For many reasons, partiers are turning to non-alcoholic cocktails. Gone are the days of a bartender just mixing up a Shirley Temple in a rocks glass when an intrepid drinker requested a no-proof beverage.
Now, bartenders are stocking their top shelves and well with a gorgeous variety of alcohol-free bottles and keeping cans of spirit-free, ready-mixed cocktails in the cooler.
For whatever reason (and it’s nobody’s business), more people are giving up booze. And face it, life feels better and heads remain clearer without it.
Without booze, you can get more done and treat your body like a temple, not a basement.
Spiritless was founded by three women juggling the long hours of entrepreneurism, the skepticism of a male-dominated industry, the expectations of motherhood, the fulfillment of mentoring, the intimacy of partnership and the desire to carve out just five minutes of Zen.
The team brings experience working with some of the largest spirits conglomerates in the world. As busy, career-oriented parents, they were also feeling the strain of weekday drinks at work dinners, added calories, and sluggish mornings after a few glasses. Together, Lauren Chitwood, Abbey Ferguson, and Lexie Lancaster Larsen created Spiritless, now with Kentucky 72, Jalisco 55 and two pour over canned cocktails: a whiskey sour and old-fashioned.
"We love and respect the strong women we've met in this industry -- from bottle shop owners to mixologists to retail buyers -- just as much as we enjoy being female founders,” says Abbey.
"When you're a working mom, prioritizing family is paramount, even on a day devoted to you. Between the three of us, we have 12 kids under 12, so you'll likely find us chasing a few moments of Zen in between breakfast in bed and opening macaroni artwork presents,” says Lauren.
How do they do it?
A variety of hand-selected American oak is combined with a high-proof neutral grain spirit. By modulating the heat and pressure in the still, they imitate the barrel aging process seen in traditional spirits, over multiple years, in a matter of hours. The intensely flavored high-proof oak-infused spirit cools in preparation for the next phase. The reverse distillation process separates ethanol from the Kentucky 74 distillate. “The ethanol is then removed and repurposed for the next batch. We call this our 'regenerative ingredient,'” Lexi explains. The distillate that remains in the still is non-alcoholic. This is where Kentucky 74 is born. Just like a fine craft Bourbon, Kentucky 74 is blended by selecting specific totes from various distillations, each with a unique character. The distiller selects the perfect combination of totes to create Kentucky 74, a smooth, balanced spirit with hints of caramel, vanilla, and oak.
“Yes, you’ll miss a little bit of the burn, because frankly, that's what alcohol does. But as passionate drinkers ourselves, we knew a little bit of heat was necessary, so you'll find that in Kentucky 74 and Jalisco 55," says Lauren.
But wait, there’s more good to the brand! Through 2% for the Girls, they will donate up to 2% of Spiritless sales to nonprofits, programs and partnerships that foster entrepreneurialism, mentoring and leadership development among young women.
Spiritless can be found at 20+ independent locations in Atlanta including Total Wine and both Amazon and Spiritless.com ship to all 50 U.S. states.
In Atlanta, Spiritless supports A Sip of Paradise, a nonprofit bartenders' community garden. A Sip of Paradise Garden provides horticultural therapy, employment resources, and health and wellness programs for bartenders and the greater hospitality community to recharge their minds, bodies and spirits. To celebrate Women’s History Month, sales benefitted Step Up, a non-profit focused on female mentorship.
Spiritless Paloma
2 oz. Spiritless Jalisco 55 NA tequila alternative
4 oz. Grapefruit soda
¼ oz. Fresh lime juice
Build ingredients in a highball glass, except for soda, and add ice. Top with soda. Stir gently and garnish with grapefruit peel. Salt rim optional: rim glass with salt by rubbing a lime piece around the edge of glass and rolling glass in coarse salt. Cheers!