You asked, we listened. On Wednesday, May 13th 2020, we launched REAL Royal Flush and Dry Dragon in gorgeous 750ml cork-and-cage bottles, offering our customers and our sober curious friends a genuine alternative to sparkling wine, presented in a way that feels both familiar and natural. Here's a word from David Begg, REAL founder, on the journey we've taken.
We believe in passion and perfection, in innovation not imitation. We believe in choice: the choice to be healthy and hedonistic, to indulge without conscience, to consume the best but be conscious in our consumption.
We have built on centuries of fermentation experience in sparkling wines in order to develop our drinks. They have all the quality and mouthfeel of their alcoholic cousins but none of the headache.
And, after many months in development, we're delighted to be unveiling something we know you've all been waiting for – a 750ml bottle, beautifully designed and sealed in cork and cage, ready for sharing with your nearest and dearest in lockdown, and with your friends and colleagues when lockdown comes to an end and it's time for the REAL celebrations.
As our fans already know, we take this to world-beating levels, selecting exquisite loose-leaf teas with the same respect that a winemaker affords their grapes, and fermenting with the same care and passion as a fine wine. Just like a fine wine, we take the utmost care, selecting premium loose-leaf teas for a sparkling, non-alcoholic alternative to sparkling wine. This is the REAL Deal.
A PIONEERING ALTERNATIVE
We are pioneers, on a mission to make the world a positively sober place. Exquisite drinks, lovingly brewed, beautifully served. Never compromising on quality or flavour.
We've worked closely with wine makers, beer brewers and microbiologists around the world to perfect both the art and science of fermentation. Detailed microbiology, DNA testing and chemical analysis are all part of our tool kit. But nothing comes close to human intuition and a refined palate.
Our unique live cultures are responsible for the creation of the body and character of our drinks. Yeasts work on our teas to produce fruity, spicy, floral and aromatic compounds that blend with the acids and delicate sweetness to give a perfect balance.
And the alcohol? We ferment with a natural blend of yeasts and bacterias. As the yeasts consume the sugars and turn it into alcohol, the bacterias busily consume the alcohol and produce the delicate acids. Just as nature intended.
NON-ALCOHOLIC SPARKLING FERMENTED TEA
Like wine, tea fermentation has been around for thousands of years. But whereas wine makers have perfected their art to giddy heights, tea fermentation has, until relatively recently, remained in the domain of home-brewers.
So we've taken a leaf from the wine makers' book. We know that not all teas are created equal. Whereas a single plant, Camelia Sinensis, produces all the world’s tea, the quality of our drinks depends upon the soil, the situation, the climate, and how the tea is picked and processed.
For example, our first flush comes from a single tea estate in the Lesser Himalayas, near Darjeeling, India. North-facing, and in sight of the world’s third highest mountain, Kangchenjunga, frosts in winter chill the plants, and shade in spring allows for slower growth.
We select just the tips of the plant that emerge in the first 3-4 weeks of the season. Withered, rolled, gently oxidised and dried with great care, this ensures that the leaves are young, fresh and full of delicate floral notes.
But it is in fermentation that this exquisite tea really comes alive. These floral notes develop into touches of rhubarb, white peach and blackcurrant. Like a diamond cut from its raw stone.
REAL SOPHISTICATION
At REAL Drinks, we believe in innovation, not imitation. Wine is alcoholic, and naturally so. But if you want a great non-alcoholic alternative to your favourite sparkling wine, don’t reach for something shabby, lesser, stripped-out and reconstituted. Reach for the REAL thing – the REAL McCoy, something with REAL flavour, REAL body and REAL sophistication.
Welcome to the Avant Garde.
Elevate your celebrations with REAL Drinks' pioneering alternative to sparkling wine. Our 750ml cork-and-cage bottles present a genuine choice for health-conscious hedonism. As pioneers in fermentation, we've harnessed the art and science, selecting premium teas and crafting exquisite non-alcoholic drinks.
Just as wine makers craft their finest, our live cultures infuse our drinks with complexity. Fermented with care, our non-alcoholic sparkling tea boasts floral notes and delightful hints of rhubarb, white peach, and blackcurrant. It's time for sophistication without compromise.
Contact us today or explore our online store for the REAL Deal. Cheers to genuine alternatives!