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THE BUZZ WITHOUT THE BOOZE

Fragrance and flavor are “...inextricably linked yet both are rarely approached as one cohesive experience.”

A toast to locals riding the no-alcohol wave

“TO BE AMERICAN is to drink. To be American is to worry about drinking,” author Elva Ramirez wrote in Zero Proof: American is to worry about drinking,” author Elva Ramirez wrote in 90 Non-Alcoholic Recipes for Mindful Drinking.

Indeed, sipping a cocktail or a glass of wine is a classic social pastime. These days, the latest drinking trend is abstaining from alcohol.

In response to an increasing number of people choosing to forgo alcohol for health or other reasons, local and national businesses are offering alternatives that help consumers prioritize health alongside pleasure. Some of these incorporate “plant medicine” from the realms of herbs, botanicals, fermentation or nootropic substances (cognitive enhancements) to add a little alchemy to the glass without relying on alcohol.

And business is booming: According to consumer-data tracker NielsenIQ, the market for non-alcoholic beverages, which has been consistently growing over the past five years, topped $500 billion in 2023.

Some local producers focus on one main component, like Little Saints of Detroit, whose emphasis is nootropics. Others, like Unity Vibrations in Ypsilanti, work their magic with kombucha. And the landscape continues to evolve with ever more options. Three Spirits out of California, Seedlip from the United Kingdom, Curious Elixirs of New York, are some of the brands you may have seen in stores, on menus and social media.

The no-alcohol market took off during the pandemic, when many people indulged a bit harder.

In Detroit’s Midtown neighborhood, Sfumato is a fragrance store by day and a cocktail bar by night, called Castalia at Sfumato, where fragrance and flavor are “...inextricably linked yet both are rarely approached as one cohesive experience,” according to the business’s website. Proprietor Kevin Peterson, PhD, is using botanicals to mimic sensory qualities in the mouth and re-create the taste of traditional alcoholic beverages on the palate. This multi-sensory harmonization is created using a variety of tinctures, infusions and aromatic ingredients to craft fragrant cocktails built around Sfumato’s signature scents such as Survival Instinct, which evoke the sense of being in an “after-rain spring hemlock forest, striding toward the sunrise … with knife in your belt.” This scent is paired with Nothing But Bone—a non-alcoholic option adjacent to Metal & Stone, an alcoholic option. Wood, Anise & Earth make up the scent that complements the no-alcohol cocktail: carrot juice, fresno shrub, milpero tomatillo, lime tangerine oleo and housemade soda.

Hashem’s Markets in Dearborn, where 55% of the city’s 110,000 population claims Middle Eastern roots, supplies many restaurateurs and the culinary scene with its hand-selected teas, botanicals, spices and more. CEO Ahmad Hashem says he is “committed to my family’s legacy of bridging cultures and continuing traditions.” Hashem curates his selections personally with farmers and growers in California, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and beyond. The Hashem family supports farmers directly to gain the best selections and give the growers the most value for their products. Turkish sumac, sumac Baladi, dried black lemon, hibiscus, cardamom, Ward Joury rose petals, ginger, a whole host of teas, dried fruits and nuts all play roles in creating zero-proof options for Detroiters.

Ashley Kruszyna of Mimidae Beverage Company uses Hashem’s teas and spices for her shrubs and syrups. Mimidae is a Latin play on words involving mockingbirds—alluding to mocktails. Fungi nootropics are spotlighted in items such as “Fun Guy” Cola Syrup, which boasts lion’s mane, reishi, chaga and cordyceps. One of Kruszyna’s most popular shrubs is the Pineapple Mango Jalapeño Shrub, where fresh pineapple and mango are combined with roasted jalapeño and agave syrup to achieve the right balance of sweet and spicy.

For a zero-sugar, zero-calorie, organic option, look to Detroit-based operation Little Saints. Megan Klein, CEO and founder, says all the ingredients are organic, sustainably farmed/grown, without artificial sweeteners and the “plant magic” is packed with terpenes (aromatic compounds). “Formulated by a food scientist with a master’s degree in adaptogens, it is then blessed by a female shaman trained in medicinal plants. Our unique, plant-based approach to emotional wellness speaks to the worlds of both natural science and traditional spirit,” according to the company’s website. That’s the ethos of what Klein wanted to create after going sober. St. Ember is hands down the best discovery in that palo santo, acacia tree, reishi mushrooms, lion’s mane and ginger infuse this mezcal-ish potion that offers “plant medicine and earthly wisdom” as an everyday vibrational libation.

At Unity Vibrations in Ypsilanti, which offers zero-alcohol, zero-sugar kombucha spritzers and up to 8 percent ABV kombucha beer, there is much history behind the formulations Rachel Kanaan creates alongside her partner Tarek Kanaan. While living in California, Tarek and Rachel were homebrewers playing with fermentation. In 2007, the couple moved to Michigan, with their SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast) and five-gallon glass jars of kombucha in tow. Two years later, they opened Unity Vibrations. Tarek is the operational backbone; Rachel is the formulator and plant medicine guide.

Rachel is a breast cancer survivor and that experience was a third-eye opener for leaning into a healthier, holistic lifestyle. As a certified Tibetan bowl and crystal bowl instructor, Rachel says she recovered from her diagnosis thanks to the bowl’s healing properties alongside conventional methods. Tarek is also in tune (pun intended) with the healing power of music. As a musician himself, he is able to hone in on the vibrational frequencies that are infusing their SCOBY—aka The Mother—in the tanks as it ferments. This is the base for making kombucha; whether it ends up being boozy or not is up to the producer.

Some of the best zero-proof cocktails need the highest-grade organic and sustainable botanicals. Belle Lavande is a family-owned and -operated organic lavender farm in Stockbridge providing the nation with rare varietals. Windy Mack, alongside her husband Terry and son Ryan, runs a store in Plymouth where customers can talk to the family and learn about the different botanicals they are growing on their 40-acre farm. Of the 450 varieties of lavender in nature, Belle Lavande grows eight.

Whether you are at the beach Up North sipping a non-alcoholic beer, or find yourself in the old Victorian mansion at Castalia sipping and smelling your way through the menu, remember: This movement is here to stay, without judgment. Enjoy your plant magic and cold no-alcohol libations this summer!

Castalia at Sfumato

3980 2nd Ave., Suite E, Detroit castaliacocktails.com

Kristen Carlson, aka Mrs. Vino, is a storyteller, certified sommelier, charity and event coordinator entrepreneur providing Metro Detroiters with elevated and approachable wine consultation services. You can find her at the gym with her husband or in their garden growing organic produce for the community. Contact her at mrsvino.com and on social media at @MrsVinollc.