Faux Real

There is a sudden fascination with zeroproof alcoholic beverages. Dry bars, the sober-curious crowd, an upcoming market for the taste without the spirit, is social drinking getting a new horizon? We explore it all

- Joanna Lobo

It's a gin that stands on its own.

India's gin revolution, born and flourishing in Goa, is well-known. I have tasted almost every gin that's made in my home state. Yet, this one was different.

It was gin minus the alcohol. The zero-sugar, low-calorie GinISH had familiar notes of juniper berries, some citrus, and coriander. This is my first taste of zero-proof alcoholic beverages, and it piqued my interest. Also called no-proof, spirit free or non-alcoholic, zero-proof alcoholic beverages are non-alcoholic alternatives that attempt to mimic the flavours and complexity of an alcoholic drink.

I had my first taste of it at Loci and Toot, a European bar in Khar, Mumbai, sporting a dry bar with Svami's Gin & Tonic, RumISH and GinISH from the Danish brand ISH Spirits, Seedlip (which calls itself the world's first distilled non-alcoholic spirit), Budweiser 0.0, and Coast Beer. These feature in six cocktails, which play around with citrus, berries, and even coffee. "Low alcohol and dry bars are a big thing in Europe. In the Indian context, we've always felt that there is a large segment of restaurant-goers who don't drink alcohol, looking for a sophisticated zero-alcohol experience," says Mohit Balachandran, CEO Acapella Hospitality, which runs Loci & Toot.