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On Drinking, and Its Place In My Life.
(But it actually starts with my husband.)
Five years ago, my husband Bjork decided he was going to stop drinking alcohol pretty much on the spot.
At a holiday dinner with friends in 2018, as the server was taking our drink orders, he leaned over to me and whispered, “I think I’m going to stop drinking for a year.” I was shocked. It seemed so abrupt and out of the blue, but it had some weight behind it. He was thinking about his health, his nightly routines, and our family – mostly our daughter, who was one year old at the time.
I had my doubts, but this on-the-spot decision did, in fact, turn into a year of no drinking. And a year turned into two years, and two years turned into five years. And now here I am writing this post.
I have never made any sort of grand declarations about my drinking in the same way he did, but an unintended consequence of Bjork not drinking anymore is that I also started drinking less. I now drink socially, on the few times a month I’m going out to dinner with friends, but the big change for us is that we no longer keep alcohol in our home. And honestly, this change has felt great for our family.
The hardest part with this decision and one of the things I miss the most about having *a drink* at home is being able to mark a moment as special. A special dinner is one thing, but drinks? Drinks are a little extra, a little frivolous, and make it feel like it’s the real thing – whether for a birthday, a holiday, or even just celebrating being together on a Tuesday evening after work.
Seems obvious, but what I’ve learned is that the drinks don’t have to have alcohol to create a special moment. Lucky for all of us who are looking to drink less, we live in a time when non-alcoholic (NA) drinks are becoming more popular and more… how do I say this? Good. Like, good-tasting. There are so many options out there that are genuinely exciting and create that same “this is special” moment that you’d get from a cocktail or a glass of wine.
So with a deep love for special moments and five years of NA beer tasting experience under our belts, here’s a list of the NA beers that we love best.
I poured them all out so you can see the color and clarity a bit better, and photographed them all in my good old scratched-up IKEA beer glass. Enjoy!
7 Favorite Non-Alcoholic Beers
1
Sam Adams Just The Haze IPA
This is currently my favorite. I’ve never been huge on actual IPAs but this one is just it for me. Really juicy, really hazy, and really nice. Buy it here.
2
Best Day Brewing Kolsch
This kolsch-style beer is light, malty, and we love it! It’s generally considered to be one of the best NA beers on the market right now. Buy it here.
3
Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn Golden
We love Athletic Brewing and they have a ton of beers and non-alcoholic drinks that are just really great all around. A current fave is this light, refreshing Upside Dawn (but, honestly, love all their products and have tried many). Buy it here.
4
Clausthaler Original
A house favorite for years! You can buy it at Trader Joe’s. The flavor is just nice and easy to drink, with “a creamy feel on the palate”. The dry-hopped IPA is also nice when you want something a little meatier. Buy it here.
5
Heineken 0.0
Fruity notes, soft malty body. Or, in my own words, light and mellow and crispy. Whatever it is, it’s delicious. We buy this on the reg! Buy it here.
6
Corona Non-Alcoholic
This guy drinks like a beachy Corona, but without the alcohol. Well done, Corona! Buy it here.
7
Guinness 0 Non-Alcoholic Draught
This is, as expected, rich and dark, mellow and creamy, with a velvety finish. Bjork says it’s one of his faves! Buy it here.
8
Bonus: Ghia!
We are now a family whose fridge is loaded with Ghia as often as possible. My favorite is the Ghia Ginger (tiny little can of spicy soda), mixed with a little rosemary syrup and sparkling water! OOOH BABY. What I like about all their products is that they’re complex and nuanced, containing lots of flavors like smokiness, saltiness, bitterness, and heat – so much more than just a sweet drink. Plus, for any design geeks in your life, the packaging is so beautiful. Buy it here.
Other Links and Recommendations
- Bauhaus Brew Labs Nah – we don’t often buy this because it requires a special trip for us, but it’s one of the beers we’ll get most often at a Twin Cities restaurants!
- Minnesota Non-Alcoholic Beers – a nice little list if you’re looking for something specifically brewed here in Minnesota!
- Marigold – This is a shop in the Twin Cities that specializes in NA drinks!
- Mucci’s – I have always loved the St. Agrestis Phony Negroni on their menu and I get one every time I go!
- GusGus – They have a whole creative and thoughtful spirit-free section of their bar menu, including – wait for it – non-alcoholic Jell-O shots!
- This non-alcoholic margarita is AMAZING! Made with jalapeño cilantro simple syrup, lime juice, and tonic water.
- This rosemary pom spritzer is on repeat in our house. Herby, zingy rosemary-infused simple syrup, sweet tart pomegranate juice, bubbly fizz, and fresh lime squeezes.
Least Favorite: Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic. I wanted to love this so much because I really enjoy a regular Blue Moon—it’s one of my long-time favorites. But the orange flavor on the NA variety was so strange, and the whole thing was just… not good. I think they’ll get it there eventually, but it’s not there yet. Save your money on this one!
What did I miss? What to try next? Let me know what your faves are!
