There’s never been a better time to be a drinker. Between the concentration of great craft breweries and distilleries (though, in fairness, we are losing a bunch) and rise of malted alternatives like seltzers and teas, the spectrum of good, boozy beverages has never been wider.
It’s a great time to abstain, too.
The booze-less boom has seen a similar rise in recent years. Craft sodas don’t quite have the cache of their yeast-y counterparts, but there’s a market outside of Coke and Shasta. Non-alcoholic beers have found a place beyond O’Doul’s in an attempt to bring bold hops or dry lagers to anyone looking for a brew without a buzz. Canned mocktails are having their own minor moment, offering complex flavor in slim-fit cans.
Since we’ve already tackled tequilas, hard seltzers and Scotch whiskys here, it only seems right to break down the best NA beverages you can bring to your summer celebration and/or chintzy excuse for day drinking. Here’s what has stood out to me in my capacity as FTW’s “guy you ask to drink weird stuff.”
