Based in Peckham with her husband, two boys and elderly dog George, Mother Root founder Bethan worked in the wine and spirits trade for over 10 years and was obsessed with delicious drinks. While pregnant (and thirsty), she searched for a non-alcoholic drink with a tart sourness and flavour intensity similar to that of her much loved high-acid white wines. Despite tasting every option she could find, nothing quite hit the spot. Getting quite desperate, one fortuitous Google search for ‘where to find complex high acid non-alc drinks’ took Bethan to an old switchel recipe which called for the addition of apple cider vinegar to a blend of ginger, honey and spices. Very intrigued (and a little sceptical) she started experimenting at home by adding a dash of vinegar, which she now calls her liquid seasoning,  to all her blends. The power of sour was just what she had been looking for. Seeing the potential for bold, unforgettable flavour, Bethan wondered what would happen if she took the traditional switchel recipe and elevated it, using the techniques she had learned from wine aperitif making, like month-long macerations and brews, as well as intricate blending. This approach unleashed not only powerful but crucially complex and nuanced flavours too. These early months of experimenting showed Bethan that a new way for alcohol-free was possible. A way that was not about replicating other alcoholic drinks, but about bringing something new and truly unique, where complex flavours and integrity of the process is at the heart.