I’ve been seeing Dry January posts and hashtags on social media and after an outing with friends one night this week (ouch), I wonder if it’s too late for me to jump on the wagon. While giving up wine, beer, and cocktails for a month really won’t be that hard, sipping sugary soda or seltzer water while my friends consume complex IPAs or fun cocktails can be a bit of a bummer.
So I was intrigued by Curious Elixirs, a craft brand of pre-mixed no-alcohol cocktails. They’re made in the Hudson River Valley with all organic ingredients and no added sugar (there’s about 3g of natural sugars from fruit, generally), and designed to offer the enjoyable complexity of a classic cocktail, without the potentially messy side effects.
Each bottle comes ready to shake and pour, neat or on the rocks, so you can get right to the business of socializing.
So, how are they?
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Don’t be put off by the pretty nondescript cocktail names — No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3. The flavor profiles are anything but bland.
No. 1 offers a non-sugary twist on the Negroni, while No. 2 is a fusion of a pineapple margarita with a Dark & Stormy. That’s a better combo than you might think. As for No. 3, it’s a really interesting floral-cucumber-citrus blend, also incorporating the new-to-me Ashwagandha plant extract, which is reported to reduce stress and boost memory, something I really could use in 2020.
And of course, those things may also be improved with less cocktail consumption?
I would have loved these when I was going through any of my three pregnancies. (Though check all the ingredients first so you know what you’re consuming, if you’re pregnant.)
I also like them as a sophisticated alternative when I’m the designated driver, for those nights I know I’m going to have to be up at 5 AM with the kids, or, heck, I just don’t feel like drinking alcohol. Whether it’s for a whole month, a whole year, or just a night. And of course, they’d be great to have on hand to offer non-imbibing friends something more than a club soda or a sparkling cider.
Check out Curious Elixirs no-alcohol craft cocktails. If you want to get a steady stream of cocktails delivered to your door monthly, their Curious Cocktail Club will send a variety of their bottles directly to you and is currently 25% off for a limited time.
