My guest on today’s show is David Murphy—chief “flavor architect” for Lyres. David is a restauranteur, a sommelier, and a decades-long wine specialist, and now he has brought all his expertise in the field to the alcohol-free space.

I’ve been very curious about how people working in the alcohol industry at large are responding to the emerging sober curious or alt sobriety space. I sometimes picture people at the big booze brands sitting around, scratching their heads trying to figure out how to keep people drinking. Although, let’s be real, they are selling a highly addictive drug that is the most socially acceptable way to medicate out existential pain, so it’s not like alcohol is going anywhere fast.

But this conversation with David made me believe that, if nothing else, there being more and more alcohol-free options on menus makes it easier for people to choose something else rather than just drinking because it’s what everyone else is doing.

We also talk about the components that come together to make a really “good drink,” the future of alcohol-free wine, and how conversations about addiction are evolving among hospitality industry professionals. In the episode we discuss:

-The heavy drinking culture in Australia—and how this is changing radically

-Realizing it is just good business to give non-drinkers better options on a menu

-The toll that daily drinking takes when it’s part of your job

-How the sober curious movement has made it easier to talk about addiction within the booze industry

-How he went about creating non-alcoholic versions of all the classic spirits – and why tequila has the hardest flavor to replicate

-What makes a really “good drink” – and how to begin experimenting on your own at home

-Why the alcohol-free space wine has been so hard to crack and the latest developments in this area

-The ripple effect of him getting involved in non-alcoholics among his family and friends

-More people selecting their hospitality venues based on their zero-proof offerings

Learn more about David Murphy and Lyres new Agave Spirit non-alcoholic tequila blend HERE.

And big thank you to Avec for partnering on this episode—who make elevated mixers that are perfect for pairing with your favorite alcohol-free spirits. Find them at Avecdrinks.com where you can get 10% off online orders with the code "SoberCuriousPod"