Dublin's first alcohol-free bar is set to open at the end of February at No. 54 Capel Street on the north side of the city.
Named The Virgin Mary Bar, the proprietors of the soon-to-be-opened venue are Vaughan Yates and Oisín Davis, who have hired mixologist Anna Walsh to run the bar.
Devising The Menu
Talking to Drinks Industry Ireland about the bar's menu, Walsh said, "It has been fun looking at ways to carry flavour and create mouth-feel without the use of alcohol. There are already several alcohol-free distilled spirits on the market, with many more coming out this year. I’ve used de-alcoholised wines in place of vermouths, which I then infuse with other ingredients. A good way to give mouth-feel is by adding in tannins from teas. Hibiscus and white tea both have light tannins while green tea adds extra astringency again, giving a similar effect to alcohol on your palate, that is."
"Giving People An Alternative"
Meanwhile, Davis commented, "If a fellow Dubliner wants to catch up with mates after 4pm in the city but doesn’t want to hang out in a pub, the only options available to them are multinational cafés that largely lack any atmosphere. We’re really looking forward to changing that and finally giving people an alternative."
According to the bar's official Facebook page, The Virgin Mary's owners are planning to open the venue on February 20.
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