The past few years I’ve noticed an increasing number of mocktails offered on bar menus. I’ve tried many of these non-alcoholic drinks. But for me, the depth that alcohol provides is sorely missing, and I find many of these options end up tasting like fancy fruit juice.
Enter Everleaf, an award-winning, vegan, gluten-free brand of non-alcoholic plant and herb blends. Added to seltzers, they provide an unforgettable sipping experience.
Packaged in clear glass bottles that look as if they were procured from an apothecary, there are three flavors: Mountain, Forest, and Marine. Each is composed of natural extractions that mimic the complexities found in alcohol. Various combinations of vetiver, saffron, acacia gum, Madagascan vanilla, cherry blossom, sea buckthorn, dulse, juniper, and other ingredients achieve this balance.
Sample Time!
On a boring, rainy weeknight, my husband and I tried each of the three flavors in both a plain seltzer water and a grapefruit variety. I didn’t know what to expect. Wow, was I surprised. I found my taste buds were intrigued by the deep and lingering flavor profiles.
Our two favorites were Marine, which added a bright, fresh, and clean taste, and Forest, which brought notes of citrus and earth. When combined with the sparking grapefruit seltzer, Forest pleasantly rounded away the harsh and bitter edges of the grapefruit. Mountain added a slightly floral and vegetal flavor that was uplifting.
Also pleasing to me was how well the viscosity of alcohol was mimicked when using these blends. Thanks to ingredients like acacia tree and seaweed, the seltzer didn’t go down as thin and watery as it did on its own.
Everleaf is categorized as a non-alcohol under US regulations. It contains less than 0.5 percent alcohol, as some of the botanical extractions use alcohol as a solvent. When mixed with plain seltzer water, the amount goes down to 0.1 percent. (For comparison, an overripe banana has 0.5 percent alcohol.)
Made and bottled in the United Kingdom, taster packs and other various-sized bottles are available at https://www.everleafdrinks.com.
Fun and festive non-alcoholic recipes featuring Everleaf’s products are available on the website.
