Penrhos Zero alcohol-free botanical spirit
Alcohol-free is all the rage now, isn’t it? Full strength beers, wines and spirits remain ever popular. Yet the choice and quality of AF options are improving all the time.
Lockdown effects
Despite an increase in at-home drinking, the closure of on-trade venues during lockdown has seen a decline in alcohol consumption. Also, without being able to go out or socialise as before, many people’s minds have refocussed on healthier living choices. This includes choosing low or no alcohol options, as well as reducing alcohol intake in general.
Reducing alcohol consumption
Kam Media‘s analysis from last year showed that one in five adults polled in 2019 claimed to be teetotal. More recent research found that 32% of UK adults plan to reduce their alcohol consumption this year. Also, nearly 50% of consumers have now tried a low or no alcohol variant.
Alcohol-free spirits
According to IWSR data from 2017 to 2019, UK volume sales of non-alcoholic spirits grew by 170%. This is a category that didn’t really exist until a few years ago!
The trend for moderation and wellness started well before lockdown. Today it continues to resonate very strongly with consumers. There are many choices now for mocktails and home creation of G&Ts, without the alcohol but with flavour. One exciting new addition to the category is Penrhos Zero Raspberry, a non-alcoholic botanical spirit made with farm-grown fruit.
Penrhos
Penrhos Spirits is based in the agricultural haven of the Herefordshire Marches. Their story began in 2017 when fruit farmers, Richard Williams and Charlie Turner, decided to create a gin distillery. They particularly wanted to utilise as much of the produce on their farm as possible. Through Ryebeck, they were able to source a 150L Carl still, perfect for their needs. They named it Connie after Richard’s grandmother who’d worked in the original cow shed converted to today’s distillery. You can read the story of how Ryebeck helped Richard and Charlie on their journey from farmers to distillers here.
Penrhos Zero Raspberry
Penrhos Zero Raspberry is their newest product, made with a mix of botanicals. These include juniper, coriander, black peppercorns, farm-grown blueberries and pressed juice from their raspberries. The result is a unique alcohol-free botanical spirit, which contains 15% real fruit juice, rather than purchased fruit extract.
Reducing food waste
Reducing fruit waste with its associated carbon footprint is extremely important to Richard and Charlie. So, Penrhos Zero Raspberry is also a way for them to use the raspberries that aren’t destined for the supermarkets.
Developing the new product
Richard explains the driving force behind the new product and how it was developed. “The non-alcohol market is big, but we didn’t want a run-of-the-mill product. We wanted to keep using all our fruit. I like raspberries, so we worked with another company to create the recipe. It’s quite complex with a new way of distilling.”
How is Penrhos Zero Raspberry made?
The new product is also made on Connie, but with a few adaptations to the column. “We create a steam distillate“, describes Richard. “We boil the water and bypass certain elements of the still to create a flavoured steam. We’ve found a way of recovering it, creating a really strong distillate.”
How to serve Penrhos Zero Raspberry
Serve over ice with tonic and a squeeze of lime. Garnish with frozen strawberries, raspberries or blueberries and a sprig of mint. Penrhos Zero Raspberry costs £24.50 for a 70cl bottle, available from their website shop.
Thanks to Ryebeck
Penrhos London Dry Gin has already won an IWSC Silver and a SIP Awards Gold. The Apple & Elderflower Gin has a Great Taste Award too. The company’s growing success would not be possible without a top quality still, supplied and fitted by Ryebeck. It’s adaptable enough for the Penrhos team to use for different products. “It’s particularly suitable for both the steam distillation and alcohol distillation“, notes Richard. “I thank Ryebeck for their support as ever.”
Author: Robin Goldsmith of The Write Taste.
