Stoptober doesn't mean sacrificing a night out, come with us to Torstigbar, Brighton's first low and no-alcohol bar. 

With Stoptober in full swing, we jumped at the chance to try Brighton’s first low and no-alcohol bar, Tortstigbar, a refreshing new bar offering evenings out without the nasty hangover the next day. Torstig means thirsty in Denmark and the bar was created to give people a modern, welcoming place to visit without the need for alcohol. Nestled just off the main street in Kemptown, the bright lights of Torstigbar were a welcome sight on a grey October evening. Being mid-week, we expected it to be quiet but instead found a bustling bar of people out enjoying the evening and the benefits of having a good drink without the alcohol.

The drinks mainly focus on well-being, a refreshing change, making you feel better rather than suffering the effects of a booze-laden evening. With IPAs, stouts, Guinness Zero on tap, drinks with added mood enhancers such as CBD, and a full range of delicious cocktails, you will be spoilt for choice when deciding. After a long perusal, with an intriguing menu and fridges groaning with all sorts of beautiful drinks, we soon found ourselves enjoying a tasty drink whilst unwinding.

I realised whilst there that having a grown-up cocktail, in this case, a beautifully mixed and presented drink with all the trappings of a standard cocktail, when not drinking alcohol is such a welcome sight. For too long the alcohol-free industry has been left in the hands of cheap mixers and copies of alcoholic alternatives that taste nothing like the equivalent drink, so it is so heartening to see how many excellent replacements there are now, Torstigbar felt like the perfect place to revel in this newfound freedom.

Whatever your reason for going alcohol-free, Torstigbar offers the chance to still enjoy a night out whilst avoiding having to sit in a pub and drink 3 pints of lemonade. Anyone who has avoided the hard stuff for a while will realise this is a horrible way to spend an evening, it is preferable to have a beautifully mixed drink with tasty, high-end ingredients that are a far cry from any sickly sweet mocktails you may have imbibed in your past. I loved the fact the menu guided you in choosing a drink, we went for a Tumbol (if you like a Negroni) and a Lonstrup, a strong contender for a G&T. For a moment my drinking companion and I did a double take as the Salcombe New London Light was such a familiar taste profile to a traditional G&T, whilst the Negroni provided the perfect mouthfeel.

I cannot believe I have gotten so far without mentioning the snacks and food, Torstigbar is currently working with Purezza so you can order your pizza from a local restaurant, the perfect way to complete your evening. As we head into the party season what better way to counteract the impending month-long hangover than alternating with nights at Torstigbar, not to mention dry January. Overall, we were blown away by Torstigbar, whether you fancy a night off the booze or don’t drink for other reasons, this is a treat in all senses of the word.

Caroline