"I Don't Even Care About Self-Destruction Anymore"

Or, an introduction to Positive Damage, Mindful Drinking, and No & Low

My name’s Derek, and you’re here with me now…

There’s a reason I start this newsletter with Henry Rollins, Black Flag-era, lyrics. I intend to keep it DIY, which those on the outside of punk rock might recognize as an old hardware store jingle “Do It Yourself,” or a Pinterest tagline.

For those on the inside of punk rock, you have likely cued up the album Damaged and I’ve already lost you.

Either way, I want this to be lo-fi production-wise but include the best information I can on my favorite topics: mindful drinking, no & low alcohol cocktails, and wellness.

Each newsletter will be topic driven and contain useable knowledge (especially for bartenders and aspiring mixologists) and cocktail recipes. Sprinkled liberally with punk references, of course.

Who am I (and Why Am I Here)?

If you want to know more about me, Kat Kinsman did a fine job of writing about me in her Food & Wine article titled, Bartending While Sober Is Pretty Hardcore. Here’s an excerpt:

Punk and hardcore gave voice to how Brown felt, but beyond the release and validation in the volume, he found something unexpected: positivity. Bands like Youth Of Today, Minor Threat, and especially Bad Brains showed him that their music wasn’t just about yelling and being angry. "This is about finding who you are, being great to people, trusting who you are and who you want to be," he said. "It gave me confidence in the things I felt and saw and a lot of young people don't get that opportunity. It carried on in my career."

But you can also find more from my bio. The cliff notes are that I used to be one of the top bartenders in the US and I still am, I just don’t drink. Or bartend. But I write on mindful drinking, no- and low-cocktails, and I’m also a health coach.

I wrote a book last year, Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails, that was recently nominated for a Spirited Award for “Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book” at Tales of the Cocktail.

What is Mindful Drinking?

Put simply, mindful drinking is drinking with intention. It’s a self-led strategy to align drinking (or not drinking) alcohol with your goals, wellness or otherwise. I’m currently writing a course on mindful drinking with the National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM) out this fall. I also speak on mindful drinking to corporations, at conferences, in Congress, and to my friends, when they listen.

What are No & Low Cocktails?

Non-alcoholic cocktails are delicious adult-sophisticated drinks made with the same care and consideration as craft cocktails.

Isn’t that a mocktail? Not to me.

I don’t usually use the word mocktail. Mostly because I think these drinks deserve consideration beyond sugary-sweet kiddie drinks like the Shirley Temple. If you use the word mocktail, that’s fine with me.

Low-alcohol cocktails are harder to define. In fact, that will be the topic of my first official newsletter, coming in the next two weeks. But let’s say they are less alcohol than the other cocktails for now and you can subscribe if you want the details. It gets complicated.

What Does a Bartender Have to Do with Wellness?

Nothing, really. But I spent enough time doing the other kind of damage that I decided to change course and do some positive damage. I got a certificate in health coaching from NASM, started skateboarding again, eating better, and taking my health seriously.

As the headline reads, and Rollins belted, “I don’t even care about self-destruction anymore.” I don’t know if that’s what Rollins intended, but I think you understand what I mean.

What Next?

You sign up, I send you a newsletter at least once a month, if not more.

I sell you nothing and you buy nothing.

Of course, I do consulting and private classes. And I’ll tell you about events, classes, talks, etc. I’ll plug my favorite products with this promise: if they pay me, I’ll tell you. Otherwise, I’ll keep this up for free as long as possible.

---

This newsletter is free and public. Share with anyone you think will enjoy it.

---