It's well known that people are drinking less than they used to. Like we discussed in class, 40% of drinking-age people are drinking less than they were 5 years ago, and 46% have purchased a non-alcoholic beer or cocktail recently. Given that 19% of the adult population doesn't drink, that means more drinkers are drinking non-alcoholic beverages.
Speaking of my own experiences, a lot of my drinking happens with meals. Being that my best excuse to drink came with a nice sit down meal, I was struck as I started noticing more and more high end restaurants offering non-alcoholic pairings. This realization came over the summer as I briefly consulted for a non-alcoholic cocktail brand trying to penetrate Bay Area restaurants. As I began researching, the concept didn't seem so whacky.
I had the luck of being able to dine at Noma this past winter after many years of trying--thanks to ample time to travel at the GSB (and no thanks to my dwindling bank account). As I prepared for my meal months in advanced, I noticed that the website was promoting Noma's non-alcoholic beverage pairing. I decided with my dining partner that we would get one wining pairing and one non-alcoholic pairing. Why wouldn't I try a kombucha made by the best restaurant in the world!?
It ended up being a really fun experience. The non-alcoholic drinks were so much more interesting and well loved by the staff that the exceptional wines. For example a server lit up explaining how a carrot juice was made using a centrifuge. (See pictures above)
It ended up being a really fun experience. The non-alcoholic drinks were so much more interesting and well loved by the staff that the exceptional wines. For example a server lit up explaining how a carrot juice was made using a centrifuge. (See pictures above)
So I wonder: will non-alcoholic pairings rise in the future? How will they cannibalize the place of fine wine at the restaurant table?
Thanks for sharing this observation -- I definitely hadn't thought of non-alcoholic drinks as pairings for food. From a cooking perspective, it makes sense that we pair food with wine, due to wine's diverse flavor profile compared to other drinks. And while we can find replacements for wine's sweetness, acidity, even tannins (e.g. in cranberry or pomegranate juice), I also wonder if it's possible to find good enough replacements for wine's intangibles -- its age, story, craftsmanship, and all else beyond taste that customers tend to expect at places of fine dining.
ReplyDeleteChristina, great article! As your partner at Noma, I have to agree that the juice / kombucha pairing was exceptional and rivaled (and maybe even surpassed) their great wine pairing.
ReplyDeleteI think non-alcoholic pairings will only continue to rise in the future. We've seen a big trend in the food industry of the rise of fermentation and up-cycling. As such, it seems like a natural extension for restaurants to explore making juices, kombuchas, and teas out of these unused ingredients and byproducts.
Can't wait to have more wine and juice pairings with you in the future!
Thanks for such an interesting article, Christina! I have had limited exposure to non-alcoholic pairing with food but you make a great point about the diversity of flavor profiles that can be captured in non-alcoholic beverages and I will actually slightly disagree with David's point above - I think that wine is actually more limited in flavor profile than non-alcoholic drinks given the greater variety of raw ingredients that you can choose from!
ReplyDeleteI also think another angle that supports an increase in non-alcoholic pairings is the current rise in health food trends and more people's desire to decrease alcohol consumption, especially for their everyday dining needs. I know personally if I'm at a casual weeknight dinner, I would jump at the opportunity to find a cool juice or kombucha on the menu that complements the food (though I've seen very few restaurants actually advise on such non-alcoholic pairings). This seems like a concept that could do well in a health-conscious and food progressive city like SF, LA, NYC, or Seattle, etc.!
The fact that Gen Z is drinking far less than other generations at the same point in their life (20% less per capita than Millennials) is also sobering when considering the growth prospects of the wine and alcohol industry in general.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't considered the non-alcoholic pairing or non-alcoholic fine beverage as a segment in and of itself, but thinking back on previous generations, many had some unique soda or other beverage craze sweep through. Think Snapple, Jones Soda, and others that took the Yuppie's by storm in the 80s, 90s, and 00s. La Croix seems to be having its moment with our generation, and it will be interesting to see what the next non-alcoholic brand is that has its time in the limelight. To your point, it might be the more complex cocktail replacement due to the focus on pairings. It would be interesting to do a survey of that space and understand if there are any ready-made solutions that are bottled and sold in a similar fashion.
Source:
https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-gen-z-drinks-less-drags-down-alcohol-sales-2019-2