The mixology team at Fairmont Waterfront’s on-site restaurant ARC always have an interesting selection of “free-spirited” beverages on the menu. While the new year often brings fresh resolve to focus on health, non-alcoholic options have continued to gain popularity year-round.
ARC’s Commitment to Quality, Alc or Non
Michael Pagnacco, Director of Food & Beverage at Fairmont Waterfront, firmly believes that any guest, consuming alcohol or not, deserves a drink made with thought and care.
“Mindful drinking is about creating space for intention, connection, and enjoyment without sacrificing flavour or experience,” he says.
Still, Dry January gives bartenders and mixologists an extra push to experiment with free-spirited drink options. For example, for the month of January, ARC Restaurant is serving a trio of non-alcoholic sips in a partnership with British non-alcoholic liquor brand Seedlip.
A Special, Seasonal Collab
Seedlip is the maker of the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit. Founded in Lincolnshire in 2013 by Ben Branson, and informed by his family’s 300 year farming heritage, Seedlip have acted as pioneers in the burgeoning world of non-alcoholic spirits. We spoke with Megan Hurtuk, Head of Marketing for Diageo Non-Alcoholic Beverages, to learn more.
Of late, Seedlip has noticed a shift in consumers away from the harsh New Year’s reset with an all-or-nothing mindset in favour instead of a more mindful approach to consumption. Now, the emphasis is on balance, moderation, and, most importantly, quality.
“Dry January is no longer viewed as a one-month challenge with a clear start and end,” Hurtuk explains. Instead, the month is seen as “a starting point to explore moderation and quality year-round, making moderation a more sustainable, everyday choice rather than a temporary reset.”
Creative Cocktails Start With Quality Ingredients
The days of a Sprite based Shirley Temple are gone. Seedlip provides alternatives to conventional spirits containing alcohol. The brand is built, Hurtuk says, “from the ground up as a premium, intentional choice, crafted with the complexity, botanical depth, and quality of a fine spirit.”
The thought and care that goes into creating Seedlip liquors makes all the difference. For the month, ARC Restaurant is offering limited time creations featuring a range of Seedlip’s products.
“We’re excited to engage in this national partnership by offering our guests beautifully balanced, spirit-free cocktails that feel just as special as any classic offering, while supporting a clear and refreshing start to the year,” shares Pagnacco.
While the partnership between Fairmont and Seedlip is national, the three cocktails created by the ARC team are wholly unique to the Waterfront. You can choose from the three or try the Reset tasting flight, which is what I opted for.
Clear, Warm, and Awaken at ARC
Clarity is the lightest of the three. Charmingly pink, it comes garnished with an edible flower and an elegantly thin slice of cucumber. Made with Seedlip agave, cucumber water, and grapefruit, this cocktail is refreshing and almost tastes like bubble gum.
Warmth features a non-alcoholic, on-site brewed staple for ARC, their mango chai lemonade. It’s such a staple that they have it on tap. The lemonade is spiced up with Seedlip Spice 94 with apple as well as cinnamon and ginger. The citrus and mango keep this cocktail from veering too far into the world of Christmas for a Dry January feature.
Awaken is a tantalizingly tropical iteration of an espresso martini, but spirit-free, of course. Seedlip Grove 42 blends with coffee, chai, as well as pineapple and orange oil in a surprising and satisfying way.
Always Seasonally Inspired
The tasting trio makes for an excellent pairing with ARC’s Province to Plate dinner menu. Executive Chef Harris Sakalis celebrates the bounty of British Columbia with a rotating, seasonal, three course tasting menu. Sustainability and sourcing drive the choices Sakalis makes in the kitchen. He works hyper-locally with farmers, fishers, and artisans.
Currently, the Province to Plate menu starts with a selection. Guests can try the foraged mushroom fricassee or a Pacific chowder packed with manila clams, smoked sablefish, bay scallops, and prawns. There’s also a salad made using greens from renowned Hannah Brook Farm. Mains offer a difficult choice. There is handmade ricotta-stuffed ravioli, slow braised short rib in a red wine jus, or roasted sablefish with smoked mussels. One of the current Province to Plate desserts will pair extremely well with the Awaken free-spirited cocktail: the poached pear.
Whatever time of year, the team at Fairmont Waterfront find inspiration in the shifts of the seasons. So, whether it be further expanding their non-alcoholic cocktail offerings to celebrate a mindful start to the new year or serving local, seasonal ingredients, taste is always tantamount.
