As new recommendations come out that suggest Canadians should drastically reduce the amount of alcohol they drink, several people in the alcohol industry in Ottawa say they’ve already seen a noticeable shift toward lower or non-alcoholic drinks.
The Canadian Center on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) released new guidelines earlier this week that suggest consuming even small amounts of alcohol — more than two drinks a week — can put people at increased risk of certain cancers.
More than seven drinks a week can also increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, the CCSA said. The updated guidelines are a big change from previous recommendations that women and men drink no more than 10 or 15 drinks per week, respectively.
“Most times it’s a life choice. People want to improve, and that’s what we see a lot,” said Jesse Bailey, a bartender at both Union Local 613 and the Jabberwocky Supper Club.
“There are still people who come to these places … and drink soft drinks [beverages] just to have fun.”
The Canadian Center on Substance Use and Addiction suggests that even small amounts of alcohol can significantly increase the risk of a number of diseases. (Darryl Dyke/The Canadian Press)
Bailey was one of a trio of industry people who spoke to CBC Radio’s All In A Day on Friday about the CCSA’s new report, which also recommends adding warning labels to alcoholic beverages.
Steve Morier said he started to see a change a few years ago, enough to start rebranding his Split Tree Cocktail Company products so customers know they can add his concoctions straight to sparkling water without requiring alcohol.
“A lot of times people are just looking for something a little more complex,” said Maurier, the company’s chief alchemist. “They want something with some flavor that they can sit down and enjoy — and not, you know, feel like they’re loading up on sugar.”
Even if someone isn’t giving up alcohol completely, they may be looking for products that are both higher-end and lower in alcohol, said Andrew Rasta, co-owner of ByWard Wine Market.
“The interest in wine consumption is still there,” he told All In A Day. “But the ‘how’ shifts a bit.”
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It’s no secret that more and more people are looking for alcohol-free alternatives when drinking. And a new study published this week may prompt more people to embark on this dry lifestyle. Alan spoke to three people involved in the city’s wine and spirits sector to find out what they make of the news.
Other options?
Manufacturers are beginning to step up their efforts to produce non-alcoholic alternatives that taste similar to their alcoholic counterparts.
Although they can be more expensive, Bailey said there are non-alcoholic spirits that can be a “bartender’s dream tool” for crafting an alcohol-free drink that’s nearly identical to the original.
“These will be things that allow us to do mocktails,” he said.
“This will allow you to have non-alcoholic martinis at home that have all that strong flavor and quality that we don’t necessarily see in mass-produced non-alcoholic spirits.”
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