So you’ve had your last sip of holiday bubbly and you’ve committed to doing Dry January – now what? If you’re missing the taste of your favourite wine, beer or cocktail, there’s a fab range of non-alcoholic drinks and alcohol-free spirits on the market to try. Time to set up your mocktail station at home; these beverages are perfect for any time of the year, Dry January or not.
Melati
Homegrown brand Melati‘s non-alcoholic aperitif is infused with a whopping total of 26 Asian botanicals, including Goji and choke berries, hibiscus, pomegranate and cardamom. More than just an alcohol-free spirit, the vegan and sweetener-free drink ($68) is also low in calories. The ingredients also work together to detoxify the liver, increase blood circulation and boost digestion.
On first taste, you’ll find that it’s refreshingly fruity with a floral nose and spicy undertones. The gently bitter notes linger slightly, akin to a good whisky. Serve it as a classic spritz by adding one part of tonic or soda water to one part of Melati in a wine glass filled with ice. Garnish with a slice of orange and enjoy!
Melati-infused drinks are available at top restaurants in town, including three-Michelin-starred Odette, two-Michelin- starred Restaurant Zén, as well as award-winning cocktail bars like Native and The Old Man. You can also shop online and enjoy free delivery.
Free Spirit
Set yourself up for Dry January success by filling your fridge with satisfying non-alcoholic drinks from Free Spirit, Singapore’s first alcohol-free bottle shop. As well as being alcohol-free, everything in the online store is also as low in sugar and additives as possible, so that you can feel good about what you’re drinking. The carefully curated selection includes complex alcohol-free spirits flavoured with botanicals, alcohol-free wines and sparkling wines, and zero-alcohol craft beers and lagers. Not sure where to start? Try plant-based liquor-substitute Seedlip for your next mocktail!
Shop online before 5pm for next-day delivery from Monday to Saturday, with free delivery on orders over $120. Dry January is a whole lot easier when you can switch out your alcohol-laden drink of choice for an alcohol-free wine, cocktail or beer that tastes as good as the real thing, but with none of the downsides.
Lyre’s
Lyre’s offers 13 different non-alcoholic spirits including favourites such as Lyre’s American Malt and Lyre’s White Cane Spirit. The Australian brand has also teamed up with top drinking spots to create some innovative tipples. For example, DON HO (1 Keong Saik Road) offers Lyre’s cocktails that are fruit-focused with citrus notes; one must-try is Innocent Spritz, which mixes Lyre’s Italian Spritz, grapefruit, kaffir and soda.
The spirits are crafted to taste like the original, so you can easily whip up your next yummy, booze-free concoction. Each bottle is priced at $59; selected bottles are available at Raffles, Paragon, Tanglin and Hillview Market Place outlets and Jelita, Kallang Leisure Park and Plaza Singapura Cold Storage outlets, as well as CS Fresh at Great World City. Alternatively, find the full range of non-alcoholic spirits and gift sets on the Lyre’s website.
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