"Being a bartender is my happy place. I love being at the front of the action, slinging out drinks while providing great hospitality."
For Jonny Park, venue manager at Parasol & Swing, it’s a thrill to be working behind the bar, whether he is serving alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages.
Parasol & Swing is renowned for its wide array of cocktails, but due to the rise in the sober curious movement, it has also adapted these drinks to cater to alcohol-free customers.
This has created a selection of drinks that cover various flavour profiles and will suit even the most unique cravings. Park and the team at Parasol & Swing have ensured that guests can choose between drinking alcohol or not, and if they choose not to, they aren't regulated to a soft drink or syrup-laden juice.
Jonny Park
"We develop our drinks as a team and will workshop them across multiple sessions," said Park.
"Often, mocktails are overlooked on menus and let the offering down, so we should give them as much attention as we would any other drink on our menu."
When crafting a depth of flavour and balance, Parasol & Swing considers at various ingredients, such as fresh produce, spices, and herbs, that replicate the flavours commonly found in its alcoholic equivalents.
When asked what his favourite mocktail offered at Parasol & Swing was, Park stated that the virgin Vimto, a green grape-forward spritz-style mocktail with mint and lemon, was among the most popular.
Park also listed classic berry, strawberry, raspberry, and tropical as some of the bar industry's most popular mocktail flavour profiles.
"We have also seen a growing trend in requests for lower-sugar, lighter-bodied drinks, emphasising locally sourced producers and ingredients," he explained.
Parasol & Swing is set to develop its zero-alcohol offerings to ensure that all guests are catered for. Its most recent focus has been expanding its menu, which will carry the bar through to the colder months.
"This menu will hero some non-alcoholic riffs on classic winter warmers to keep customers going until summer returns.”
Park encouraged consumers who are embarking on their sober journey to shop locally and research some of the incredible zero-percent alcohol offerings available in New Zealand.
"Supporting local is a great way to help the industry thrive."
Read more Dry July Features here.
