Courtesy of Siren Shrub
As the pandemic wears on and people continue to imbibe at home, local bars and restaurants have creatively retooled operations for at-home happy hours by offering carryout cocktail kits. But until recently, non-drinkers and the sober curious had few options for quality cocktail kits to mix classy concoctions sans booze. To meet this need, three Wisconsin-based start-up food and beverage companies joined forces to create Zero-Proof Cocktail Kits.
Zero-Proof Cocktail Kits are the brainchild of Top Note Tonic, makers of craft sparkling mixers; Siren Shrub Co.—shrubs being sipping vinegars made from apple cider vinegar, sugar, fresh fruits, roots and herbs; and Tapped Maple Syrup, producers of craft-infused, barrel-aged maple syrup. The kits each contain one 16-ounce bottle of Siren Shrub; two eight-ounce bottles of Tapped Maple Syrup (one infused, one pure); two four packs of Top Note Tonics (one flavored, one club); and a recipe card.
The flavor combinations for the inaugural launch include Kit #1, featuring basil flavored Siren Shrub, Tapped Hops Infused Maple Syrup and Top Note’s craft tonic water. Kit #2 highlights the flavors of Siren Shrub Maple Ginger, Tapped Cardamom Infused Maple Syrup and Top Note’s Grapefruit Soda. Kit #3 Includes Rhubarb Siren Shrub, Tapped Espresso Infused Maple Syrup and Top Note’s Ginger Beer. Fruit lovers will enjoy the tangly blend of Kit #4 , with Tart Cherry Siren Shrub, Tapped Hibiscus Infused Maple Syrup and Top Note’s Bitter Lemon.
The kits are $64 each and can be purchased online for shipping within the continental U.S. Siren Shrub Co. is carrying all four selections. Tapped Maple Syrup and Top Note are currently carrying Kit #1, with plans to rotate in a new kit each season. Mary Pellettieri of Top Note says she will be adding to Top Note’s selection a yet-undecided fall/winter box.
“We wanted to create unique combinations that people may not have considered pairing on their own,” says Siren Shrub co-founder Layne Cozzolino. “Each of our companies offer unique and complex craft ingredients, so my business partner and I started by imagining what might taste good together, and then we mixed them up until we hit the right ratios. Of course, since people’s taste preferences differ, the great thing about the kits is that people have all those ingredients in their control; the ratios can be tweaked to their liking, whether that’s sweeter or more bitter.”
Sober Curious a Growing Trend
Cozzolino realizes that a zero-proof cocktail kit may seem out of the norm for Wisconsin culture, but it’s becoming a trend as more bars and restaurants add mocktails to their menus. “We've been listening to the sober community and they want to experience the same imaginative, delicious drinks as alcohol drinkers. There are vast reasons why people don’t drink, yet for too long the notion has carried a negative stigma. People have made assumptions or questioned the decision not to drink. We want to see that change.”
Cozzolino notes there is a movement of people who abstain from alcohol during the month of October, recognizing Sober October. Siren Shrub is running an Instagram Live series on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. during October. The weekly series covers topics around how to mix up crafty and creative zero-proof cocktails.
Pellettieri notes there’s still ample room for growth as the sober community looks to having an inclusive, non-judgmental drinking culture as a key factor when choosing where to frequent, and people also seem willingness to pay a premium for drinks crafted with the same attention to detail as their alcoholic counterparts. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect bars, sober curious consumers are seeking the opportunity to create fantastic tasting, adult-styled beverages in their own homes. The trio of business owners hope to offer the kits for retail distribution before the holidays.
For more information visit topnotetonic.com, sirenshrubs.com and tappedmaplesyrup.com.
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