Page 17 - Enjoy-It 2023

I counted myself lucky at the start, as I wasn’t counting days as some of my friends have done in Dry January or Stoptober, I just didn’t care, then as a few weeks went by and an urge for a Guinness here and a glass of red there tickled my fancy I thought I’d try some alcohol- free options to keep me happy and it seems, socially acceptable.
As a starter for ten, Guinness 0.0 is a winner, and after this bounding success I thought that some commonly retailed de-alcoholised wines may scratch my other itch, sadly not!
In a bid to find out more I discovered ‘DryDrinker.com’ online and my best newest pal Stuart Elkington was
at the end of a sober and lengthy Bot Chat when we decided that a conventional phone call was a far better option.
Stuart has a wine, beer, ale, spirit and stout for every eventuality – well two eventualities actually – a complete lack of alcohol or vastly a reduced alcohol content in his extensive range of drinks on his website.
His story of sobriety is a fertile one that I will let him disclose to you on another day, so much as to say that on doctor’s orders he gave up the booze (while working in the industry hence the nick name Dry Drinker) and has never looked back.
I have subsequently tried several of his red wines, which are traditionally superb with meat, cheese and chocolate (McGuigan Shiraz and Oddbird Domaine de la Prade Organic Merlot Shiraz I particularly like), the sparkling wines are fabulous (notably Noughty and Oddbird Spumaté) and a myriad of beers that could satisfy one for months! The white wines, I must be honest, seem to be a tad herby and less wine-like, but with many more choices, including some superb rosé, this doesn’t bother me as I have plenty more to try! Visiting the Dry Drinker website is like a being a kid in Hamleys!
I have even had my Gaba tickled with some enjoyment enhancing spirits such as the Sentia Black Gaba Spirit, I gave it a good tasting, fun for sure but whether my Gaba actually enjoyed it or not I couldn’t tell! I can however tell you with enthusiasm that the rum-like Lyre’s Dark Cane Spirit is an absolute winner over ice.
Stuart will say that he married well as a nod to
his success – I am sure that both partnerships are autonomously successful, he has two beautiful children and a hugely successful and timely business selling the bliss of; being sober, avoiding hangovers, being in control of one’s movements, finances, avoiding taxis and calories and most relevantly that ‘oh no’ moment when the booze runs out or when one wakes up!
And what an illuminating moment it was when I discovered that my car had headlights – I jest, but honestly, I was to be mostly found in a taxi after 6pm.
At this point it should be said that I am not anti-drinking, (what Hell it would be that you dear reader should consider me a bore!), quite to the contrary, in fact I may still be in danger of raising an eyebrow to those coming to party with me who say they aren’t drinking, I don’t want to appear to be the party pooper (how could I, when I am still accused of being tipsy when I dance!), and I stock a good selection of excitements in my home for my mates, but trends are changing and this non-boozing lark doesn’t seem to be a rare as I presumed it was ... annoying really as I do like to be different!
To conclude, in a bid to challenge myself more in
the coming years physically the alcohol-free life is a blessing, and couldn’t have come at a better time, albeit unwittingly. Indeed, it is a treat all round, I have no reservations or indeed inclinations to go back to booze as I write this, I do like to drink though – and now I have found the perfect drinking partner – cheers Stuart!
drydrinker.com