Melbourne is gearing up to launch the country’s first low- and zero-alcohol drinks festival Picolo.
The event will take place on 11 February next year at Timber Yard and will showcase artisan producers, distillers and brewers making waves in the category.
“There’s been a huge cultural shift around drinking in recent years and people are realising that not every social drink needs to have booze in it to be enjoyable,” says Revel Director and CEO Dan Sims.
“As a result, the NoLo beverage market has experienced extraordinary growth in Australia over the past couple of years, and, in good news for punters, the quality, flavour and integrity of these drinks have kept pace to really change the game.”
The line up will feature more than 30 producers including Heaps Normal, T.I.N.A, Non, Better Beer, Four Pillars, Ovant, Senza, Banks Botanical, Sobah, Lyre’s, Yes you Can, Gruppetto Spritz, Mischief Brew and Giesen, with more to be announced in the coming months.
Leading producers will take the main stage with talks and masterclasses on how to create high-quality low- and zero-alcohol drinks.
Melbourne bartenders from venues such as Her, Pearl Diver, Par and Black Pearl will also participate in a live cocktail competition overseen by Bar Liberty’s Nick Tesar.
Contestants will create a signature cocktail with products from six NoLo spirit companies, with patrons able to try the drinks at the festival bar.
The winner will win a trip to New Zealand’s Giesen wine facility, which is known for its innovative spinning cone distilling technology.
The Mould Cheese Collective stand will serve up an extensive selection of artisan dairy products as part of the festival’s food line up.
Picolo will be held across two sessions each starting at 12pm and 5pm. Tickets are $35 a session and includes festival entry, drinks tastings, entertainment and a stemless Revel wine glass.