Jazz in the Pink
By The Fermented Alaskan, Carissa Pearce
Sponsored by Recover Alaska 
Mix it up with AF Cocktails
All sorts of people are foregoing alcohol these days for all kinds of reasons, ranging from medication to religion to health: maybe they’re pregnant or in recovery, or most importantly, maybe they simply don’t want to drink. That doesn’t mean they don’t want a bubbly beverage at celebrations or an over-ice pick-me-up at the end of a long week. Next time you’re hosting, embrace spirit-free bevvies—call them mocktails, cool AF cocktails, zero proof drinks, or create your own fun name. As more people opt out of booze, more and more producers offer creative options.
Delicious alcohol-free options exist for everyone—craft beverages by brands like Seedlip and Owl’s Brew give AF mixed drinks a refined je ne sais quoi. Bottled nonalcoholic cocktails and other ready-to-drink options are available from Curious Elixirs or your local kombucha brewer. Amalga distillery’s popular tonic is a cool local option. Try your hand at making fun mixers like rosemary simple syrup or rose water from Alaska wild roses. It’s easy to stock a cooler full of enticing, healthy options right alongside the beer.
Going out? Many restaurants and bars here in Alaska are upping their zero-proof game by adding these options to menus, and even more bartenders say they love making up new mocktails based on customer preferences. We’ve compiled local highlights from that zero-proof movement into a free Recover Alaska’s Zero-Proof Cocktail Recipes book. Try making them yourself from the comfort of your home, hit the town and order out, or turn to them for inspiration as you mixologize your own creations.
As you plan for the holidays, be prepared with alcohol-free drinks—you never know who is trying to cut back on drinking or who has stopped altogether. Holidays are stressful times for many people, especially those in recovery. Treating sobriety as equally normal to drinking will go a long way in making everyone more comfortable, happier, and safer. Cheers!
This sponsored content originally appeared in Edible Alaska Issue No. 18, Winter 2020.
The more you know...
Older adults and women make up the fastest growing groups of people with alcohol misuse or dependence issues. Marketing campaigns from big alcohol play a heavy hand in this—think of the rise in tea-towels with wine slogans, rosé-colored running shoes, post-yoga mimosas, and even mommy wine-time paraphernalia. While the gender wage gap continues to gape, the gender alcohol use disorder gap is rapidly closing.
Low-risk drinking is defined as one drink a day for women, two drinks a day for men. If you want to reach for that glass of wine or cold beer, consider why you want it, then consider a non-alcoholic option or even a walk as an alternative.
Curious where your drinking habits stack up? Use our anonymous screening tool today.
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This sponsored content originally appeared in Edible Alaska Issue No. 26, Winter 2022.
By Recover Alaska and State Of Alaska, Office Of Substance Misuse And Addiction Prevention
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