Nearly there!
Dry January may be starting to wear a bit thin, so we thought we’d round up some inspiration to keep you going until the finish line. From detox to retox, we have a little something for every occasion…
The One On the Fly
Grabbing a drink on the go? Then check out the award-winning Firefly’s range of juices. We can 100% confirm that the Kiwi, Lime and Mint tastes exactly like a Mojito! Without the rum, of course. But if it’s a Moscow Mule you’re missing, go for the zingy Lemon, Lime and Ginger – its punchy zest has a similar spice.
Firefly is filled to the brim with botanical extracts, such as elderflower, rosemary and mint, combined with refreshing fruit juices and absolutely nothing artificial included. With a range of ten different drinks – we sampled four (all yummy) – there’s definitely going to be something to suit your fancy.
The Tea with A Difference
Brits love a cuppa char – okay, mostly – but it’s all too easy to settle on your favourite brew and criticise anyone who doesn’t offer the same brand (like, WTF is this?!). Well, we implore you to check out Tea Palace and expand your options, while also doing your mind, body and spirit a favour.
White tea is barely processed after it’s harvested, so the natural polyphenols (antioxidants) are retained within the whole leaf, which makes white tea the most antioxidant rich Tea. These powerful antioxidants help to boost your metabolism, improve your oral health and help you to de-stress. Check out their Ayurvedic Tea Tonics too, such as the Immune Boost – an organic blend of orange peel, ginger, Echinacea and ginseng which is a refreshing and warm infusion with a wealth of immune boosting vitamins to relieve stress, insomnia and anxiety.
The Non-Alcoholic Spirit
Just last November saw the launch of Seedlip, the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit and a little something more sophisticated than the usual offerings. Seedlip combines six individually-distilled natural barks, spices and citrus peels to create an adult and complex blend best sipped long with tonic or short with brine as a non-alcoholic martini.
Blended and bottled in England – inspired by a book published in London in 1651 named The Art of Distillation, offering forgotten copper-stilled, non-alcoholic remedies – Seedlip has created a bespoke distilling process for each individual botanical, meaning Seedlip boasts only 0.2 calories per recommended 50ml serve, is sugar-free, sweetener-free and allergen free making it the go-to option for those looking for a credible alternative to alcohol.
The #Shloermergency
The people over at Shloer have come up with the Ultimate Guide to get you through January completely dry. They’ve even got Burns Night covered. That’s the annual celebration of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns (on the 25th), in case you were wondering…
They suggest making some Burn’s Night Hot Toddy – or Hot Shlody as they call it – by gently heating some Shloer Light White Grape with a cinnamon stick, or some cloves and slices of lemon and orange. Alternatively, try a Cosmo with a Scottish twist, using half and half Shloer Light White and Red Grape, a dash of OJ and a sprinkle of fresh thyme. Mm…
The Healthy Vodka
Okay, so not quite dry… but as you’re fast approaching the finish line, you may be thinking about that transition (let’s not talk about a sneaky cheat), and we’d totally recommend these clean living-inspired cocktails; complete with superfood ingredients packed with rejuvenating nutrients.
Francesco Lombardi, bar manager of the Rivington Grill in Shoreditch, worked closely with the newly launched D1 Potato Vodka to create the cocktails, including the If you like Greener Colada – a cleaner take on a traditionally calorie laden Pina Colada, with antioxidants from metabolism-boosting Matcha green tea, low GI natural sweetener, agave syrup, and lactose-free coconut milk to replace heavy cream; That’ll pack a Popeye Punch – flu-fighting ingredients including spinach and fresh ginger have been added to an aloe vera base to refresh the classic and zesty Mojito; Mary’s Bloody Healthy Remedy – the go-to hangover cure has been given an added boost with 2016’s hottest new superfood, mineral-rich seaweed, along with a rim of low-calorie chia seeds for added protein, fibre and magnesium; and Hard Health Shot – a lively take on the nutritious wheatgrass shot, featuring vodka and the powerful and concentrated nutrients of wheatgrass.
“It also allows those not involved in Dry January to enjoy a tasty but guilt-free alcoholic drink, and those who have fallen off the wagon to indulge without the remorse,” said Francesco. Our lips are sealed.
Check out our gallery for more inspiration, from Karma Cola to our favourite Mocktails across London (click on the little i for more info).
See you at the bar.
Dry January encourages drinkers to give up alcohol for a month for a healthy start to the new year, whilst raising money for charity.
Words: Emily Jukes
Featuring: Firefly, Tea Palace, Karma Cola, Seedlip, Shloer, D1, Rivington Grill, Berners Tavern, Wagamama, Studio Bar at K West, Nipa Thai, The May Fair Bar, Kopparberg, The Arch London, Royal China, Heddon Street Kitchen, Union Street Cafe