Mindful Drinking Festival
Celebrating delicious non-alcoholic wines, beers, spirits, and cocktails
Mindful Drinking Fest
“How Do We Lose the Booze and Keep The Culture” something I said while chatting with Jill of Betty Buzz that we both realized needed to be written down. This weekend I went to the Mindful Drinking Festival at Selina DC. Derek Brown, one of the cofounders is one of my favorite people in the drinking and experience space because he thinks beyond the cocktail to the full experiences that he creates. So if anyone could figure out how to do just that, it’s Derek Brown, Erika Goedrich, and Maria Bastasch who worked together to make this happen. The event was long over due and it was smart to told to do during January when many people are engaged in DryJanuary and not drinking.
One of the weirdest things I discovered when I took almost a year off of drinking was how pervasive drinking culture is in this country. People felt all comfortable to ask all sorts of inappropriate personal questions like was I pregnant or ill or did I have some of problem. When I spoke of it being a personal choice, they often tried to pressure me into drinking with them. Just have one they’d say, or tell me they don’t trust someone who doesn’t drink. This was 6 years ago, when the Spirit Free movement was in its infancy and not so readily available. Even now with the increase in product variety, there is little opportunity to just try these new projects before you buy so it can be hard to know what you’d like. This was a really awesome way to try a variety of products, a variety of different ways. There were a lot of really great products that I’ve tried that were interesting and layered and complex, allowing all the fun of a cocktail without any of the downside like hangovers or lost time. There was a wellness space upstairs with movement and sound baths and tarot and I had the opportunity to enjoy the last two which were both nice.
Overall it was a great experience that I know so many people deeply enjoyed, myself included. I met so many great people and tried so many delicious products. I can’t wait for the next one.
Here’s What You Missed:
Grand Tasting
Saturday, January 21, 2023
3:00 PM 6:00 PM
Sample a variety of non-alcoholic beverages from local, national and international producers. Move about the designated floors at your leisure and talk with the producers and distributors.
Attend nutrition and wellness workshops offered by the Selina Wellness Team.
Learn the art of non-alcoholic (NA) cocktails during our Master Class with Derek Brown. Using non-alcoholic beverages from Drink Monday and Spiritless, he’ll give you practical tips on crafting delicious NA cocktails. He’ll also have signed copies of his latest book, Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails, for sale.
Grand Tasting Pass: $35
Saturday, January 21, 2023
6:00 PM 7:30 PM
During this time, feel free to rest in your room, grab dinner at Selina or wander around Union Market.
Cocktail Competition + After Party
Sat, Jan 21, 2023 7:30 PM Sun, Jan 22, 2023 12:00 AM
Sponsored by Ritual Zero Proof and Thomson & Scott, our Cocktail Competition gets the party started. Six competitors are tasked with creating a delicious cocktail using one Ritual Zero Proof non-alcoholic spirit AND one Thomson & Scott non-alcoholic wine. You’ll get to try the cocktails too and even vote for the finalists.
Our judges will have the final say and score them on presentation, taste, and creativity.
Judges: Monica Alford – District Fray
Chef Ashish Alfred – Alfred Restaurant Group
Clyde Davis, Jr. – Housebar
Samantha Kasten – Umbrella Dry Drinks
Val Restificar – DC Craft Bartender’s Guild
Then we crank up the vibes with our afterparty, hosted by popular Washington, D.C.-based “No & Low” cocktail party pioneers, Disco Mary. Enjoy DJs, dancing and even more great non-alcoholic beverages.
Party Pass: $75
VIP TICKET – All day / night access: $95
Vendors & Drinks to Check Out:
acknowledge
Integrate/D // Sour Suver Haze // Painted Lady // Forbidden V // Frosted Kush
All the Bitter
Aromatic // New Orleans // Orange
Bare Zero Proof
Bourbon Whiskey // Modern Classic Gin // Reposado Style Tequila
Betty Buzz
Club Soda // Ginger Beer // Meyer Lemon // Sparkling Grapefruit // Sparkling Lemon Lime // Tonic Water
Bite
Anaperitivo // Elderflower & Jasmine Organic Syrup // Rhubarb & Pink Peppercorn Organic Syrup // Passionfruit & Milky Oolong Tea Organic Syrup // Mango & Miso Organic Syrup // Ginger, Lemon & Lime Organic Syrup
Brella Cocktail Drops
Garden Party // Jazz Club
Booze Free in DC
Capital Eagle
Balanced Omission Brewing – Bright Eyed IPA (NA)
Ceder’s
Crisp // Pink Rose
Delmosa
Manufaktur Jörg Geiger WiesenObst Cider // Manufaktur Jörg Geiger Inspiration 4.7 // Manufaktur Jörg Geiger Dzin Bitter // Beskows Cherry & Pear // Raumland Traube Rhabarber // Bergdolt-Reif & Nett Pinot Blanc
Element Shrub
Blueberry Rosemary // Blood Orange Saffron // Chai Pear // Ginger Lime // Honeydew Jalapeño
Everleaf
Forest // Marine // Mountain
Flyers
BKLN Gold // Sydney Spritz // Tokyo Marg
jas
Paloma Libre
jeng
CBD-free Moscow Mule
CBD-free Paloma
Heineken
Heineken 0.0
Leitz
Eins Zwei Zero Blanc de Blancs // Eins Zwei Zero Chardonnay // Eins Zwei Zero Riesling // Eins Zwei Zero Sparkling Blanc de Blancs // Eins Zwei Zero Sparkling Riesling // Zero Point Five Pinot Noir
Lyre’s
Amalfi Spritz // American Malt & Cola // Classico // Dark ‘N Spicy // G & T // Agave Blanco // Italian Orange // Italian Spritz
Monday
Monday Gin
Mixoloshe
Blueberry G&T // Cosmic Bitter Spritz // Mango Chili Crush // Orange Old Fashioned // Southern Pineapple Smash // Tropical Smoky Margarita
Mocktail Club
Bombay Fire // Capri Spritz // Havana Twist // Manhattan Berry
Port City Brewing
Hopwell Hopped Sparkling Water
Ritual Zero Proof
Gin Alternative // Rum Alternative // Tequila Alternative // Whiskey Alternative
Seir Hill
Biscayne // Durangold
Spiritless
Kentucky 74
Thomson & Scott
Noughty Dealcoholized Rouge // Noughty Dealcoholized Sparkling Rosé // Noughty Dealcoholized Sparkling Chardonnay
Two Roads Brewing
NA American IPA // NA Juicy IPA
Umbrella Dry Drinks
Untitled Art
Italian Pils NA // Juicy IPA NA // Mango Dragonfruit Fruited Sour NA
Rockstars:
- Derek Brown – Event Coordinator + Competition Director, owner of Positive Damage, Inc. and Drink Company, author of “Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails,” and co-founder of Mindful Drinking Fest.
- Erika Goedrich – Operations Director + Retail Lead, owner of Craft Beer Cellar in Washington, D.C. and co-founder of Mindful Drinking Fest.
- Maria Bastasch – Creative Director + Venue Coordinator, the Washington DC Destination Director at Selina Hotels and owner of Disco Mary, a popular “No & Low” pop-up concept, and the Creative Director for Drink Company.
Website:
Social:
- https://www.instagram.com/mindfuldrinkingfest/
- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088227837184
