5 Low-Alcohol Drinks to Sip at Your Next Vaxxed Hang
Like so many people, I let my personal habits slide into the “probably not okay” zone (what's a shower again?) during the pandemic. But it wasn’t until I found myself initiating happy hour earlier and earlier in my days—and my prized Cuban rum collection somehow nearly drained—that I realized it was probably time to reassess my booze intake.
The nonalcoholic scene was popping—with faux wines, zero-proof spirits, and funky drinking vinegars all vying for my thirst—but I still wanted a little indulgence at the end of my day. That’s how I learned about these low-alcohol drinks. While there’s no official standard for what counts as low-ABV (alcohol by volume), these bevs all hover around 5% (wine, by comparison, is usually 11–13% ABV). For the numerically averse, it’s just enough booze to give a little frisson to your day, without the high-glare intensity of a full-strength cocktail. They’re also perfectly suited for that all-day park hang, when you want some tipsy revelry without worrying that you won’t make it home in one piece.
So, whether you’re trying to pare back the booze or just maintain a steady buzz at your next vaxxed gathering, we’ve got something delicious for every mood and occasion. Here are our five favorite low alcoholic drinks:
This uniquely tart, glass-bottled cocktail offers the perfect amount of sour and effervescence. The ingredient list is both shockingly short—just water, agave spirit, sea salt, and lime juice—and transparently sourced. (According to the website, Zuzu’s makers are committed to purchasing directly from supplies, which starts on a family-owned agave farm in Jalisco, Mexico.)
Citrus season might be in the dead of winter, but the juicy sweetness of this organic wine spritz whisks me away to my own imaginary Amalfi Coast. Its sweetness masks any trace of booze, which basically makes it the adult version of orange soda; flavorful enough to drink alone and fun enough to serve at brunch.
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When we talk about canned wine, we so often compare it to its bottled brethren. But this funky, natural piquette, made by a family-run vineyard in Maryland, holds its own with notes of stone fruit and green apple. Bring it on your next picnic to complement a rustic sourdough pan bagnat or to appease your “I only drink natty” friends.
Tangy, sweet, and highly crushable, this gin and grapefruit soda is like a zesty, grown-up Sprite. Based on a well-known Finnish drink that’s typically served on draught, it’s an easy crowd-pleaser that goes just as well with a side of fries as it does your drive-in movie popcorn.
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If the words “hard seltzer smoothie” make you want to close your laptop, I don’t blame you. It sounds like something spat out of a millennial product incubator—only it works. The flavor is nostalgic (remember when strawberry-banana zhuzhed up the entire yogurt aisle?) and the smooth, bubbly texture—thanks to real fruit purée and light carbonation—has some nice heft. And don’t worry about it bouncing around in your beach bag; Smooj is best stored upside down.
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