Sober October is over, for some of us, but what a ride it was. Instead of drinking water and watching sermons—though I did both, too—I drank so many exciting NA beverages. Here’s my top 10 new favorite NA drinks I had during October:
1. Monday Gin Alternative
It’s Monday right now, so pour yourself a gin alternative. Why not Monday “Gin”? Strong juniper notes, spice, citrus—everything you expect from a good gin—with a decidedly bitter finish, it’s a great stand in for London Dry. drinkmonday.co
2. Everleaf NA Bittersweet Aperitif
If Lillet was better, it would taste like this (and it would source using sustainable practices). But it doesn’t. Everleaf does. I would use this in alcohol or no alcohol drinks. Or, just drink it on the rocks with tonic. @everleafdrinks
Cold weather beer all the way: coffee, chocolate, roasted grain. Maybe not quite as rich as a booze-laden stout, but still delicious and a good beer. athleticbrewing.com/products/all-o…
4. Jörg Geiger Inspiration 4.5
Red wine alts are thin, figuratively and literally. But Geiger figured out how to do it right. Made with apples, wine grapes, lapsang souchong, aronia berries, and herbs, think pine fire, nettles, cranberry, and hibiscus. delmosa.com/product/jorg-g…
I didn’t expect this out of a hopped tea, but it’s become my nightly drink. Don’t think beer, per se. Think what would happen if you mixed your IPA with a tasty chamomile tea. Light with a bite. Zero calories. hoptea.com/products/the-c…
6. Navarro Vineyards Gewurtztraminer Grape Juice
Wine is grape juice. And Navarro is know for their Gewurtz. Two and two, together, best NA Gewurtz grape juice there is. Slightly sweet but a food “wine” for sure. Mix with water if you prefer less sweet. navarrowine.com/shop/2020-gewu…
7. Twelfth Night Cider
I tried this for my book, Mindful Mixology, and it’s money. Th weather is now perfect for it, in DC at least. Pulled from a book of NA recipes in 1919, I had to update it but it works. PM for updated recipe, or wait until I post it for the holidays.
8. Non 1 Salted Raspberry and Chamomile
Light, fresh and fruity, pét nat fizzy, yet complex enough to hold up to food. In fact, their whole line of wine alternatives are delicious but Non 1 was the stunner to me. non.world/#product You can order at @drinknolow.
9. La Rhubarbelle Eclat
Made by Quebecois producer Brigitte Keszthelyi, this creamy, rhubarb juice, is made from heirloom varieties of rhubarb. It doesn’t tase like wine per se, but does the same work. Great for appetizers and vegetable dishes. delmosa.com/product/la-rhu…
10. Puerh Tea & Tumeric Honey
I made this simple combo for breakfast and was bowled over. Earthy and delicious, I would drink it any time of day (or night). Puerh tea is an aged tea from China and gets funky dirty the older it is (those are good things). teaism.com/product/puer-t…
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There’s a reckoning that has to happen in the cocktail world beyond the very just criticism of who works at them & who cocktail bars are for, intersecting race, gender, and class. We also hold up symbols of white supremacy, which are intricately tied to the history of cocktails.
For one, Tiki drinks are delicious and a much needed escape, but who escapes? Definitely not Pacific Islanders and other indigenous cultures being referenced in the garish and fabricated images meant to represent them. eater.com/2019/10/7/2089…
How about David Embury, a person I’ve frequently referenced, and who is a hero of the classic cocktail re-emergence, who is a noted racist. thedailybeast.com/the-bigot-who-…