something new every day. LOL Well, happy dry Monday. LOL

  • @jakedavis8776
    @jakedavis8776 4 месяца назад +2

    Lyres is where it’s at. My wife had a mocktail from one of my favorite bars in Lakeland, Florida- Revival. It was honestly astonishing how much it tasted like the gin cocktail they were trying to imitate. They even have apertifs and absinthe alternatives. Highly recommend!

  • @KeithGrant
    @KeithGrant 4 месяца назад +15

    so glad you did this... I've been curious to try some of these. The gin alternatives are intriguing, too (not-gin and tonic maybe?)

    • @AndersErickson
      @AndersErickson  4 месяца назад +13

      I was intrigued by the gin-alternatives too. Maybe down the road

    • @davidgarcia9308
      @davidgarcia9308 4 месяца назад +1

      I've been curious as well, seems like the spiritless 74 would have been a close second?

  • @znachkiznachki5352
    @znachkiznachki5352 4 месяца назад +4

    So far, for the most part, I've been less than impressed with non-alcoholic replacements that I've tried. But there is one exception. That is The Pathfinder. It's more amaro in nature, but very tasty on its own, or in cocktails.

  • @SFguy415
    @SFguy415 4 месяца назад +6

    Well, thanks for taking one -- or five -- for the team.

  • @studiolusk
    @studiolusk 4 месяца назад

    Loving your videos and education around cocktails. I would enjoy seeing a tour of how your studio space is set up with storage, fridges, etc. Just a thought... Thanks.

  • @thenacpa
    @thenacpa 3 месяца назад

    Somehow haven't tried Lyre's before, but I am psyched to now.
    In a space where the question is "why bother?" with n/a drinks, appreciate your politeness and open-mindedness - thanks for not totally beating up the drinks!
    Love your videos, even as a guy who's been sober for about 6 years now. Keep 'em coming! The extraness you bring with the history and on camera pizazz is awesome.
    Cheers! 🍻🍹🍸

  • @jmb03m
    @jmb03m 4 месяца назад +7

    The consistent disdain on Anders face is awesome

  • @devbot8426
    @devbot8426 4 месяца назад +1

    This was super helpful! A while ago I tried ritual's zero proof bourbon and thought it tasted like apple juice and dish soap. Will have to check out Lyre's now I guess.

  • @ryanlahr4783
    @ryanlahr4783 4 месяца назад

    Great video! I would definitely be into seing something similar with gin. I love making your cocktails for friends, but I would live to have options for including those that are not drinking.

  • @Matt-ff7wk
    @Matt-ff7wk 3 месяца назад +1

    Thank you for trying out the non-alcoholic whiskeys. I have been doing a lot of sports and decided to cut down on alcohol as it had a negative impact on my body and training.
    I've cut out alcohol altogether and have been enjoying non-alcoholic beer lately (which is actually pretty good here in Austria). I've also found a solid replacement for my go-to Aperol Spritz - the already mixed Amalfi Spritz. But I haven't tried non-alcoholic versions of Whiskey, Gin or Rum yet because they’ll go bad faster than the originals.
    Would be great to also see you testing non-alcoholic Gin and Rum! Thanks a bunch!

  • @joshuacaulfield
    @joshuacaulfield 4 месяца назад

    I am now going to ask every time I smell an alcohol, including wine and beer: Is that yellow dent corn? This was an excellent and very fun video. Thanks for taking one for the team!

  • @EricB24
    @EricB24 4 месяца назад +3

    Can't wait to watch this since I'm doing Dry January yet still feel compelled to watch my favorite bartender videos haha.

  • @billchandler9162
    @billchandler9162 4 месяца назад

    Thanks for the review. I recently tried the Spiritless 74 and was disappointed. I think I will stay with a damp January. But another fun video!

  • @derricksteel819
    @derricksteel819 4 месяца назад +4

    Anders! I'm so glad you did a mocktail video. I've been experimenting with them for about a year and glad you are helping navigate it. I've tried a half dozen gins (they are all over the map on taste) and yet to be satisfied with one. But I've found some great no-alcohol aperitivos (Martini & Rossi), and the Ritual tequila is amazingly close to the real thing. I've been making low alcohol negronis and getting some great refreshing tastes without getting hammered. I usually keep real Campari because I like that bitter bite to it. But I thing I'll experiment with nonalcoholic Campari substitutes. Its fun.

    • @kathyperantie5160
      @kathyperantie5160 4 месяца назад +1

      Try Wilderton’s bittersweet aperitivo. It’s very good. I use it and the M&R Floreal and tea for a Negroni.

    • @thirdlooprules
      @thirdlooprules 4 месяца назад +1

      The Ghia aperitif is pretty good, I haven't actually tried it as a Negroni but I think the flavor profile would work.

  • @andrewbelzer1983
    @andrewbelzer1983 4 месяца назад +1

    Haha it’s like a chef tasting vegan alternatives! I don’t do dry January, Lent takes care of that for me. Reverse Osmosis is how they make these things and why it’s still kind of pricey. I’m a winemaker and we use RO in the industry for alcohol adjustment or sweet spotting often. A great riff on a real whisky sour is using meyer lemons instead of regular Lemon. It lets you taste the whisky in your sour instead of the SOUR dominating!

  • @ashtonshelton8584
    @ashtonshelton8584 4 месяца назад +3

    I’ve been wondering about non-alcoholic whiskey alternatives! I got the Ritual rum substitute for my girlfriend, and I thought it tasted like garbage as a rum. It was good, but not rum at all, so that made me nervous to try the whiskey. I’m glad it didn’t have to be me by your reactions😅

  • @TaylorJohnson1
    @TaylorJohnson1 2 месяца назад

    I went sober for 84 days and while I saved money and had no official hangovers, it was the most dull time of my life. Literally thought about it everyday. I’m glad to be back a better consumer.

  • @alecfotsch3533
    @alecfotsch3533 4 месяца назад

    Something we've found is thay making drinks with the amaro, bitter orange and triple sec seems to be the best way to enjoy N/A cocktails. We also enjoy many of the Lyres itens for low abv cocntails.

  • @ranidan
    @ranidan 4 месяца назад +1

    As others have mentioned, I prefer the gin ones (currently have an open bottle of the Clean gin), but I also have one more suggestion. Try them in a long drink instead of a spirit forward one; they do better when they aren't quite as center stage. I find it makes a passable Tom Collins. I am curious to try maybe a zero proof rum in a tiki drink, might try that next.

  • @jeremyeckhause1747
    @jeremyeckhause1747 4 месяца назад

    Great insights, Anders. My wife and I are doing dry(ish) January, so very helpful. These strike me as very unappealing between the weird taste and, as you, point out, high cost. What we've been doing is 1) alcohol free beer (I find the Bitburger 0.0 particularly good), 2) non alcoholic "champagne" which is pretty good and convincing and 3) mildly alcoholic cocktails. In the last category, 0.5-1.0 oz of (15% abv) Size and 4 oz tonic and a big squeeze of lemon is nice, at basically no alcohol. You can also do a kir royale with a small amount of low abv cassis and the alcohol free 'champagne' , though I found that less good without real booze. Anyway, I'm glad my wife suggested this break. I feel like I will consume more conscientiously once this is over. Cheers!

  • @MrVincelarson
    @MrVincelarson 4 месяца назад +5

    Anders, try the Ritual Tequila Alternative in a margarita- seriously. The viscosity and flavor profile are the best I’ve found for alcohol free mocktails

    • @numanuma20
      @numanuma20 4 месяца назад

      Only one I like.

  • @user-rc3em2mq2g
    @user-rc3em2mq2g 4 месяца назад +1

    Thanks for interesting, exploratory content. Wondering if you would consider delving into fat washed cocktails. I tried yogurt washed tequila. Interested in other applications and comparisons.

  • @HViitanen
    @HViitanen Месяц назад

    Nice to see some non-alcoholic alternatives. I've tried some myself but I find it's hard to not expect the taste of the alcoholic base spirit and then get a bit disappointed, you kind of need to have the mindset that it'll be different but still good. The ones I've tried from Lyre's have been a pleasent surprise though, especially their Amaretti.

  • @TheDougOfTheNorth
    @TheDougOfTheNorth 4 месяца назад +2

    Thank you Anders! Personally, I feel if I'm having a non-alcoholic drink, then I'm having a traditional non-alcoholic drink. That said, I have friends who gave up booze and am always interested in the options and the science. Thanks for the research and info ✌

  • @ventusobscuro2579
    @ventusobscuro2579 4 месяца назад +11

    Hi Anders,
    greetings from Germany. Im personally non-alcoholic, but I like the Cocktail-Craft-Art and therefore Im looking for ways to make it work for me.
    I really like your comparison videos. At least in Germany, the Whisky alternatives are relativly rare, but there are tons of zero-abv gins, so maybe you go for them another time. Im looking forward to your next vid.

  • @vizzcayya45
    @vizzcayya45 4 месяца назад

    thanks for making this video! i've been experimenting with NA spirits while i take some medication, and i totally agree on the tasting notes of the Ritual, wasn't a fan. i think Spiritless is decent, but now i know i'll have to look for Lyre's Highland Malt. i did try Lyre's Gin and i enjoyed it, as well as their Amalfi Spritz cans. overall, i think amari/aperitifs are the best category for NA alternatives. you should try the Phony Negroni bottles, those are very tasty! cheers!

  • @sharoncruz9901
    @sharoncruz9901 4 месяца назад +2

    I love this idea ❤ I just like to have cocktails but don’t always want the effects of alcohol. I hope you do a review of non alcoholic gins. I’ve heard there are some really good ones. And my friend and I are looking for nice alcohol free wines as well. ❤

  • @irishsausage6
    @irishsausage6 2 месяца назад

    I tried a few of the ritual alternatives a couple years back and I felt the tequila worked decently in a margarita and the gin was ok but not strong enough for what I want in a G&T. This year I had some of the Lyre's premixed drinks and those were super tastey! I think Lyre's is at the top of the list when it comes to alternative spirits, but they are also the most expensive. I guess it takes a lot to craft good alternatives.

  • @timoncellobar
    @timoncellobar 4 месяца назад

    Never had the Highland malt, but I did try the Lyre’s American Malt and I gotta say it has so much similarities with real bourbon when smelling it or mixing it in a cocktail

  • @hammerth1421
    @hammerth1421 3 месяца назад +1

    As a chemistry student, I‘m wondering if there’s any true substitute for ethanol that also isn’t terribly toxic. The best thing I‘ve come up with so far is the basically non-toxic DMSO but that tastes like garlic and not spicy and fruity like ethanol.

  • @jferioli1
    @jferioli1 4 месяца назад

    Great video! Just what I needed for dry January. Could you follow up with a tequila video? Thanks!

  • @christinecamley
    @christinecamley 4 месяца назад

    It's very interesting! Younger people are not drinking nearly as much as your generation or mine - I'm 59! Any research I read in this area speaks to far less alcohol use for Gen X. I think there is quite a boom in business in these products but I have found most to be duds. I don't drink a lot (once a week - usually a dram of excellent single malt scotch) and if I want a nice mocktail I create a nice beverage and I don't care if it tastes like a spirit. A product would have to taste very good for me to pay the equivalent cost of an alcoholic spirit. It's very difficult to create a drink that tastes convincing! I much prefer to make mocktails from scratch! I have less of them actually! On days when I don't feel like a cocktail or a dram of fine single malt scotch I just have water, tea, whatever comes to mind at the time! Terrific video Anders! Cheers!

  • @Lasciatemi_Guidare
    @Lasciatemi_Guidare 4 месяца назад +4

    I’m a big fan of Seedlip Garden, particularly because the vegetal flavors differentiate it from the typical gin botanicals. It’s clearly not gin and not trying to be, which IMO makes it more successful than products like the ones in this video.
    Also as someone who likes the creativity of craft cocktails but can’t regularly drink alcohol, I’m pleased to see more cocktail bars offering low- and no-ABV drinks.

    • @drengillespie
      @drengillespie 3 месяца назад

      It is fun to drink in front of your boss out of a paper bag. It is 0.00 and there is nothing they can do about it.

  • @jcrewguy123
    @jcrewguy123 4 месяца назад

    Props for the test, as this whiskey/bourbon/scotch drinker is 19 days into Dry January with 2 of the 5 you sampled, and to your point, drinking them neat is a no-go and making a cocktail is barely drinkable. Looking forward to February when I go back to sipping the real stuff. :)

  • @JohnnyDoom
    @JohnnyDoom 4 месяца назад +3

    I'm having a dry January because I just haven't gone to the store yet.
    I love seeing this content though. Although, for the money I think I'd just prefer nothing over the mocktail.

  • @benjaminlichtenstein6747
    @benjaminlichtenstein6747 4 месяца назад

    I'm eyeing a NA Amaro Lucano in the window around the corner. Good to know the Lyre's is worth a try

  • @Phlucious
    @Phlucious 4 месяца назад

    Try the 2 towns cider sidekick line if you can find them. Based in my hometown. They’re great!

  • @Konqy
    @Konqy 4 месяца назад +1

    Oz rocks!

  • @peadar-o
    @peadar-o 4 месяца назад

    I've never had non-alcoholic wine or whisky, but I have had non-alcoholic gin. The complexity of the botanicals makes for a nice non-alcoholic gin cocktail. Also, the Italian aperitif Crodino (non-alcoholic) is quite nice. It's bittersweet and doesn't have to pretend to be something that it's not.

  • @alecfotsch3533
    @alecfotsch3533 4 месяца назад

    Ive had that Ritual stuff. You were very kind about that one. 😬

  • @hammerth1421
    @hammerth1421 3 месяца назад +1

    The last time I tried buying non-alcoholic spirits, the bottle was a whole year out of date and had become alcoholic but not in a good way in the meantime. Be careful in that regard, especially if they’re standing right next to actual nearly imperishable spirits, the people stocking the shelves are not used to checking „spirits“ for expiry.

  • @rafterwhomestead
    @rafterwhomestead 3 месяца назад

    Yellow dent corn is just the common field corn that is grown in masses across the united states, typically used for ethanol production and animal feeds.

  • @twistedpancreas
    @twistedpancreas 4 месяца назад +1

    It could be interesting to mixing and matching to get more 3 dimensionality, or maybe cooking them off to concentrate the flavor/make it stronger. color me intrigued

  • @BaneWilliams
    @BaneWilliams 3 месяца назад

    Lyres stuff is hands down the mocktail content of choice - I think in almost 100% of cases when I've tested non alcoholic beverages, Lyres has come out on top. although in my area some local small batch places do good work also.

  • @frann.8879
    @frann.8879 4 месяца назад +1

    Hi Anders, welcome back!….Interesting journey you took with the “non-alcoholic” beverages….since there’s no cost savings here really, I think the bang for my buck would be the “real deal” and therefore “no” dry January!🤣🤣🤣…..Have a wonderful weekend, STAY WARM and as always “CHEERS!”😁😁❤️❤️

    • @AndersErickson
      @AndersErickson  4 месяца назад +1

      Yeah I think I feel the same. Good to be back! Cheers

  • @eldsprutandedrake
    @eldsprutandedrake 4 месяца назад +2

    Do any of them come in smaller bottles? With the expiration date that would make sense. And I don't know if it's just me, but I tend to assume there is some "If you want to try it you have to buy a big bottle, we need to make as much money as possible from you on the first purchase since we already know you wont be a repeat costumer"-tactic to stuff like this otherwise. Having smaller packages to try really shows faith in your product, to me at least.

  • @VirginiaRThomas
    @VirginiaRThomas 4 месяца назад

    My favorite NA whiskey has been from NKD LDY. You're in Chicago so please go check out Bendición Bottle Shop/Dry Bar in Humboldt Park!

  • @jschoenack
    @jschoenack 4 месяца назад +2

    TO THE BAR! ➡️🥃 Welcome back!

  • @cdoconn
    @cdoconn 4 месяца назад

    One of the territory reps for Spiritless stopped in my bar a few years ago and the rep had some house made bottles coctails he brought in and they were pretty damn good.

  • @AnAardvark
    @AnAardvark 3 месяца назад

    I've tried a few of these, and more of the gins. I find that the Lyre makes some nice coffee, vermouth, and amaro alternatives. There are two problems overall that I have with the mock spirits, which were touched upon in the video. First, the mouthfeel is all wrong, even when mixed. For a sour, I overcame this somewhat by using gum syrup, to give a thicker feel. I wonder if adding some food quality glycerine or other thickener would help. The other problem I have is whatever is used to give the alcohol "burn". This is usually either capsicum, or Sichuan peppercorn. The problem is that this burn still persists even when mixed, even in a highball, which is not the behavior of actual alcohol. I would prefer if they dialed this down.

  • @andrew300169
    @andrew300169 3 месяца назад

    Almost a year now alcohol free, I do miss my whiskey but when it hits 3 bottles a week it’s time to evaluate your choices. The spirits and wines left me wanting the real deal as it were, but the beers are so good as to be unnoticeable. It did open non alcoholic cocktails some of which were better than the alcohol versions as a refreshing drink in hot climes

  • @ItsMe-fs4df
    @ItsMe-fs4df 4 месяца назад

    Thank you for this. I've tried the Lyres dark rum (when I was on antibiotics 😂) and was quite disappointed with it. It was like a spiced honey water? It was expensive too and has a short shelf life... I mean, it wasn't bad... Just for the price, it's not for me
    I think shrubs are definitely the way to go for alcohol free things, and also random tea leaves

  • @chandaharkins4418
    @chandaharkins4418 4 месяца назад

    I tried the Ritual rum and tequila. They were strange and expensive in my opinion.
    P.S. Az, your haircut looks great!

  • @chimarleywai
    @chimarleywai 3 месяца назад

    I have a feelin that the reason why most wont like to highlight the production process is that in essence, they are fancy flavoured waters, for which you cannot justify the high price. Especially in the uk where there is no alcohol duty taxes on them.

  • @Hubajube
    @Hubajube 4 месяца назад

    Prickly ash = Sichuan peppercorn. If you haven't had that, it has a tingle to it that's not capsaicin. There's actually an interest amaro that uses this from Baltimore--Baltamaro Szechuan.

  • @farshnuke
    @farshnuke 3 месяца назад

    Okay as someone who can't smell this was fascinating to watch because there are two things that can be smelt without an olfactory bulb, mint and alcohol, given how much of the flavour of the alternatives was smells that obviously are not alcohol I'm intrigued how they would taste to someone that can't smell.

  • @pimpernel666
    @pimpernel666 4 месяца назад +2

    Wait, what? This is a thing? So fascinating!!

  • @sethb516
    @sethb516 4 месяца назад

    I've tried a lot of spirit-alternatives and the only one I really like is Pathfinder. It's very much an amaro, but holds up really well as the star of the show in a cocktail. I'd love to see what you could come up with it

  • @scottfromoahu2896
    @scottfromoahu2896 4 месяца назад

    Im interested in what happens if you mix kentucky 74 (for charred oak and vanilla) and free spirits spirit of bourbon (for corn sweetness and creamy mouthfeel). Sounds like it would get closer to a bourbon or maybe a rye than either individually.

  • @danielqcallahan
    @danielqcallahan 4 месяца назад

    I tried the Ritual one a couple of years ago, and my sticking point was the viscosity and sweetness. I made the mistake of trying to make an Old Fashioned with it; it was like trying to drink diluted syrup with a bit of vinegar in it. It’s like it’s thicker than soda but thinner than syrup which just puts it in a place where the texture is just odd. Maybe there’s a cocktail it works in, but I didn’t find it.

  • @emmanuelelvira1467
    @emmanuelelvira1467 3 месяца назад

    I love you made a video on these... Having to make mocktails for my fiancee when she can't drink alcohol... I would rather make myself a Malort Old Fashioned or drink a quarter of Jagermeister.

  • @schelzel
    @schelzel 4 месяца назад +11

    Awesome timing! 17 pounds down since Jan 1. Thanks for not tempting me!🎉

    • @jaydub2971
      @jaydub2971 4 месяца назад

      You've got this!

    • @lisamcallister6534
      @lisamcallister6534 4 месяца назад

      4:26 4:26 Too fast. Expect some of it to return. And drinking not good for alcoholics, I'm sure they've told you at AA.

    • @schelzel
      @schelzel 4 месяца назад +2

      @@lisamcallister6534 thanks for your thoughtful reply. I do care what you think!

    • @onlinewhy
      @onlinewhy 4 месяца назад +1

      Awesome! Keep it up! As I'm sure you've read, don't be discouraged if your metabolism balances out and some of it returns. I've dropped almost 50 pounds in the last 7-8 months and its been hard at times, but so worth keeping at it!

  • @CBrown-qm5gh
    @CBrown-qm5gh 4 месяца назад

    Are there any great mocktail recipe books out there? I’m a lover of all booze and have an extensive library of books about regional spirits and recipes. My daughter, however, is not and whenever I make drinks at home for friends, she asks me to make her something so she can be involved socially. I’ve gone at making shrubs before, etc., but, I’d love a solid mocktail reference I can pull off the shelf, thumb through and create from.

  • @ejbear8403
    @ejbear8403 4 месяца назад

    These look interesting. The one non-alcoholic alternative that I want to try is Danny Trejo's Non-Alcoholic Tequila. It is pricey, but reviews I've seen of it are good--and after spending 30+ yrs in Arizona, I developed a taste for Margaritas. And now back in rural South Dakota it's challenging to find quality spirits. But I am lucky that my small Hometown has a small Bourbon Distillery with excellent products.

    • @jimklemens5018
      @jimklemens5018 4 месяца назад

      I tried it and it is completely nasty.

  • @samuelcho820
    @samuelcho820 4 месяца назад

    You should try Wilderton’s if you can get some! At our bar we mix all our zero proof cocktails with that stuff, I think it’s better than Lyre’s

  • @campergal6140
    @campergal6140 4 месяца назад

    I’m a recovering Alcoholic- 11+ years Sober.
    However sometimes I do miss the flavor of the bourbon highballs I loved.
    I appreciate this video. I do wish you had done a straight, nonalcoholic whiskey comparison, however, as I feel that would have been a truer test.
    Question, when you say “you would prefer to make them from scratch” , how would you do that without the spiritless whiskey?

  • @CivBase
    @CivBase 4 месяца назад +1

    I picked up the Lyre's Apertif Rosso (NA sweet vermouth), Italian Orange (NA Campari), and American Malt (NA bourbon) a couple months ago. I enjoyed the first two a lot, but I hated the Lyre's American Malt. It tasted strongly of sweet tea, which I do not like. I tried making a NA Boulevarider with them, but to my surprise and disappointment the American Malt completely overpowered the other two.
    I saved the bottle by adding half a dozen cinnamon sticks and half a dozen dashes of black walnut bitters. After that, it went well with ginger ale. But I don't think I'd buy that bottle again. Maybe their Highland Malt is better but I think it'll be a while before a work up the nerve to try it.

  • @allenhouse4662
    @allenhouse4662 2 месяца назад

    I work in a Michelin Star restaurant with an extensive NA beverage program. We make “NA Whiskey” by putting dried corn, wheat berries, oak chips, and vegetable glycerin into a vacuum-sealed bag and cooking it in a sous vide water bath and then diluting it with water. I don’t know if that’s the process these brands are using, but our product tastes quite a bit like real whiskey.

    • @americraft2948
      @americraft2948 2 месяца назад

      Do you use any of the non-alcoholic spirits or scratch build all of them.

  • @adrianjenkins2447
    @adrianjenkins2447 4 месяца назад

    Interesting Video, thank you. What would be interesting would be non alcoholic gins/rums/vodkas. My partner because of her size can’t drink too many cocktails because of the alcohol concentration, so making mojitos etc with non alcoholic rum would be interesting, if you are looking for video ideas.
    Thank you for a great channel, informative and yet fun.

  • @Mark723
    @Mark723 4 месяца назад

    Emily Cooper! Well done our Anders - thank you for bringing a bit of lit to those of us who don't want to get lit.

  • @FrostyFrostySnow
    @FrostyFrostySnow 4 месяца назад

    Interesting to know the Lyre's is decent. I often see it around here in Australia and haven't known what to think

  • @davidpaylor5666
    @davidpaylor5666 2 месяца назад

    I remember nearly getting into a fight with the owner of a liquor store. He was charging twelve English pound for a bottle of non-alcoholic vodka and really didn't like me asking if it was, in fact, just a bottle of water.

  • @synthetiCore
    @synthetiCore 4 месяца назад

    I know it's not whiskey but I'd be curious what your thoughts are on Lewis Hamilton's NA Tequila, Almave.

  • @meridithmock2036
    @meridithmock2036 4 месяца назад

    Anders, thank you for your sacrifice for my entertainment.

  • @Torso6131
    @Torso6131 4 месяца назад

    I'd be suoer interested to see if a rum based one would be possible. I'd love to whip up a non alcoholic Mai Tai, daiquiri, or even a rum and coke lol. I suspect the market, limited as it already is, would probably be leaning towards a spiced rum though.

  • @jasonframe1699
    @jasonframe1699 3 месяца назад

    My wife and I are traveling to Chicago in April for a few days. I have a few cocktail bars and bars in general that we are planning on going to. My question to you is, is there any that are a must to see and possibly some that are obscure and off the beaten path?

  • @krisyallowega5487
    @krisyallowega5487 2 месяца назад

    Ghee, I remember not long ago we were accused of watering down drinks. Now they bottle it and sell it at a premium.

  • @grexson2
    @grexson2 2 месяца назад

    My wife and I are a bit more reasonable, and do a "Dry February". Yes, of course, because it's the shortest month. Even in this year, with the longest possible February. 😁

  • @comingoutofthedark
    @comingoutofthedark 3 месяца назад

    Which of these would you use for an old fashion?

  • @stonent
    @stonent 2 месяца назад

    I would be curious if you added a neutral spirit like Vodka to it, would it fully taste like whiskey. My thinking is any out of place flavors would really stand out more with the alcohol back in.

  • @gillh9
    @gillh9 4 месяца назад

    The non-alcoholic amari usually taste better, or the NA gins (although I don't really like the NA gins, prefer just regular gin cocktails). Jeff Morgenthaler made a drink called The Wandering Path that uses Pathfinder, it's really good. But I agree with you, I'd rather do an orgeat+lemonade for people who don't have alcohol, or give them NA beers which are often much closer to the real thing.

  • @mattterzi3016
    @mattterzi3016 4 месяца назад

    I've tried a few of the gin varieties recently. They're ok, but the weirdest thing I've found is that they tend to "stay in the shaker" more after being shaken. For example, after making a Bees Knees with one of the alcohol-free gins, there seems to be more of the drink adhered to the ice in the shaker after straining into the coup when compared to the same drink w/ true gin. I'm assuming this happens as the drink freezes to the ice during shaking, where an alcoholic drink wouldn't do that.
    I ended up compensating by adding significantly more of the alcohol-free element, and it seems to have balanced out.

  • @sludog
    @sludog 4 месяца назад

    Is that yellow dented corn? 🌽 😂
    I will use that line and look like a boss if I ever go to a whiskey tasting. 😊

  • @danpost4755
    @danpost4755 4 месяца назад

    I commend anyone choosing to limit their alcohol consumption for whatever their reason. Personally, I choose to abstain occasionally rather than try to replace. It just never works for me. I have tried and been let down. Just my 2 cents. I really do enjoy your channel. Keep up the great content!

  • @mrsdiss
    @mrsdiss 3 месяца назад

    with 24 years of sobriety under my belt, i'm really celebrating the emergence of alcohol-free spirits. haven't seen any alcohol free whiskies on the shelves here yet, but now i know what to look for!

  • @tracyg1557
    @tracyg1557 3 месяца назад

    What about aloe juice as a sub for alcohol in a mixed drink. Was at a restaurant that had a mock tail menu that used it, did not try but was curious…