Elliot Faber on the future of drinking well (and a perfect highball recipe)

Think of your most indulgent guilty pleasure – a Japanese whisky with a splash of water in a beautifully cut rock glass or that sought-after 2015 Super Tuscan. Now, what if you could enjoy your favourite booze without the hangover? Higher quality non-alcoholic drinks, be it 0.0 beers, Campari substitutes, zero-proof gins are hitting the market. Can complex, time-tested, adult flavours of quality spirit be both indulgent and guilt-free?

Let’s face it, a glass of fine Brunello was never an alcohol delivery mechanism. I choose boutique amaro cocktails and small batch bourbons for flavour rather than ABV (alcohol by volume). Taste, flavour and story are the focal points of an excellent drink, the alcohol volume is secondary. So why not seek ‘function’ and ‘meaning’ in drinks, as we do in food?

Normal . created NOLO!, a naturalist bar and cafe in Seoul, as a nod to the growing movement of treating non and low alcoholic beverages as opportunities to experiment and innovate. From this novel concept emerged a bold hospitality experience that distills the richness of nature and the essence of the seasons in non and low-alcoholic format.

We then set out looking for kindred spirits who are concocting a better drinking lifestyle with similar dedication to artisanal craft. Tastemaker, Elliot Faber, co-founder of The Sake Company, Sake Central, the founding beverage director of Michelin starred Yardbird Hong Kong and Ronin is one in our community. Known as the “Sake Samurai”, Elliot produced the astounding 420-page book Sake and has been delving into the complexities of fine spirits to the art of less-alcohol mixology in his ever evolving arc of a career.

As NOLO! prepares to host Elliot this month for a guest shift, I sat down with Elliot to discuss how innovative ingredients and craft techniques are reshaping our drinking habits and what this means for the future of entertainment and wellness.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Elliot, you’re always on the move.  Where are we catching you right now? And what have you been up to lately?

I have just returned to Kuala Lumpur with my family after almost two months away in France, England, Canada and the US. It was great time overseas with a focus on family time and reflection – plus a little bit of research and development, I can never fully switch off!

What was the origin of your fascination with alcoholic drinks?  You couldn’t have started from sake!

I was lucky enough to have facial hair before I was legally allowed to drink alcohol – there were certain places that wouldn’t ask for my ID as long as I sported some facial hair so, for better or worse, I was exposed to drinking underage! The early days are awash of 40 oz malt liquor and Mike’s Hard Lemonade variants. By the time I was of legal drinking age, I was down to try anything. 

The first time I left Canada, I immediately got the travel bug and visited as many countries as I could. My favourite part of all the travels was the sanctity of the dinner table (and what we were drinking). I shared hip flasks of vodka with strangers on overnight trains in Russia and local fermented concoctions in Polynesia but it was really enjoying the diversity of wine in Europe that made me want to study and become a Sommelier so thats what I did right after University.

There was a little sake brewery in Vancouver, one of the oldest in Canada – I stumbled in there at a time where I was deeply immersed in my sommelier studies and I always loved Japan, starting with anime and video games, so it was easy for me to make the connection to sake! After Studying wine, I keep going deeper into sake and when I moved to Asia, things really took off!

What is it about sake that you’re most passionate about and what the most rewarding aspect of working in and with sake?

Sake makers are incredible artisans and craftspeople. Their dedication to producing a single tank of sake is immersive to say the least. They usually live at the brewery for months at a time during the brewing season because of the strict scrutiny and effort that each production requires. A single degree change in temperature can completely alter a batch and it can easily take twice as long to produce a single tank of sake than it would take to make wine or beer. They are often only a quiet voice of self promotion and rarely get the recognition they deserve both as individual makers and as a sake category. Still, the maker’s stories, rich histories and personalities are always fascinating and I love to share them!

That’s the romantic side – of course, sake is delicious! It is incredibly versatile from a composition perspective when talking about food pairing – and it’s healthy, too! The high levels of nutrients and amino acids outshine other alcoholic beverages and the bi-products of sake fermentation are prized and used in some of Japan’s most famous beauty care products. It’s all thanks to the miracle fungus called koji mold which is found throughout Asia but is championed in Japan. It’s the work of koji’s enzymes which can bring out incredible benefits to the human body.

“I’m excited to work with NOLO! because I can see that there is a celebration of healthy living but not an omission of alcohol all together.”

Elliot Faber

Beverage and entertainment world is known for its dynamism.  You’ve stayed ahead of the curve by exploring and embracing new ideas.  What is currently capturing your interest?

Integration of fitness, mental health and alcohol consumption is at the top of my list. The hospitality industry is among the most challenging – yet we all part-take in it one way or another. I’m excited to work with NOLO! because I can see that there is a celebration of healthy living but not an omission of alcohol all together. I love the balance that can be achieved and I’m a proud supporter not only of the sake as an alcoholic liquid, but farmers, innovators and producers of fine food and beverage products in Japan and around the world. 

Personally, I reached a point in my life where I am simplifying and elevating things by focusing only on what matters.  In my travels, I’ve experienced plenty of healthy juices that use fresh, and often, intriguing mix of fruits and plants, but with NOLO! we wanted to go further:   transform these drinks through seasonal ingredients and innovative craft.  When I hear you describe your journey and where you are at right now, I see intersections with NOLO!  What does wellness in drinking mean to you?

People always refer to alcoholic beverages that they can’t drink ‘because they get a hangover’, but the truth usually is not about that product but what else they drank; what late night food did they drink, how many cigarettes did they smoke and what hour did they go to bed – how much (or how little water) did they consume… these are usually the triggers of hangovers but people tie it down to the beverage that they remember most or maybe drank the most of. Recognizing the effects alcohol can have on your body (not just getting drunk) is the first step – if that can be harnessed and you can get out of bed to go for a run or leisurely walk the next morning, you are on your way to winning the battle.

What role do non and low-alcoholic drinks play in your various projects?

Highballs are my passion. They offer maximum refreshment and, as a long drink, they are typically diluted with soda water. This keeps the overall alcohol by volume low, reduces sugar consumption, and increases the liquid volume, allowing your body to process the alcohol more easily. A highball isn’t simply a whisky soda: it’s the choice of glassware, ice, spirit – it’s the temperature of each element and the steps to combining the ingredients… all of these things turn something simple into something beautiful and that is what draws me to highballs.

We are thrilled about your upcoming visit to NOLO! and we know this isn’t your first visit to Seoul.  What’s most interesting about our city?

I feel like when it comes to Seoul, there’s no guide that can really tell you where to go. It takes first hand exploration and networking to discover the roots of what makes Seoul special. I’m always excited to make new friends and meet up with old ones because they always have a favourite local bar to visit, a new flavour for me to discover or even a glimpse into something traditional which never gets translated into English. Seoul is never the same thing twice for me!

What can the guests of NOLO! look forward to during your guest shift?

I’m so excited to check out NOLO! This small bar in an up and coming neighborhood is carrying a big message which I think needs to be explored more. Anybody can offer a shot of whisky on the rocks but to offer that shot of whisky along side no or low-alcohol options is something that we are only starting to see. As a champion of the highball, I think I fit right in! I’ve created three highballs specifically for NOLO! and have made a riff on an existing NOLO! cocktail – I’ll be showcasing the art of the highball and sharing a glimpse into my world with the people of Seoul! I’m also very excited to share some classic Fernet Hunter highballs with NOLO – an Austrian Bitter which has become iconic in Asia but is just getting started in Seoul. This spirit takes advantage of nature to create most of the flavor profile and it is excellent in integration for low ABV cocktails.

We’ve crossed paths professionally and personally in multiple occasions in the past 10 years or so we’ve known each other.  One vivid memory I have is from Saigon, hopping from one hole-in-the-wall vendor to another, eating and drinking into the wee hours.  Are we now too old to expect this in Seoul? 

I’ve already been doing my research to create our own adventure – I have a feeling I will have the honor of showing you around your own city!

Elliot Faber brings his passion and expert craft for highball and everything to do with drinking well to NOLO!, Seoul on July 29, 2024.