Seven non-alcoholic drinks for a dry July

Going dry this July? We round up seven of our favourite booze-free beverages to help get you through. 

When the evenings are short and the office days long, there’s often nothing better than snuggling up on the sofa, pinot noir in hand. But though cosy nights in with a vino or beer are tempting, July is also the perfect time to prioritise your health and go dry, or alcohol-free – it's a move that’s becoming increasingly popular worldwide.

Dry July is predominantly a fundraiser for charity Look Good Feel Better 2019, created for people affected by cancer to support them through treatment and beyond. Funds raised will enable people to participate in workshops across New Zealand, a worthy cause for 31 alcohol free days.

So, whether you opt to go completely teetotal, or simply cut down your alcohol intake, here are our go-to non-alcoholic tipples for when the bottles are under lock and key.

Seedlip
If like us you’re saying ‘yes’ to dry July, Seedlip is the perfect spirit for when you’re not drinking. Founded in the UK, Seedlip was born when founder Ben started experimenting with herbs from his garden. After two years of a bespoke distillation process, Seedlip debuted their first bottles.

Now Seedlip are in collaboration with The French Café. For the entire month of July, the restaurant will be offering diners a special trio of Seedlip cocktails paired to their new winter menu. Expect the innovative 'Seedlip Garden', a chamomile, cucumber and aloe cocktail complementing a tasty dish of Mt Cook salmon, cucumber and nasturtium.

So, if you need us, you know where we’ll be... sipping on a Seedlip cocktail at the French Café.

Redeem Soda
Free from nasties, Redeem Soda is set to ‘redeem’ the world of soda by creating a tasty, refreshing drink that’s good for your body and the planet. Created by the team behind The Collective, Redeem is a crafted kefir soda that’s low in sugar, also containing the goodness from kefir cultures (a SCOBY made of 30 different culture strains) brewed with water, sugar and fruits – including ginger, raisins and lemon. If you’re thinking sugar or liquid strong enough to descale a bath, think again. It’s a worthy addition to Dry July, for both you and the planet.

Vista
The perfect wine or beer substitute for a month where everyone’s the designated driver. With no sugar, sweeteners or strange numbers, go about life entirely booze-free and dreaming of summer.

Ecology + Co
Produced from traditional gin botanicals and spiced blends, New Zealand company Ecology + Co offers the perfect alcoholic-free option to your tonic.

Heineken 0.0
Drink beer at your desk. Drink beer on your lunch break. Drink beer post-gym. Thanks to Heineken 0.0, beer drinking has now found a new lease of life, one beyond a bar or your deck. Twice brewed and fermented, with Heineken's unique A-yeast from natural ingredients, alcohol is gently removed and blended to achieve a fruity flavour. 

Edenvale
Entirely alcohol free, Edenvale's range is perfect for the sober drivers or a midweek lunchtime beverage. Produced using revolutionary technology, it's a vino that retains the delicate aroma and essences of the alcoholic alternative. 

Fevertree Ginger Beer
Often associated as a mixer to its alcoholic counterpart, Fevertree Ginger Beer is actually a refreshing choice when enjoyed on its own. Made by brewing a blend of ginger from Nigeria, Cochin and the Ivory Coast, the taste is full bodied and not too sweet. It's the perfect addition to your Dry July cabinet.