Want to Cut Down, But Not Cut Out Booze?

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We are in that odd period between Christmas & New Year, where it is ok to have a turkey sandwich with a few pigs in blankets on the side for breakfast. It also seems to be ok to have a glass of something alcoholic earlier in the day and keep dipping back in until bedtime. But that too seems to get boring by the 28th, never mind the ever growing food/drink baby belly.

Covid 19 & Christmas make for a heady mix in terms of Boozing and if you like me agree with the words of Brand Developer & Author, David Gluckman, “it is time to Cut Down not Cut Out alcohol” – then let’s talk and get down to business.

My own relationship with Booze has been messy. Living in Spain in my 20’s, with amazing red wine on tap, moving to Germany with meat platters and their white wine, a great career in Advertising in London with long languid boozy lunches and being on the online dating scene which only ever seemed to prove interesting when a Bar was involved and the soft drink choice was so lousy I just went for wine to make the hour go quicker.

This CV19 year after downloading the DrinkAware App in June, at 48, I decided to look at what Units and Calories I was consuming, often out of habit and because it was just 7pm. I had time on my hands to contemplate. My hospitality business (successful Under 5’s playcentre & restaurant) had had to shut with my 8 staff made redundant. The unique idea had become redundant due to toddlers not understanding Social Distancing, plus I was sadly one of the 3,000 businesses who had not received the correct grant due to a Small Business Rates anomaly. I realised that I was drinking between 50-60 units a week (recommended units for adults is 14 weekly) and over 600 calories an evening, on top of my dinner? WTF? But it was only a couple of large glasses a wine and maybe a G&T I used to say? It had seemed harmless. How many of us say that….?

The choice of whether to drink or not drink of an evening just didn’t exist and in every other area, I am very head strong about what I want. So, after trying a lot of nice drinks, adding Soda to make them feel grown up, after 2 months, I decided I still needed some ABV in my life, or it wouldn’t feel like I was drawing a line between day and evening. It seemed that there were only 2 extremes on offer to me and millions of others: Boozing or Tee Total and I didn’t want either. I needed to create a drink that solved the problem.

So I set to work on the birth of Moderation + Booze = Mooze.

I sought out a local multiple Gold Award Winning Distiller in Essex, owned by a Master Distiller/Micro Biologist and gave him my Brief. I also persuaded my best friend to join me in the business. I wanted a clear spirit where I could taste Botanicals and make that ahhhh noise after an alcoholic sip. I wanted a Cucumber crispness, clean, zingy Citrus zest on the palate and Juniper (no brainer), Asian dishes’ friend (my favourite food) Coriander and posh Macadamia nuts for a long lasting finish. After 4 versions, we had it. A lower calorie, lower ABV distilled alternative to Gin, that I would be very proud to serve to anyone who felt that moderation was impossible but wanted to CUT DOWN but not CUT OUT alcohol. Calorie wise, a double with a skinny tonic is just 36cals. The slimmers/fitness industry love it. The Three Drinkers put it in their recommended Christmas drink list in Month 1. Wowsers!!!

Whilst we respect that we cannot refer to Mooze as a Gin, as the ABV must be 37.5%, Mooze is distilled in exactly the same way, so Mooze is an Alt.Gin. However, it seems that there are supermarket shelves and online social groups for No/Low Drinkers which are full of great founders, ideas and large marketing pots, but we cannot be part of that gang. And fantastic editorial re What to Drink in January if you want to abstain. But Why? Well, our drink is not defined as low alcohol, which in the UK is lower than 1.2%, nor are we over 8-10% ABV which is the other end. Adding Tonic as an example drink, we become 4%, so a third + less alcohol than a regular G&T. So Buyers wont know where to put us, unless they take a chance on a high quality drink that is for Moderation rather than Abstinence. Plus Tee Totallers are very protective about us getting involved. Odd really, as we are all pushing for the same thing – people to have abetter relationship with Booze for their health, work and relationships? We would love to be part of the gang BTW.

I believe this is the best way forwards for me, everything in moderation, I sometimes substitute a high alcohol drink for Mooze when I feel I should, but I quaffed half a bottle of delicious Prosecco from Morrisons last night too.

Seeing sales since November we are not alone in our quest for Moderation.

So for a Dry-ish January – try out Mooze 12% – you will be very surprised. Happy Holidays.

Mooze 70cl. is available online at £24 with free delivery and I one of my personal objectives is to see us available to commuters, planes, trains, ferries, where driving is involved, but they want a real drink. Buy at www.moozebooze.com