In episode 5 of The Alcohol-free Sommelier, I interviewed Laura Willoughby MBE, of Club Soda. This bonus episode comes from the Club Soda archive. You can find out more by visiting their website ClubSoda.com . Laura, with guest Tom Ward, chat about the confusing labelling regulations for No & Low drinks in the UK, and the ever-growing range of products now available in bars and retail.

Laura Willoughby MBE Co-Founder of Club Soda, former politician, and an inspirational force in the world of No & Low

ClubSoda.com

Tom Ward Founder of Wise Bartender, the largest online selection of No & Low drinks in the UK

wisebartender.co.uk

Please DO get in touch. We'd love to hear your comments and questions:

Chrissie Parkinson: chris@brimfuldrinks.co.uk

James Morgan: james@brimfuldrinks.co.uk 

Lots of producers of No & Low alcohol drinks got into the industry when they decided to change their own drinking choices. They couldn't find what they wanted to drink, so they made their own. Laura Willoughby did it slightly differently - she started a movement.

Club Soda was created as a community for people moderating their alcohol intake. It has become the go-to place for information and support for sober drinkers. But it's also the place where the industry goes: Laura realised that to make the world a good place for non-drinkers, she had to change everything about drinks: from manufacture and distribution through to retail and hospitality. Club Soda has had an enormous impact and - if you are in anyway interested or involved in No & Low - it's an essential source of information in a rapidly evolving category

Laura Willoughby MBE is Co-Founder of Club Soda

Laura@joinClubsoda.org.uk

Nudging Pubs full report: http://nudgingpubs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Nudging-Pubs-2016.pdf

Tom Ward says they go 'ping'. Simon Rucker says they blow up. They're talking about shelf life, and spoilage of non-alc drinks

There are two real reasons why our ancestors made and consumed alcoholic drinks:

1. Foodstuffs ferment quite naturally to produce alcohol - it just happens.
2. Once alcohol is present, it tends to preserve the drink.

(possibly they liked the effects, too)

Non-alcoholic drinks, however, don't have alcohol to preserve them, and this can cause problems.

Simon Rucker of Timeless Drinks and Tom Ward of Wise Bartender share their experiences of making and storing alcohol-free drinks. We hear why some drinks are more vulnerable to spoilage than others, and what can be done to make them stable.

We also ponder the need for education around handling drinks without alcohol.

Simon Rucker is the Founder / Joint CEO of 
Timeless Drinks Ventures Ltd, creator of the award-winning 'Nine Elms no 18'

https://www.nineelmsdrinks.com

Tom Ward is the Owner of Wise Bartender, online distributor of non-alcoholic drinks

https://wisebartender.co.uk

James Morgan co-founded the No & Low consultancy Brimful Drinks after a 25-year career in hospitality. He also has a background in both art and research.

james@brimfuldrinks.co.uk

Christine Parkinson co-founded Brimful Drinks after 18 years as the award-winning Head of Wine for Hakkasan Group

chris@brimfuldrinks.co.uk

Please DO get in touch. We'd love to hear your comments and questions. You can reach us on the emails above.