DENVER — DioniLife is launching two new non-alcoholic spirits in Denver, tapping into the growing trend of Coloradans looking for quality, non-alcoholic alternatives to traditional beverages.
DioniLife entered into the beverage industry last year with its acquisition of non-alcoholic beer Mash Gang.
To meet the surging demand for non-alcoholic drinks, the company is releasing La Borosa — a tequila alternative — and Pavari 17 — a Mediterranean aperitif alternative.
Chief Innovation Officer at DioniLife Steve Wilson believes Denver to be the perfect place to launch these products.
“There’s more people here open to trying non-alcoholic beverages than maybe in other states,” Wilson said at the brand’s launch event at Pony Up, a Blake Street bar in Denver. “We have an audience here that spans the whole breadth of those cocktails, and it in an environment where they’re open to it, as well. This is a perfect fit.”
Coloradans already consume non-alcoholic spirits at an above-average rate, according to Wilson. He also said that the most popular cocktails in Colorado are a spritz, which uses an aperitif, and a margarita with tequila — hence, the choices for the release of La Borosa and Pavari 17.
Jasmyne Colin, a bartender at Pony Up, was excited about the idea of non-alcoholic options that more closely resemble the original spirit.
“There are some non-alcoholic spirits that we get that don't always taste the best,” Colin said. “When you find something that actually kind of mimics normal spirits or has its own unique taste that we can work with, it’s super fun.”
Colin has worked as a bartender for five years, and has stayed in the industry because it allows her to explore her creativity while also interacting with people. Thoughtful mocktails allow her to give her sober customers the same attention as everyone else.
“It doesn't matter why they're here. They're at your bar and they want to have an experience, and whether that contains alcohol or not, the experience doesn't change,” Colin said. “You don't want to go to a bar and just have soda or just have lemonade and feel like you're left out of the conversation.”
As more people become health conscious and opt to limit their alcohol intake, the appeal of non-alcoholic cocktails only continues to grow. In Colorado, where people flock to the mountains to ski or hike, consumers are seeking alternatives that allow them to enjoy nights out without the aftereffects of alcohol.
“This is one of those things where you can enjoy all the things of night life, but you can still get up in the morning and do all the things you like to do,” Colin said. “There are also plenty of bartenders, including myself, that go on extended breaks, where we don't drink. To have something that we can enjoy as bartenders, as well, is exciting.”
The launch starts in Denver at 40 bars across the city. Wilson said that DioniLife plans on eventually expanding to the rest of Colorado, and then the rest of the United States, if the new products catch on like they expect it to.
“There aren’t as many people in the spirit space as there are in the beer space, which for us is really good,” Wilson said. “We believe we’ve got the model right. I think we’re off to a good start.”
