Although many Canadians experienced a boozy beginning to the pandemic, in the past year or so, more Canadians have been turning to low- and non-alcoholic beverage alternatives than ever before.
Whether you’d just prefer to avoid a hangover or you’re exploring new options as a means to prioritize mental well-being, if you are going to delve into the world of zero-proof drinking, we highly recommend doing so with something delicious.
From making creative cocktails with Lumette’s botanical-distilled spirits to cracking open a can of craft beer from Partake, Village Brewery, or Libra, to making a toast to the new year with Silver Swallow’s unique take on sparkling wine, here are some great Canadian-made, non-alcoholic beverages people can enjoy.
Benjamin Bridge Piquette Zero
As you might infer from the name, Benjamin Bridge’s Piquette Zero contains no alcohol or sugar, is vegan-friendly, and gluten-free. Not identical to its alcoholic counterpart, but provides a wonderful wine-style option without sacrificing complexity or character.
Libra Non-Alcoholic Beer
Libra is on a mission to normalize having fun without alcohol, and judging by the popularity of its campaign in collaboration with Juno Award-winning musician Serena Ryder, Canadians have been having a lot of fun as of late. In addition offering a flavourful alternative to craft IPA, Pilsner, and Stout brews, Libra is also providing up-and-coming artists with mentorship and experiential wellness.
Partake Non-Alcoholic Beer
If your Christmas or New Year’s crew tends to celebrate with beer rather than bubbles, worry not; the days of bland non-alcoholic beer are well behind us. With an award-winning lineup of close-to-zero per cent alcohol brews, Partake sets the bar when it comes to great tasting, natural, and low calorie beer.
Lumette Alt-Spirits
Lumette offers a selection of non-alcoholic, botanical-distilled spirits that feature a versatile range of flavour profiles perfect for cocktail crafting, including London Dry (juniper, grapefruit, lemon, star anise), Bright Light (juniper, grand fir, grapefruit, orange, cucumber, mint, rose), and Lumrum (allspice, cinnamon, clove, molasses, nutmeg).
Village Brewery CR*FT Beer
Similar to Partake, while not 100 per cent non-alcoholic, Village Brewery also offers a tasty trio of low-alcoholic (0.1-0.4 abv) options for craft beer connoisseurs featuring flavours such as stout, pale ale, and blonde ale. Village also reallocates 10 per cent of its bottom line back into the local community, so avoiding a hangover is just an added bonus.
Silver Swallow Luxury Kombucha
When it comes time to toast to the new year, non-alcoholic options have traditionally been sparse. Thankfully, Silver Swallow just released Canada’s first non-alcoholic Champagne-inspired kombucha into the market. With a similar aesthetic to the real thing and priced at under $20 per bottle, you can sip Silver Swallow on New Year’s Eve without worrying about making new year’s resolutions.
