The Second Life of Low-Alcohol Liqueur Sorel

There’s a special joy in second chances. And at a moment when sales of low- to no-alcohol brands continue to rise, this seems like the perfect time to reintroduce a liqueur that was a hit with cocktail insiders. That’s where microdistiller and bar industry educator Jackie Summers finds himself, five years after his chief product, Sorel Liqueur, was discontinued. Known as "the red drink,” the hibiscus liqueur was marketed as a cocktail mixer or a light, mildly buzzy potable on its own. As for the timing being propitious: Sorel’s relaunch is getting a boost from Fawn Weaver, founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. In June, Weaver launched the $50 million Uncle Nearest Venture Fund to support minority-owned spirits brands. Sorel received a $2 million investment. Signs that the time is right for Sorel abound. America’s racial reckoning this past year has also influenced more consumers to seek out Black-owned businesses like Summers’. Diageo Opens a Data-Based ‘Collaboration Center’ to Keep Pace With a Changing Alcohol Industry “This country is just getting to a point where it's ready to hear the stories of marginalized people in their own voices,” Summers told Adweek. “Now, after all these centuries, people have finally needed to hear this story of perseverance and of joy that has survived all this time. While I have made a reputation in the industry for advocacy work, Sorel is not my story.” From sorrel to Sorel Sorel's story is rooted in 500 years of history. That timeline starts in West Africa, with the import of enslaved people—and hibiscus flowers. “The knowledge of what these flowers could do, what their use was, what the benefit was, travels alongside stolen Africans,” Summers said. In Africa, the hibiscus flower was medicinal and ceremonial. The flower is loaded with healing properties, naturally antimicrobial and antifungal. Sorel is based on sorrel, the red-hued hibiscus tea abundant in the Caribbean. Depending on what ports of trade a family was sold from, they would have a different version of sorrel, Summers noted. For instance, enslaved Africans working in Jamaica's spice trade would get hibiscus flowers with ginger, cardamom and allspice, whereas Trinidad and Tobago's version might have East Asian influences like cinnamon and nutmeg. Summers’ version of the drink calls for ginger, hibiscus, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove as a balance for the hibiscus. “So, instead of it being a single note, it's a procession of flavor,” Summers said. “People will ask, ‘How do I drink this?’ This is a question people ask because most people don't think of liqueurs as something you drink,” said Jackie Summers. “They think of it as a component of a cocktail. We are going to flip that perspective.” Furthermore, Summers’ recipe for Sorel is set apart from other varieties in the fact that it’s shelf stable. Instead of merely lasting three weeks at most, Sorel can be open for a year and not lose any taste. “People will ask, ‘How do I drink this?’ This is a question people ask because most people don't think of liqueurs as something you drink,” he said. “They think of it as a component of a cocktail. We are going to flip that perspective.” Traditionally, sorrel was consumed straight, maybe over ice, with a little effervescence and a slice of lime. “I realize that this is a beverage that’s Caribbean in nature. I'm not marketing directly to Caribbean [people]. They know what it is,” Summers said. “People that enjoy something delicious are going to enjoy this. That's my market. I want to sell to people who enjoy the experience of sharing a drink with people they care about.” Rebirth and legacy When Hurricane Sandy hit New York in 2012, it destroyed the Sorel facility, which was located in the waterfront neighborhood of Brooklyn’s Red Hook. Though Summers was able to rebuild without the aid of insurance money, he ran out of funds to continue the company. The rebirth of Sorel took roughly nine years, with the company and Summers’ fate changing with a single email. At the time, Weaver and Summers had both been making appearances on hospitality industry panels concerning matters of diversity and inclusion. Summers was in the process of working with an investment group to bring new money into Sorel. But he had hit a stumbling block. He reached out to Weaver for guidance via email. By the next day, Summers had an investment guarantee. “Fawn is moving through the world in a very different way, in that it is very much not consumer capitalism. She's not building to acquire for herself,” Summers said. “I don't want to be overly presumptuous and speak for her, but I believe Fawn sees her success both as remarkable and as a symbol of what other brands could do if they had similar funding. So, I think what she's trying to do is prove that she's not the only one. Given the right opportunity, the same way Uncle Nearest could have been given the opportunity centuries ago, we could do this.” Summers’ investment in community has proven to be as worthwhile as it is heartfelt. “I spent years nurturing relationships with literally no intent or desire or viewpoint of ever trying to see if I could leverage them. I don't believe that's a good way to move through the world. I don't believe in transactional relationships. I believe in integrity and really doing for people if it is within your power to do good,” Summers said. Now that his brand is back, it has placements in forthcoming prominent gift guides and is slated to receive several accolades, which Summers is keeping all under wraps for now. He added, “I have said for years, when everyone else wants you to succeed, you will. And I feel like right now, there are people who are rooting for Sorel because it represents the struggle that we all make.” “This country is just getting to a point where it's ready to hear the stories of marginalized people in their own voices,” said Jackie Summers. Time to shine When it comes to the marketplace, rather than immediately reclaiming its spot on brick-and-mortar store shelves, Sorel’s availability is beginning through a partnership with ecommerce delivery platform ReserveBar. Sorel will be sold via that platform from October through December. Traditionally enjoyed as a holiday treat, the timing of Sorel’s return appears right—in more ways than one, Summers said. “Like most people who live in a system where they've been marginalized, I was raised to do better," he said. "I was raised to always try harder. I was raised to always give more. My grandfather would say, ‘Good, better, best—never let it rest.’ “People say ‘It's your turn to shine,’” he added. “It's my turn to sacrifice and lay down the example for others to follow. I'll be an asterisk in the story. And that's OK, as long as the story continues.” Every Celebrity Has an Alcohol Brand—but What Spells Success?