SOBR makes the news again!

As we made our debut in many of Flanders top restaurants, our drinks haven't gone unnoticed by the press. We were contacted by journalist Sophie Allegaert from Belgian newspaper 'Het laatste nieuws' to talk about why we started, our journey for the past years, and what's ahead. You can ready the full story below.

"Everyone knows that alcohol has a negative impact on your brain, so we've added something to our non-alcoholic drink that can have a positive effect on your brain. As an extra bonus," say bio-engineers Milan Van Nuffel (27) and Simon Martens (26) of SOBR.

Undoubtedly, there are bio-engineering students who doze off during their specialization in fermentation technology, but Milan and Simon came out inspired and promptly began experimenting themselves. "Non-alcoholic fermentation is new. There is little knowledge about it, so we got to work in the kitchen of our student dorm," they explain.

From kombucha to kefir, everything was tried, and because they couldn't find the perfect acid balance, the duo soon started experimenting with new fermentation cultures. The boys had fun, but when they had more budget after their studies to enjoy fine dining, they noticed that few quality non-alcoholic drinks were served. "What was available lacked character, and nothing came close to the complexity and layering you expect from a glass of wine. Moreover, there are hardly any non-alcoholic drinks that you can pair with a meal."

‍
A light bulb went on. Maybe their flavorful, multi-layered kitchen brews had a future? Thanks to their balanced flavor profile, they were suitable both as an aperitif and with meals.

Moreover, the scientific duo succeeded in incorporating Lion's Mane mushroom into their creation. "This Asian mushroom, popular under the name Lion's Mane, is a hit in the Far East and the US. It provides a refined umami touch and is said to promote mental clarity," they explain.

Ghent University was involved to refine the process, the friends secured a grant, chefs and sommeliers were consulted, and after nearly two years of hard work, SOBR was ready. "In the beginning, we did everything ourselves. When you're sticking labels on bottles for days on end, you sometimes wonder if you studied for five years for this," they laugh. But that was quickly forgotten after the launch of their two non-alcoholic SOBR aperitifs — Holy Hibiscus and Woodpepper — in February. "The webshop exploded, and our drinks were soon being served in Michelin-starred restaurants like Table d'Amis in Kortrijk and Franq in Antwerp," they say. "Recently, we saw hundreds of bottles whizzing by on the automated bottling line. When you were doing everything by hand just a few weeks before, that's truly a magical moment." The fact that their families no longer have to help with bottling is a nice bonus. "Without them, we would never have succeeded. We are enormously grateful to them."

We hope you liked the read! If it made you thirsty for our drinks, check out our webshop or find us in one of the following sales locations.