Five Things from "No & Low" Tales of the Cocktail 2023
New Orleans annual craft cocktail conference offered a lot for mindful drinkers.
Fifteen years ago, I walked off the plane at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to a mild dank smell and the hopeful melody of brass jazz. It was only a few years after Hurricane Katrina and my friend, writer and drinks historian, Phil Greene, had invited me to help with his seminar at Tales of the Cocktail (nicknamed “Tales” by attendees) on the drinks of Ernest Hemingway. Later he would write To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion.
Since then, Phil has written a number of books, the dank smell has been replaced with that new airport smell (Louis Armstrong was remolded in 2019), and I have shifted my view from hard-boozing drinks champion to mindful drinking advocate. The conceptual leap was one thing. Going back to Tales, another.
Where do 25,000 of the heaviest-drinking people on the planet converge when they want to talk about craft cocktails?
Tales of the Cocktail.
There are parties, seminars, activations, tastings, and hobnobbing. I’ve moderated seminars on everything from “What Would Aristotle Drink?” to debates about brandy. I’ve attended some of the best parties, and I’ve sat out others realizing I’d had a little too much.
No & Low Tales—the version where I don’t drink, or drink less—wouldn’t have seemed possible before the pandemic. But, since then, there’s been a growing recognition of the new mindful drinking movement and willingness to include non-alcoholic spirits and cocktails.
In 2022, I was handed a Lyre’s non-alcoholic cocktail as I walked into the Ritz Carlton New Orleans, where Tales is being held these days. This year there were amazing events, activations, and bartenders not just tolerating No & Low as “responsibility messaging” but embracing the category. It was astounding to see how far we’ve come in such a short time.
Now, before I share my top five tales experiences from this past Tales, let me say that part of the reason No & Low Tales didn’t seem possible to me was me. There were No & Low events before, though decidedly less. Perhaps most notably is Charlotte Voisey’s epic non-alcoholic cocktail opening party in 2018 for William Grant & Sons. However, my mind wasn’t there yet. I had some changes yet to make.
Either way, those changes have been made, and we’re all in alignment: me, Tales, and the zeitgeist. No & Low is now here to stay at Tales.
1.) Dream House Takeover
Camille Vidal of La Maison Wellness organized a bartender takeover, “Mindful Happy Hour,” at Dream House Lounge, New Orleans’ first non-alcoholic bar. She invited some No & Low all-stars such as Noah Villeneuve from Club Soda in the UK, Alex Jump from Focus on Health (FOH), and Ivy Mix from Leyenda along with Dream House Lounge owner, David J. Wallace.
Cocktails ranged from fruity with a floral touch, Vidal’s Something Rouge (Martini Vibrante, Thomson & Scott “Noughty” Rouge, Tonic Water, Hibiscus & Pomegranate) to weighter and a little more savory, Mix’s Emoji Disaster (Martini Vibrante, Martini Floreale, Thomson & Scott “Noughty” Rosé, Black Pepper). And you could sit to the side with an aromatized oxygen mask. Think vibrant cocktail party meets wellness lounge.
2.) Wilderton’s Botanical Game Show
There has been some controversy as to who should takeover as host of Jeopardy after long-time host Alex Trebek passed away. However, not for me. I’d give it to Seth O’Malley. After a jazz brunch with Wilderton Botanical Spirits at the historic Preservation Hall, O’Malley put his game show hat on to lead a botanical game where prizes were doled out to contestants who played along in a Jeopardy-like fashion. I even tried my hand at a few questions and realized quickly that I have to go back to botanical school.
3.) Let’s Stop Not Talking About it Seminar
I moderated a first-of-its-kind panel at Tales, “Let’s Stop Not Talking About It: How to Discuss Alcohol, Drugs, and Mental Health with Your Colleagues” with Noah Villeneuve, Alex Jump, Kat Kinsman, and Robert Björn Taylor. I switched hats during this one and, instead of talking mindful drinking, we talked about peer—to-peer conversations around substance abuse and mental health. They may exist on a spectrum but so do light and dark. The hospitality industry has some alarming figures when it comes to substance abuse and mental health. We need to do better.
Here are some great resources we discussed.
4.) Thirst Trap Seminar
Nick Crutchfield, director of education for Lyre’s Non-alcoholic Spirits, invited me—along with Kapri Robinson and Steve Yang—to discuss No & Low during his seminar, “Thirst Trap: Mindful Drinking in the Sober-Curious Movement.” The discussion ranged from what exactly is low-alcohol to naming conventions on menus such as mocktail, spirit-free, etc. There was definitely not enough time to cover the entirety of the subject, but we had a super-engaged audience and some really thoughtful questions.
5.) Spirited Awards
The cherry on the sundae, or at the bottom of the Manhattan, was the Spirited Awards at Tales. This is the annual “Grammys” for bartenders.
My book, Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No & Low Alcohol Cocktails, was nominated for “Best New Bartending or Cocktail Book” and, while it didn’t win, landing among the top four was a tremendous honor. Toby Maloney and Emma Janzen, who won the category, did an amazing job with their banger of a book, The Bartender’s Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro. Buy it now!
Who did win, from the non-alcoholic world, is Martini & Rossi with their “Floreale” Non-alcoholic Aperitivo. Floreale took “Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient.” And this is the second year in a row that a non-alcoholic ingredient has won. (Last year it was Lyre’s Italian Orange.)
It was incredibly gratifying to see No & Low have such a prominent role at Tales and the so many bartenders pushing the category. And this was really just a small slice of what happened. I can hardly wait to see what next year brings.
When in Doubt, Dress Up 0% ABV
One Serving/12-14 oz. Highball Glass
1.5 oz. Lyre’s Highland Malt
Dash Lemon Oleo Saccharum*
Dash Salt Tincture (4:1)
Garnish: Black Cherry and Mint Sprig
Combine ingredients in highball glass and add ice. Stir gently and garnish with black cherry and mint sprig.
*Oleo Saccharum
3 Lemons
1 cup sugar**
Wash and peel lemons, avoiding as much pith as possible. Place lemon peels and sugar in a mason jar or Tupperware container and pulverize. Seal and leave overnight. Stir and add a small amount of lemon juice to dissolve the remaining crystals.
**The crystals dissolve even faster if you add sugar to the blender and pulse burst for 20-30 seconds, essentially creating superfine sugar.
Derek Brown is an author, NASM-certified wellness coach, and founder of Positive Damage, Inc.
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