š” From Morning Vodka to an Invincible Life - My Sobriety Journey (Issue 166)
Better Than Booze? My Favorite Non-Alcoholic Discoveries this Holiday Season
Iāve had moments in my life when I was worried about my drinking habits. There was a particularly dark time in my very early 20s when I had kind of given up on things. So, I was drinking a lot. I mean, a lot. Like starting my mornings with vodka and orange juice before going to work.
I had dropped out of college that year, and my close friends were just as bad with their drinking habits. We all had blue-collar jobs, which meant putting in our hours during the day and partying every night. Not good.
After a few months, I realized I was on a bad path, so I quit cold turkey. I stopped drinking alcohol entirely. Of course, this drove my friends crazy. They couldnāt stand that I refused to drink at parties. Thatās when you realize you need to change your circle of friends if you want to change your life.
Long story short, I didnāt avoid alcohol for the rest of my life. But I learned to partake of things in moderation. Now, my wife and I will enjoy a pint of cider or a glass of wine about once a week. We slowly savor one drink as we sit and enjoy the sunshine somewhere after a long day of hiking or skiing.
Weāve learned that enjoying one drink is fine. But if we have more than that, we donāt feel so great. Itās nice to have self-control at this age, rather than living with the wild chaos of my 20s. Boyā¦ I could tell you some stories. But Iām not sure Iām ready to be that open with strangers yet.
When I want a drink treat
I actually love plain water, but I still like to treat myself to a special drink at the end of a long day. And by āspecial drink,ā I mean a glass of sparkling water with a drop of vanilla extract for flavor. No sugar. No alcohol.
Yeah, I know Iām weird. But I really like it!
I started drinking sparkling water when I quit drinking soda about 30 years ago (I canāt stand soda now). I had a pretty bad Mountain Dew habit back then, which did my health no favors. By the way, I lost a lot of weight when I gave up that daily soda habit.
Since then, Iāve sampled various nonalcoholic beverages over the yearsābeers, cocktails, and all kinds of stuff. Yes, I tried things like Seedlip, Curious Elixirs, OāDoulās, etc., and didnāt like them at all. Nothing tasted quite right or scratched that itch.
However, in the past year, I discovered two products that changed my mind. I enjoy drinking them at times when I want something different and fun, but not alcoholic.
Almave
Almave (you can use my referral link to get 20% off a purchase: https://r-bloop.cc/YQ3KGLZZ) is a nonalcoholic tequila brand created by Lewis Hamilton, a Formula One champion. They describe themselves as āthe first distilled non-alcoholic blue agave spirit that takes the craft of tequila beyond proof.ā Their master distiller uses a traditional distillation method with blue agave, preserving the flavors you expect from tequila.
My daughter gave me a bottle of the Almave Blanco as a gift earlier this year. I was pleasantly surprised. It smelled so much like tequila and tasted so good that I felt like I was enjoying a traditional cocktail. You should try their cocktail recipes to get the most out of the spirits.
Is it precisely the same as alcoholic tequila? Of course not. But I think youāll find it to be an enjoyable non-alcoholic alternative. It sure beats the heck out of things like Seedlip!
From a review by Hayley Schueneman, editor and writer for Taste of Home:
āDamn, this is good. I couldnāt get enough of this unique flavor profile! Itās almost like a fall-inspired margarita. The Ćmbar spirit has a lot of aromas, and with every sip I was getting something different: cinnamon, vanilla, orange, apple. This would be really great to sip on like brandy, or maybe just over ice with a twist.ā
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Hop waters
I first encountered hop water on a flight. I had requested sparkling water, and the flight attendant asked if I wanted to try Lagunitas Hop Water instead. For some reason, she gave it to me for free (thank you!).
I wasnāt expecting much, but it was surprisingly refreshing! I enjoy the flavor of hops, and this was light, with the sparkling-water bite I like. Itās challenging to find many hop water brands where I live, but apparently, there are several options now.
This article reviewed 16 hop waters and rated them from worst to best. They put Lagunitas at the bottom and something called āFounders Hoppy Mood Hop Waterā at the top.
āWith moderate carbonation, the drink isnāt spicy with fizz which works to not overshadow the taste. There is a hint of bitterness that complements the flavor of the hops, and the lack of any other fruit flavors puts all the attention on the hops. This hop water took the top spot because it was incredibly satisfying and had a beautiful, but not too intense, hoppiness.ā (source)
So now I need to find a place to try that one out! If you enjoy the taste of hops, you might like hop water. Itās great for those times you want a refreshing drink with a little bite, but donāt want the alcohol impact of a regular beer.
I hope this gives you some more options for a sober holiday celebration! While I do enjoy alcohol in moderation, there are definitely moments when I donāt want toāor should notāpartake of it (e.g., Iām a designated driver or have already had my one drink).
Try them out and let me know what you think!
By the way, you can always schedule a complimentary call with me if you want to chat about anything and get some advice.
Iām Larry Cornett, Ph.D., an Empowerment Coach who works with ambitious professionals to help them reclaim their power, become more invincible, and create better opportunities for their work and lives. Do more of what you love and less of what you hate! If youāre interested in joining my free Invincible Life community, please complete this application form, and weāll get back to you.