A few weeks ago, we hopped across the pond to attend Bar Convent Berlin, the largest global bar and spirits trade show, with more than 1,200 brands serving up their finest libations.
Rest assured, it was more bar than a convent. We sipped on infused gins and hopped spirits, and we even imbibed a few flavorful low-percentage beers while dabbling in the sober-curious movement with alcohol-like substances. It’s safe to say we got pretty buzzed on the show—with or without the booze—and we highlighted our 10 favorite brands so you could get your thirsty eye holes on them. Cheers!
Mr. Black
This Australian cold brew coffee liqueur takes a new-world spin on an old-world classic. Mr. Black marries the depth of coffee with the fresh originality of Australian wheat vodka, yielding an unorthodox, unapologetic fusion. The deep black liqueur inside the glass bottle and minimal gold foil label are wonderfully austere and bold.
Undone
Undone packs a punch but spares you the hangover. These alcohol-free spirits were crafted to provide the aroma, complexity, and familiarity of spirits to ensure you’re not left drinking a juice “cocktail.” Undone’s ribboned label wraps the bottle as a modern and literal rendering of the brand name. Or it’s a drunk barber pole that’s got to go home? Either way, we’re buying.
Stryyk
It’s not rum. It’s not gin. It’s not vodka.
So what is it? Among other things, Stryyk uses capsicum and menthol to mimic the burn of alcohol without burning into tomorrow’s productivity, creating a non-boozy alternative for the working week. The bottle design is stark, bold, and straightforward, giving off shades of Absolut with its Futura-esque all-caps logo.
Aecorn Apertif
Aecorn non-alcoholic aperitifs, made from Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay grapes, are beautifully bitter with herbal depth and dimension. Their gorgeous labels embody elegance through soft leaf-like shapes and colors, sophistication through typeface, and modernity through geometric accents.
Gimber
Gimber ditches the alcohol and sugar but cuts no corners when it comes to depth of flavor with its concentrate of organic Peruvian ginger, lemons, herbs, spices, and gems. With uses ranging from cocktails to marinade, Gimber’s gingery edge and herbal complexity shine through. The unadorned label and fragmented typeface communicate the simplicity and sophistication of the product itself.
One Gin
This ornate, earthy gin with herbal flavor combinations like Sage & Apple is the alcoholic counterpart to One Water, a mission-driven bottled water brand that has raised over $25 million to provide clean water to communities around the world. The design is whimsical, but honest, and detailed without ever feeling like it’s overwhelming you.
Hardenberg
Hardenberg grain schnapps is crafted according to a family recipe passed down through generations. The contemporary type and overall aesthetic assert Hardenberg’s place in a modern liquor cabinet while the soft colors and boar’s head emblem echo the care and craft of a family recipe.
St. Agrestis Inferno Bitter
St Agrestis’s Inferno Bitter aperitivo is boldly, loudly, and refreshingly bitter. The textured bottle celebrates the iconic bite, depth, and vibrancy of a negroni while the metallic, geometric label and layered typeface make the whole thing as three dimensional as the bottle itself.
Hubris Brewery
For craft brewery Hungarian Hubris, a label is worth a thousand words, even if it only features three. Their confident, extreme minimalism, as well as their two-tone designs, are anything but simple. In the loudest way, they let understatedness speak for itself.
Cut Rum
Made from natural, high-quality ingredients, Cut Rum keeps it real and straightforward by highlighting what each SKU is about: Spice, Smoke, or Overproof. Their frank and candid tone shines through as playful metallic accents are balanced out by rich, earnest tones.
