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Seadrift Distillery is a zero% alcohol distillery making waves in Sydney’s Northern Beaches for its impeccable non-alcoholic spirits and welcoming So Bar.
You can smell Seadrift Distillery before you see it. Not the overwhelming fragrance you’d get from brewing beer or gin, but a livelier aroma of herbs and fresh produce slowly cooking in small copper stills. The space is what you’d expect from a semi-coastal distillery. It’s open and light, dotted with fernery, fairy lights and big, wooden beams. The bar sits at the centre of the venue, large and curved, with head bartender Lachie behind the stick. You’ll find both owners, Alastair and Carolyn Whiteley, drifting through the venue, working but always keen to chat about their product and story. The distillery’s biggest drawcard? It’s entirely non-alcoholic. In fact, they were Australia’s first non-alcoholic distillery and their bar (So Bar – a punny nod to its dry nature) is Sydney’s only zero% bar.
What they’re producing isn’t just a once-off, throw-away product to align with the industry’s ‘no and low’ trends. This is a lovingly crafted product that is well-balanced and intriguing. It is perfect afternoon sipping – even better when enjoyed at Seadrift’s So Bar, when the stills are purring gently and the smell of herbs is wafting through the space.
Both So Bar and the Seadrift Distillery product are made with love and it permeates the space. Every bottle is small and hand-batched, the cocktails exquisitely thought out, and the little (for a distillery) space is homey and welcoming. It’s a friendly experience sitting at the bar – sipping a Seadrift and thoughtfully tailored tonic – that has a truly neighbourly feel to it.
Seadrift also run various events in the distillery. The most popular, Alastair and Carolyn tell us, are their non-alc dance parties, run by Buddha Bar Experiences. People come along, drink Seadrift’s non-alc cocktails and dance the night away. They play host to a number of local events, so make sure you check out their Instagram to see what’s coming up.
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There are three core products available at Seadrift Distillery (including their premix counterparts): Seadrift Classic, Seadrift Coast and Seadrift Hibiscus. We recommend sampling all three drinks at the bar, so their resident bartender can talk you through what you’re tasting, how to drink it and where the produce comes from. They also have a solid cocktail list that is both refined and fun.
However, Seadrift’s strength lies in the quality of its original product. For a drink that cannot fail you, order the Seadrift Classic with a lick of house tonic – it’s outrageously good. And we’re not the only ones who think so. According to Alastair and Carolyn, it’s a favourite among chefs and foodies for its unique and exciting taste. Characterised by the fresh smell and taste of coriander and kaffir lime leaves, it’s extended by the sea kelp Alastair and Carolyn forage nearby. This gives the product an exciting umami flavour, coating the mouth for a fuller drinking experience.
