Last week, opened a quaint and colorful taproom on South Pearl Street. But there’s something different about this new drink spot: all of the beer, wine and cocktails on this menu are alcohol-free.
If you go
Ұü Taproom, 1455 South Pearl St., Denver. Open 3 p.m.-10 p.m. Thursday-Friday, noon-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
The 1,752-square-foot bungalow in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood, complete with inviting patio and backyard, might be a temporary summer pop-up for Ұü, but the brother-sister duo behind the brand is here to stay. And just like family, they want you to stop by.
“Denver is the perfect place for us to open up our Ұü lounge. On the one hand, we all know Denver is a craft-beer/brewery mecca. Itap a part of the culture here but often itap not the alcohol we’re seeking but the setting, hanging out with friends and enjoying a delicious brew,” said Anika Sawni, co-owner of Ұü. “On the other hand, there’s also a big community that values living a healthy lifestyle, being active and adventuring into the mountains. This combination shows the need for a healthier social space where everyone is welcome and we don’t have to compromise on taste, health or socializing.”
When siblings Anika and Niki Sawni moved from Toronto to Denver in 2019 to start Ұü, the pandemic wasn’t exactly something they expected to experience here. But as many Americans became during quarantine, Ұü took off. Within the last two years, the company has expanded to six other states and is sold in more than 1,500 locations across the U.S., including Whole Foods, Natural Grocers and Total Wine. According to a press release, the company said it expects business in 2021 to quadruple “as more consumers seek high quality social beverages without alcohol.”
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Since the pandemic, the non-alcoholic or alcohol-free beverage sector has been on the rise in general as more people turn to healthier lifestyles. According to a recent , NA beverage sales are expected to reach $29 billion globally and surpass $6.4 billion in the U.S. alone.
“The alcohol-free space is quickly growing, and many are starting to explore healthier alternatives to alcohol, but the biggest thing still lacking is sober-centric public spaces for people to socialize without the booze,” Anika Sawni said. “Ұü’s mission is to provide a beverage that allows people to be healthy while also staying social. It was pretty much a no-brainer that we wanted to create a pop-up space that pushed the boundaries in what an alcohol free setting could look and feel like. We can be real, intimate, comfortable, sober and still have a great time.”
Ұü is planning to host a variety of alcohol-free events this summer, including live music and morning yoga in the taproom’s backyard. Currently on tap, Gruvi has six beers, a bubbly rosé, “dry secco” and seven refreshing mocktails, including a Summer Shandy and Aperol Spritz — all alcohol-free.
Ұü will soon tap its first-ever dry red wine, which will be exclusively available at the Denver taproom later this summer.
“To date, we’ve been able to accomplish so much more than we ever thought with our small, but mighty team,” Niki Sawni said. “Our main objectives this year are to continue to grow our Ұü family by connecting with people that share the same passion we have towards living an alcohol free lifestyle, while continuing to innovate the alcohol free category. We’ll be introducing new products and investing in new exciting technologies; 2021 will be an exciting year for Ұü.”
