Returning to old Blighty for the Christmas holidays marked a significant milestone for me – my first trip back to the motherland and the epicenter of binge drinking since becoming sober furious. Stepping foot on English soil after six years, I found myself in unfamiliar territory, devoid of the plans to indulge in all the gin & tonics and pints of beer that England has to offer. Navigating family gatherings and traveling with kids can strain anyone’s mental health, and yet surprisingly, the trip unfolded fantastically without a single hiccup regarding my alcohol-free lifestyle.
NA Revolution in UK
England has certainly changed in the 6 years since I had been “home” and the eleven years since I have lived in the USA. Gone are the days when alcohol reigned supreme. Over there, they are experiencing a surge in alcohol-free behaviours and alcohol-free products. The supermarkets were absolutely delightfully stocked full of non-alcoholic drink options – far more than the standard grocery stores here. Non-alcoholic variants in all the top brands from Gordon’s Gin to Stella Artois to Guinness. It was surprising, refreshing even… and a clear sign of the societal shift happening in UK regarding alcohol consumption.
Digging deeper on the topic, my research revealed that over half of UK consumers aged 18-34 worry about the effect of alcohol on their emotional wellbeing, and over two-thirds of all alcohol drinkers have the same concern. These concerns are driving consumers towards low-alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks. Consistently strong new product development has driven rapid growth in the low- and no-alcohol drinks market. Growth has slowed recently, but only slightly, and Mintel estimates that the market will increase by another 11.2% in 2023.
Stock the Fridge
Upon arriving in the UK, my lovely mother pre-stocked the fridge of our holiday cottage with non-alcoholic beers and pre-mixed NA G&Ts as well as popping a Lancashire Hot Pot on low in the crock pot. After a very long journey from San Diego to Heathrow to Manchester to Garstang, Lancashire, my Mum’s homemade Lancashire Hot Pot served with crusty bread and a non-alcoholic beer was absolute perfection. One of the best beers that my Mum hooked me up with is Free Damm, a delicious non-alcoholic lager produced by the Spanish brewery Damm. Free Damm is crafted to offer the taste and experience of beer without the alcohol content and aims to provide a refreshing and satisfying beer-drinking experience while remaining alcohol-free.
Lancashire Hot Pot with NA Beer
So to break with tradition and pay homage to my wonderful mother, today I am going to celebrate the combination of non-alcoholic beer from Free Damm with my Mum’s traditional Lancashire Hotpot.
Ingredients
- NA Beer such as Free Damm
- 1 onion
- 1lb lamb
- 5 medium sided carrots
- 5 yukon gold potatoes
Instructions
- Cook the carrots and diced potatoes together with ample salt.
- Once cooked, drain but save the water – this is important as it has the salt you will reuse.
- Sauté the lamb and onion cooked together until the onion is soft and the lamb is browned. Do not salt these.
- Mix vegetables with lamb and onion.
- Add a tablespoon of gravy granules preferably Bisto which is a British brand that is sold on Amazon.com.
- Stir well and add extra until you get the thickness you want.
- Season with a tad more salt and a helping of black pepper if needed
- Serve in bowls with crusty french bread on the side and a dollop of pickled red cabbage or pickled beets
- Enjoy with a cold glass of NA beer
Bon Appetite!