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3 Festive Non-Alchoholic Drinks

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Tis the season for raising a glass and sipping bubbly beverages. But since I'm spending this holiday season with child I'll be passing on the alcohol. Plus over the past couple of years I've been questioning how much and even whether I want to drink at all. I've never been a heavy drinker but when not pregnant will have a drink or two socially on occasion. However, learning more about the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer and the ways alcohol messes with sleep in addition to just not feeling as great the day after having a drink have me reconsidering whether even occassionaly alcohol is worth it.

So lately I've been looking for enjoyable alcohol-free beverages. I'm thrilled to have found some great non-alcoholic options for festive holiday drinks and I'd love to share:

Töst. Knowing I wouldn't be drinking this holiday, a friend sent me a review of this new non-alcoholic beverage which is a sparkling beverage of white tea, cranberry, and ginger. The review calls Töst "a sparkling non-alcoholic beverage that tastes like it’s for grownups" which left me intrigued. I was able to find a few bottles of it at a local World Market so we tried it on Thanksgiving...and I really like it! So many non-alcoholic drinks are so sweet and I love that this one isn't. There are also tiny flecks of cranberry which makes it look festive. The bottle price is affordable but shipping is expensive so I would recommend trying to find it at World Market if possible. But otherwise highly recommend.

Iconic Cocktail Cranberry Thyme mixer. Iconic Cocktail is a local brand that sells delicious mixers and this seasonal variety is described as "a festive grenadine syrup designed to celebrate the season’s greeting." We loved having it around last holiday season to mix with gin or bourbon. This year I'll mix it up with cranberry juice and lemon to make a Phoestivus. The flavors are a perfect pairing with Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love having a mixer on hand for gatherings along with the ingredients to make alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks so that everyone feels included.

Shrubwell Watermelon-Fennel-Lime mixer. Lately, Chris and I have gotten into shrub drinks which are made with flavored vinegar syrup and can be served with or without alcohol. Shrubs make great mocktails because the vinegar adds complexity and keeps the drink from being overly sweet. On a recent visit to the downtown Phoenix farmer's market I was thrilled to see local maker Shrubwell with shurb mixers! We picked up a bottle of the watermelon-fennel-lime and I've been enjoying it with sparkling water and a slice of lime. There are several other flavors I'd like to try including plum-date-rosemary.

 

Do you have any favorite non-alcoholic drinks to recommend?

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