I thought 2020 and the turmoil of a new virus was over. I thought I could return to nights sipping mint tea and avoiding the dishes. I thought I could exhale.

Do you have any Cabernet on sale?

Studies conducted in several countries indicated a higher incidence of anxiety, depression and alcohol consumption during quarantine, in addition to lower mental well-being.

Isolation had us stressed, and tipsy.

As a solo traveler since 2014, people assume I prefer being alone. That’s far from the truth. I love laughing, exercising and being – with people.

In isolation, I missed community. So I drank a little wine.

Things were manageable, until George Floyd.

Every day was a cry day. Ugly and without notice. In the supermarket, on my runs, during a client session. I couldn’t hold the pain. It wasn’t just the racism; black people are “used to it”. It was the willful blindness of non-black people. I expected the many that I know to brazenly shout “Black Lives Matter!”, “Angel Matters!”….

I’ll take two bottles, please.

Using alcohol to destress is commonplace for some, but it’s not my way. For me, wine represents celebration and communion. I prefer wine with a dope playlist, delicious food, and my favorite people. But in 2020, wine was novocaine. For the pain.

I’d like to return to the good ‘ole days. Maybe you do, too?

If so, this post is for us.

Non-Alcoholic Drinks

I’ve grouped these into cold and warm beverages. At the end of each category, I list beverages more ‘similar’ to alcohol. Often it’s not the “buzz” we’re after, rather the “bite”.

***This post is not meant to help or cure alcoholism.

Cold Drinks

⦁ Cranberry juice + Lime. I recommend pure cranberry juice not the sugary supermarket version. Trader Joe’s has a wonderful pure cranberry.
⦁ A Powerful Smoothie. Go heavy on the ginger, or cinnamon, or cayenne.
⦁ Seltzer plus ginger syrup. Get fancy by muddling fresh basil or rosemary leaves in the bottom.
⦁ Mocktails! Mocktails!

For more of a “bite”:

⦁ Kombucha
⦁ Fruit nectar cut with sparkling water. Try strong, tart fruits, rather than sweet ones. I recommend pomegranate, cranberry, or grapefruit. *The bubbles make it feel like champagne. 🙂
⦁ Fresh lemon or lime with club soda. It has a similar “bite” to white wine.

Hot Drinks

⦁ Homemade Ginger tea. Using real ginger will delight your palate. The homie, Sica, put me on to this!
⦁ Mayan hot chocolate. Bonus: this helps with sinuses and insomnia. ~ A vegan option.
⦁ Hot water with a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar
⦁ Almond milk served warm with cinnamon. Oh, and cacao!
⦁ Rooibos tea. It has a nice, earthy taste, plus properties similar to red wine.

Drinks with Meals

⦁ Light green teas resemble white wines, except they lack the acidity. Try more robust teas like jasmine or oolong. They possess a good amount of tannins to complement richer, meatier dishes.
⦁ Soda water or Seltzer + Bitters. You can find flavorful bitters to spice things up. Bitters do have alcohol in them, so the goal is to pour for taste, not intoxication. Drive slow, homie.
⦁ Tonic water + a splash of fruit juice.
⦁ Non-alcoholic sparkling cider. There are a lot of great brands here.

***

I hope these suggestions were helpful and that you found some new beverage ideas.

Cheers to 2021, and humanity.

♥ 𝙘𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡